Skip to content
MovieCove
Richard Dean Anderson

Richard Dean Anderson

Actor and producer · Born January 23, 1950 (76) · Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

The future MacGyver (1985) and Stargate SG-1 (1997) star was born on January 23, 1950, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father, Stuart Anderson, was a teacher at a local high school and his mother, Jocelyn, was an artist who was talented in both sculpting and painting. He and his two younger brothers, Thomas John and James Stuart, grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis called Roseville. During his childhood and teenage years, he developed a love for sports, music (especially jazz) and acting.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 23, 1950 (76)
From
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Works as
Actor and producer
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 30 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 65 days to Oct 28Up 34% in 30 days

What are Richard Dean Anderson's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Survival.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
28%
Survival
20%
Self
17%
Morality
11%
Power
11%
Ideas
8%
Society
5%
Survival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 3 · Dark 1

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 3 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 4 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

8 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 5 of 8 analyzed roles.

Hero
5 of 8
Ally
1 of 8
Shadow
1 of 8
Mentor
1 of 8
Show the 8 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Thrilling
4
Warm
4
Hopeful
4
Joyful
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Fun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet4
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Richard Dean Anderson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Richard Dean Anderson's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

30 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • LEGEND (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Fairly Legal(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · as David Smith

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows

  • Raising Hope(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Keith

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Stargate Universe(2009)

    Show 6 episodes · as Jack O'Neill

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Stargate Atlantis: Fans' Choice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Jack O'Neill

  • Stargate SG-1: Children of the Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Colonel Jack O'Neill

  • Stargate - En route vers les étoiles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as O'Neil - Lui même

  • Stargate: Continuum(2008)

    as Major General Jack O'Neill

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Stargate: Atlantis(2004)

    Show 5 episodes · as Jack O'Neill

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Stargate SG-1(1997)

    Show 214 episodes · Producer · as Jack O'Neill

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Pandora's Clock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 2 episodes · as James Holland

  • Firehouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Executive Producer · as Lt. Michael Brooks

  • Past the Bleachers(1995)

    as Bill Parish

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Legend(1995)

    Show 13 episodes · as Ernest Pratt / Nicodemus Legend

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • MacGyver: Trail to Doomsday(1994)

    Executive Producer · as Angus MacGyver

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Beyond Betrayal (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Bradley · as Bradley Matthews

  • MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis(1994)

    Producer · as MacGyver

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Through the Eyes of a Killer(1992)

    as Ray Bellano

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • In the Eyes of a Stranger(1992)

    as Jack Rourke

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Richard Dean Anderson (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Ordinary Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Tony Kaiser

  • Odd Jobs(1986)

    as Spud

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • MacGyver (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 139 episodes · as Angus MacGyver

  • Emerald Point N.A.S. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Show 22 episodes · as Navy Lt. Simon Adams

  • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 22 episodes · as Adam McFadden

  • Young Doctors in Love(1982)

    as Drug Dealer (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Facts of Life(1979)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Carter Randall

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • Battle of the Network Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Saturday Night Live(1975)

    Show 2 episodes · as MacGyver (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 30 titles from 1975 to 2023; peak year 2009.

Highest rated

Stargate SG-1 (1997)

Midcredits 96th

Film career

19752023

Peak 2009 · their film career is on the way up. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

  • 1982Screen debut· Young Doctors in Love
  • 1994First top-billed film· MacGyver: Lost Treasure of Atlantis

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting30 of 30: 27 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score64thProducing3 of 30: 0 only producing, 3 with another role

30 titles, 3 with more than one role — acting and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1970s4 · acting1980s7 · acting1990s10 · 10 acting · 3 crew2000s6 · acting2010s2 · acting2020s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Richard Dean Anderson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 46th percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 44th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

44thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up5
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

In the Eyes of a Stranger (1992)

70th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, producer

Stargate SG-1 (1997)

Midcredits 96th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Richard Dean Anderson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Richard Dean Anderson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Geddes shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers