Andy Anderson is primarily known by his screen characters:
- Livingstone, the drunken river boat captain. Eaten (and thrown up) by the star of "Anacondas - The Hunt For The Blood Red Orchid"
- Kev, the burned-out rocker in "Garage Days"
- Charlie Rhodes, Vampire bus driver in "Salem's Lot" and many others "Junction Boys", "House Of Wax", "Nightmares & Dreamscapes", and "Xena" to name a few.
"I get a lot of off the wall parts. Drunks, vampires, nutters, acid-casualties ... ...Maybe they're telling me something!"
But Andy only really came to TV and movies after he sobered up in '79.
He started out as a drummer / singer in rock bands. Corvairs, Missing Links, Arkastra, Southern Comfort, Asylum... You can trace my decline by the names of the bands... I finally hit the wall. It was get straight or die. So I knew I had to get out of rock 'n' roll. But I didn't know anything else. I came out of hospital after my 3rd pancreatitis attack, they'd taken nodules from my throat. I was stark raving sober and gigless. So I thought maybe I could do some radio or acting... writing. I just prayed and sent letters out to radio and TV stations. I scored the first role I went for, a DJ who had taken a few too many substances. I'd already done a fair bit of research! That had a bizarre twist too. I was acting a DJ and because the writers had trouble knowing what an acid casualty would rave on about they let me write my own dialogue. I got three wishes in one."
This led to other roles and a very successful career. "I've been incredibly fortunate. Some actors spend years studying drama. I just did what I'd done as a practicing alkie; bluffed my way through. I knew how to pretend to be what I'm not."
But much as Andy loved the new world of drama, comedy and even the odd musical (as The Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance, The title roles of Sweeney Todd, Me & My Girl.) he did miss performing his own music. <"I started to write a few songs with the view of getting back to playing live and all these songs poured out. Finally I had an album.
'If I'd known I'd live this long I'd've taken better care of myself.' That's what Eubie Blake the blues singer said on his 100th birthday. Very apt for me. But there's a flip side to that. I wouldn't be where I am now; content, productive, with a positive direction without all the so-called ups and downs. I often don't know what's best for me. I thought having to stop drinking was a the worst thing ever. It's turned out to be the best. And these songs have had such good feedback. Not being young and gorgeous I haven't had a whole lot of airplay but the cd got to #1 on the New Zealand Independent Chart. Not bad for an old drunk!"
