Ken Anderson (filmmaker)
Ken Anderson | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 23, 1917 |
| Died | March 12, 2006 (aged 88) |
| Occupation(s) | Screenwriter, director, producer, author |
| Years active | 1961-1986 |
| Known for | Christian-themed films |
| Notable work | Pilgrim's Progress |
| Spouse | Doris Jones (1938-2006; his death) |
| Children | 7 |
Ken Anderson (December 23, 1917 – March 12, 2006) was an American Baptist minister, screenwriter, director and producer of Christian films. He is most well remembered for founding Gospel Films and directing Pilgrim's Progress, a 1978 adaptation of The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, which marked the first screen appearance for actor Liam Neeson. Anderson wrote 77 fiction and non-fiction books over six decades, including the best-seller Where to Find It in the Bible.[1] He was the first editor for Youth for Christ magazine, which came to be known as Ignite Your Faith.
Early life
[edit]Anderson was born in Rembrandt, Iowa. His mother died during childbirth, and Anderson was raised by his father and paternal grandmother. In 1938, he married Doris Ilene Jones (1918-2013). Anderson studied at Wheaton College and Trinity International University in Illinois, later joining the Evangelical Free Church as a pastor. He preached in churches in Isle, Minnesota, and later in Newman Grove, Nebraska. In 1944, he became the first full-time editor for Ignite Your Faith magazine, then known as Youth For Christ, through which he met Robert Pierce. In 1948, under Pierce's guidance, he traveled through China as a missionary.[2]
Career
[edit]In 1949, Anderson founded Gospel Films, which grew into the world's largest distributor of Christian films. In 1961, he and his wife Doris left to form Ken Anderson Films,[3] a for-profit company that eventually released over 200 titles.[1] As a pioneer in the field, Anderson directly and indirectly influenced and encouraged many non-profit Christian film company start-ups.[4]
Death
[edit]Anderson died of natural causes in Winona Lake outside of Warsaw, Indiana.[2]
Filmography
[edit]Director
[edit]- 1961: The Family That Changed the World
- 1964: In His Steps
- 1965: Man of Steel
- 1969: Journey to the Sky[5]
- 1972: The Gospel According to Most People
- 1979: Pilgrim's Progress
- 1979: Christiana
- 1981: Hudson Taylor
- 1982: The Answer
- 1984: Fanny Crosby
- 1984: Mud, Sweat and Cheers
- 1986: Mark of the Red Hand
- 1986: Second Step
Producer
[edit]- 1972: The Gospel According to Most People
- 1981: Hudson Taylor
- 1984: Fanny Crosby
Writer
[edit]- 1964: In His Steps
- 1974: Apache Fire
- 1979: Pilgrim's Progress
- 1979: Christiana
- 1981: Hudson Taylor
References
[edit]- ^ a b Christian Cinema: Ken Anderson, Christian Film Pioneer, passes away
- ^ a b White, Terry. "Filmmaker Ken Anderson, 88, Dies". Charis Connect.
- ^ Christian Headlines: A History of Christian Films Archived July 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Lindvall, Terry. Celluloid Sermons. New York : New York University Press, ©2011. p. 142. ISBN 9780814753248. OCLC 1004782779.
- ^ Staff writer (6 December 1969). "Journey to the Sky". Intelligencer Journal (Ad). Lancaster Newspapers. p. 6. ISSN 0889-4140.
External links
[edit]- Ken Anderson at IMDb
