90s TV star dead after ‘brutal struggle’

An actor known for his roles in 90s TV hits like Felicity and Melrose Place has died after a “brutal struggle” with health issues.

Actor Erich Anderson died on Friday, May 31 at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer.

Anderson was known for his roles on TV shows like Felicity, where he played the Edward Porter, father of Keri Russell’s titular character Felicity Porter, thirtysomething, and Melrose Place, and the films Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Unfaithful.

Anderson’s wife, acting coach and actress Saxon Trainor, announced the news of his death on Instagram, writing, “My husband Erich died this morning. I am sharing my brother-in-law Michael O’Malley’s words as I am too bereft now to write anything.”

Anderson with Eve Gordon (centre) and Keri Russell in Felicity season one. Picture: Alamy

She then included O’Malley’s statement, which reads: “My brother in law Erich Anderson passed this morning after a brutal struggle with cancer. He had a long successful career as an actor — he was on that old show 30 something; he was Felicity’s father on Felicity; he was killed in a basement in a Friday the 13th movie: he was on Star Trek and dozens of other shows.”

His statement continues, “He was a smart and funny guy, a fantastic cook; he wrote three great novels which you can find on Amazon. I’ll miss him but his ordeal is over.”

Anderson died after a “brutal struggle” with cancer. Picture: Bobby Bank/WireImage

He was 67. Picture: Getty

Actress Eve Gordon, who co-starred on Felicity as Anderson’s on-screen wife, also remembered him, writing that he was “a magnificent part of the world” and adding, “there was no one like him.”

According to his website, Anderson was born in Sagamahara, Japan in 1967 and went to school in Chula Vista, California. He later graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Prior to his death, Anderson resided in Los Angeles with Trainor. In addition to acting, Anderson was also an accomplished novelist. His most recent credits include the series Interrogation, the short Those Who Wait and the podcast series The Big Lie.

This story originally appeared on Decider and is republished here with permission. 

Originally published as 90s TV star dead after ‘brutal struggle’