Sam George Edwards (May 26, 1915 – July 28, 2004) was an American actor. His most famous role on television was as banker Bill Anderson on Little House on the Prairie. Biography Early years Born into a show business family, his first role was as a baby in his mother's arms. He appeared on radio in the 1930s in the Adventures of Sonny and Buddy one of the first radio serials ever syndicated, and later in The Edwards Family, a series based on the life of Sam, brother Jack, who was also an actor, sister Florida, and his parents, Edna Park and Jack Edwards Sr. Sam was also an early cast member of one of the first radio soap operas, One Man's Family. Military service During World War II, Sam was inducted into the Army and ended up serving as part of the morale-building entertainment corps, spending much of the time in the African, European, and India/Burma theater, travelling for a time with Dwight D. Eisenhower and George S. Patton's regiments. He enlisted August 6, 1942 and was discharged November 15, 1945 as a "Buck" Sergeant. Later years Edwards spent much of his retirement travelling the world with his wife of 35 years, Beverly, and attending many Old Time Radio conventions where he participated in recreations of original shows from the 1940s and 1950s, as well as newer scripts. He spent his last 24 years based in Durango, Colorado where he died. Death On July 28, 2004, Edwards died of a heart attack in Durango, Colorado. He was survived by his wife, Beverly Motley Edwards, stepchildren William, Deborah and Linda Edwards, and several grandchildren. Career Radio Edwards worked on a variety of radio programs. He co-starred in the comedy The First Hundred Years on ABC in 1949 and landed a starring role playing Dexter Franklin opposite Janet Waldo in the long-running Meet Corliss Archer series. He also had recurring or cast member roles in radio on Crime Classics, Dr. Paul; Father Knows Best, Guiding Light, Fort Laramie; Gunsmoke; Dragnet; Suspense; Escape; This Is Your FBI; The Six Shooter; and Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar. Film Edwards' first major screen role was as Chuck Ramsey in the movie serial version of Captain Midnight (1942). From 1949 to 1981, he made several film appearances, with significant roles in Twelve O'Clock High (1949), Operation Pacific (1951), Gangbusters (1954), and supporting roles in The Beatniks