Jeff Anderson
Birthdate: Apr 21, 1970
Birthplace: Monmouth County, New Jersey, USA
Jeff Anderson (birthname: Jeffrey Allan Anderson) has an amusing American success story: Seeing that his high school buddy was trying to make his first movie, he thought he’d try out for the movie on a whim…and then won the part…and then, the movie became a cult hit, and Anderson became one of the faces of the cult hit. The movie was writer-director Kevin Smith’s comedy, Clerks (1994).
Since this, Anderson has been a regular and loyal member of Smith’s eccentric troupe of players, sometimes playing leads, as in Clerks, Clerks II (2006), with regulars Brian O’Halloran, Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson, and Trevor Fehrman. Anderson continues portraying clerk Randal Graves in Smith’s Clerks III (2022), which co-stars the regular Clerks cast.
In between these projects, Anderson played generally smaller roles in Smith’s movies (also known—after Smith’s production company name, View Askew, as the “View Askewniverse”), starting with Dogma (1999), starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Linda Fiorentino, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Bud Cort, Alan Rickman, and Chris Rock, and grossing an unexpected $44 million worldwide. Anderson joined the ensemble as a vocal actor in writer-director Bryan Johnson’s View Askewniverse movie, Vulgar (2000), with O’Halloran, Bryan Johnson, Ethan Suplee, and Matthew Maher.
Writer-director Marc Fusco’s indie drama, Stealing Time (2001), was Anderson’s next movie, with Peter Facinelli, Jennifer Garner, Charlotte Ayanna, and Scott Foley. Anderson revived the role of Randal Graves in Smith’s Clerks spinoff, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), with Jason Mewes, Smith, Ben Affleck, Eliza Dushku, Shannon Elizabeth, Will Ferrell, Jason Lee, and Chris Rock.
Inspired by Kevin Smith’s DIY school of filmmaking, Jeff Anderson made his only movie as star-writer-director with Now You Know (2002), starring Jeremy Sisto. After Clerks II, Anderson stayed in the View Askewniverse with a non-Randal Graves role, Deacon Anderson (!), in Smith’s R-rated comedy, Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008), starring Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Craig Robinson, Jason Mewes, Traci Lords, and Justin Long.
In a leap away from Smith’s movie world, Anderson joined the cast of writer-director Jeffery Scheetz’s space-based movie involving aliens, Nasa Seals (date to be announced), with Phil LaMarr, John Cariani, and Elizabeth Sung.
Personal Details
Jeff Anderson was born in Connecticut and raised in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey. Anderson attended and graduated from Henry Hudson Regional High School. He was working at AT&T when high school friend Kevin Smith was auditioning for his debut movie, Clerks; Anderson auditioned as a lark and then won the role.
He attended the New Jersey Institute of Technology, but then dropped out and moved to Los Angeles. Anderson was married to actor Lisa Spoonauer from 1998 to 1999; he has been married to actor Barbara Jacques since 2009. Anderson’s height is 6’.
Filmography
actor
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- 2022 | Clerks IIIasRandal
Clerks III
Dante, Elias, and Jay and Silent Bob are enlisted by Randal after a heart attack to make a movie about the convenience store that started it all.
Some Facts About Jeff Anderson
Businessman: Jeff Anderson owns and runs an import tile company.
AKA: Anderson’s nickname is “Heff A.”
