Carl Anderson Dead at 58
February 25, 2004 - Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" opened today in North America with the expected controversy reminiscent of another film that touched on the same subject in 1973. Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar also caused a storm among religious groups and today the media learned of the passing of Carl Anderson who played Judas in both the stage and film versions. Anderson who recorded three albums for the Smooth Jazz label GRP died Monday (Feb 23) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, seven months after being diagnosed with leukemia. He was 58. Anderson was born in Lynchburg, Va and was a big Jazz lover having played with Weather Report, Keiko Matsui, Rippingtons, Richard Elliot and Eric Marienthal among others. His biggest hit was "Friends and Lovers," a duet with Gloria Loring from 1986. As an actor Anderson appeared on Hill Street Blues and The Color Purple. He is survived by his wife, Veronica, a son, two stepdaughters and several sisters. In a statement on his official website http://www.cstone.net/~dgarlock/carl/index2.html The family posted this wish. "In lieu of flowers or gestures of sympathy, Carl would have wanted you to make your most generous tax-deductible contributions to:"