Richard Sanders

Richard Sanders (born August 23, 1940) is a retired American actor and screenwriter. He played quirky news anchorman Les Nessman on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–1982). Most of his acting career has been on television.

Career Sanders became known for his role as Les Nessman on the CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati from 1978 to 1982. He joined Gordon Jump and Frank Bonner in reprising his original WKRP role on The New WKRP in Cincinnati in the early 1990s. He has guest-appeared on other television shows, including Lou Grant, Kojak, The Rockford Files, Alice, Newhart, Murder, She Wrote, Who's the Boss?, ALF, Growing Pains, Designing Women, and Married... with Children, and has also acted in the mini-series Roots: The Next Generations, the animated series Inhumanoids, the horror film Lovers Lane, and the Robert De Niro/Cuba Gooding Jr. film Men of Honor.

Besides being an actor, Sanders is a screenwriter, having written, among other works, several episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati. In 1993, he starred in the computer game Day of the Tentacle as the voice of Bernard Bernoulli.

Personal life Sanders resides in Woodinville, Washington.

Filmography

Film + Year Title Role Notes 1977 Billy Jack Goes to Washington Jerry 1980 The Nude Bomb German Delegate 1983 Valley Girl Drivers' Ed Teacher 1991 Neon City Dickie Devine 1994 The Beans of Egypt, Maine Lee, Earlene's Father 1997 Black Circle Boys Mr. Dunkel 1999 Anoosh of the Airways Burton Lloydhammer 1999 Lovers Lane Dr. Jack Grefe 2000 Men of Honor Donny Moor, The Bartender 2000 Nowheresville Duane 2006 Expiration Date Municipal Cemetery Administrator

Television Year Title Role Notes 1971 They've Killed President Lincoln! Dr. Leale Television film 1974 Lincoln: Trial by Fire Minister John Adams 1974 The Doctors The Bartender 4 episodes 1976 Midway Navy pilot (uncredited) TV version 1977 McCloud Matt Clayton Episode: "London Bridges" 1977 Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn Travis Television film 1977 Good Against Evil The Doctor 1977 Lou Grant Richard T. Harvey Episode: "Hostages" 1977 Barnaby Jones Joe Keller Episode: "The Wife Beater" 1977 Kojak Drunk Episode: "A Strange Kind of Love" 1977 Rafferty Reverend Campbell Episode: "The Wild Child" 1977 The Rockford Files Samuel Romney Episode: "The Mayor's Committee from Deer Lick Falls" 1978 Ruby and Oswald FBI Agent Kelley Television film 1978 Keefer Bemmel 1978 The Gypsy Warriors German Scientist 1978 Bud and Lou The Doctor 1978–1982 WKRP in Cincinnati Les Nessman 88 episodes 1979 Roots: The Next Generations Captain Episode: "Part III (1914–1918)" 1979 Ike Correspondant Episode: "Part II" 1979 Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker Mr. Fogarty Television film 1980 Trouble in High Timber Country Lester 1980 Fantasy Island The Race Track Announcer 2 episodes 1982 ABC Weekend Special Mr. Lester Little Episode: "The Joke's on Mr. Little" 1982 Gloria Barry Farnum Episode: "The Taxman Cometh" 1983 It Takes Two Arthur Frain Episode: "Anniversary" 1983 The Invisible Woman Orville Television film 1983 Alice Arnold Episode: "Alice's Blind Date" 1983 Goodnight, Beantown Chester Episode: "Peace on Earth" 1984 Simon & Simon Ed Laughlin Episode: "The Wrong Stuff" 1984 Newhart Cecil Breech Episode: "Leave It to the Beavers" 1984–1985 Spencer Benjamin Beanley 13 episodes 1984-1987 Murder, She Wrote Gerald Richards, Arnold Megrim 2 episodes 1985 Berrenger's Frank Chapman 8 episodes 1985 Who's the Boss? Bob Wormser 2 episodes 1986 Riptide Pierce Fenner Episode: "A Matter of Policy" 1986 Knots Landing Harry Nold Episode: "The Legacy" 1986 ALF Hogarth Episode: "Pennsylvania 6-5000" 1986 Inhumanoids Dr. Derek Bright Voice, 8 episodes 1986-1989 Growing Pains Dr. Rosenfeld, Luther 2 episodes 1987 Easy Street Ravenkeep Episode: "The Mad Gardener" 1987 Nothing in Common Dooley Episode: "Gone Fishing" 1987 Married... with Children Mr. Conner Episode: "Sixteen Years and What Do You Get" 1987–1988 You Can't Take It with You Paul Sycamore 4 episodes 1988 The Law & Harry McGraw Burton Rumley Episode: "Beware the Ides of May" 1988 Duet Bob Episode: "Funny Valentine" 1988 Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace Chester Lackberry Television film 1989 Night Court City Auditor Clark Edwards 2 episodes 1989 The Magical World of Disney Dr. Dark Episode: "The Absent-Minded Professor: Trading Places" 1990 227 Dean Thurston Episode: "Nightmare on 227" 1990 Charles in Charge Professor Smalley Episode: "Let's Quake a Deal" 1990 Coach Warren Graustark Episode: "The Break-Up" 1990 Designing Women Dr. Elliot Newhouse, Elmer Peace 2 episodes 1990 Gravedale High Ben Franklin Episode: "Goodbye Gravedale" 1991–1993 The New WKRP in Cincinnati Les Nessman 46 episodes 1995 Simon & Simon: In Trouble Again Dr. Budwig Television film 1997 Unhappily Ever After Mr. Peabody Episode: "Teacher of the Year" 1999 Batman Beyond Mr. Deakins Voice, episode: "Spellbound" 2000 The John Report with Bob Bob's Dad Episode #1.2 2001 The Fugitive Judge Episode: "And in That Darkness" 2002 Rose Red Mr. Stanton 2 episodes