Eric "Happy" Anderson is an American actor who has worked in film, television, and on and off Broadway.
He is best known for his roles as Mr. James "Jimmy" Fester on Cinemax's The Knick, and Jerry Brudos in the 2025 Netflix series Monster: The Ed Gein Story reprising his role from the series Mindhunter, from executive producer and director David Fincher.
Anderson also appears in the Netflix films Bird Box as River Man, and Bright as Montehugh, a human who works for the FBI's magic division.
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Early life and education
Anderson was born in High Falls, New York. He graduated from Rondout Valley High School in 1995. He received a bachelor of fine arts degree from Ithaca College in 1999, graduating alongside Larry Teng, Kevin Deiboldt, Ben Wilson and Brantley Aufill. He graduated with a master's of fine arts from Indiana University Bloomington in 2002. In 2003, he moved to New York City.
Filmography
Theater
1999–2000: Creede Repertory Theatre
2003: Kentucky Shakespeare Festival
2004: Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
2006: Texas Shakespeare Festival
2008: Emancipation, Classical Theatre of Harlem
2010: The Merchant of Venice and A Winter's Tale, Shakespeare in the Park
2011: The Merchant of Venice, Broadway (dir. Daniel J. Sullivan)
2012: Richard III/As You Like It/Inherit The Wind, Old Globe Theatre
2013: The Twenty-Seventh Man, The Public Theatre
2014: As You Like It, Shakespeare Theatre Company