Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (2024)

In his 70s, Richard Dean Anderson, known as secret agent Angus MacGyver, has been living an ordinary life on his farm since he quit the show for his daughter. He was a famous Hollywood bachelor for years, but at 48, he cried after the birth of his only child and became a homebound father.

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On January 23, 2023, Richard Dean Anderson celebrated his 73rd birthday. The actor was living outside the spotlight on a farm in Malibu, and in March 2022, he was spotted in casual clothes running some errands.

Richard was well-known for his role as Angus "Mac" MacGyver but eventually disappeared from the limelight after leaving "MacGyver" in 2004. He left the series because there was something new in his life that he wanted to focus on.

Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (1)

Richard Dean Anderson at the Sea Shepherd Ship Unveiling on October 17, 2009, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images

In 1998, he and his ex Apryl Prose welcomed their daughter, Wylie Quinn Annarose, whom Richard wanted to help raise. Although the now single star generally wasn't in the media anymore, in January 2019, he shared a lovely Facebook picture of him and his daughter posing together.

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The pair looked happy and seemed to have a close bond. The actor was almost 50 and quite emotional when he became a first-time parent after living a bachelorhood life.

Hollywood's Busiest Bachelor Cried When He Became a Father at 48

In the past, Richard famously dated women like Katarina Witt, Sela Ward, Marlee Matlin, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Teri Hatcher. His prowess was greater than Warren Beatty, and in 1998 a publication described him as "Hollywood's busiest bachelor."

Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (2)

Richard Dean Anderson as Angus "Mac" MacGyver on "MacGyver" with a July 30, 1990 shoot date | Source: Getty Images

Prose, a former prop and wardrobe stylist for Los Angeles' television and print adverts, heard about Richard's bachelor ways. She presumed he was an actor who couldn't commit in his 40s and believed she'd never date him.

However, in the spring of 1996, Prose's friend Michael Greenburg arranged for her to meet the actor over lunch in New York City. Greenburg was Richard's business partner, and he and Prose flirted immediately upon meeting.

Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (3)

Richard Dean Anderson and Apryl Prose during the Cable ACE Awards in Los Angeles, California on September 6, 1997 | Source: Getty Images

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The former stylist revealed they'd become good friends by the end of the week. She found the star sweet and generous but still doubted him because she thought he'd always want to be a playboy.

Prose called her mother one day and confessed that she'd met a man she wanted to be with forever. She begged her mother not to tell anyone about them because the man had "a bad reputation."

Richard once revealed that when he met Prose, he found her "extremely beautiful" but also "adored" her sense of humor. The actor admitted that they fell in love quickly, and by November 1997, she called and told him she was three weeks pregnant!

The former stylist confessed that the pregnancy hadn't been planned, and she expected him to "freak out." However, he urged her to stay calm and said it would be great, as he'd always wanted to be a father.

Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (4)

Richard Dean Anderson and his daughter during the premiere of "Shrek 4-D" Attraction in Universal City, California, on May 10, 2003 | Source: Getty Images

When the reality of what was happening hit him, Richard started crying, and then he bought all the parenting books he could find! He was even eager to go with Prose to a yoga labor-prep course.

After being with the former stylist for two years, Wylie was born on August 2, 1998, when Richard was 48. Her father confessed that he could sit and stare at her all day, and when he got home from work, the doting parent took over changing his daughter's diaper.

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Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (5)

Richard Dean Anderson in a "Past The Bleachers" promotional photo in 1994 | Source: Getty Images

Strange enough, it was something he loved doing, along with burping and feeding Wylie. The actor was present when his daughter was born and described the moment as "the most overwhelming experience" of his whole life.

The star [Richard Dean Anderson] noted how the moment was one that he'd cherish and declared the day as one that he took pride in.

He decided his role was to support Prose when his daughter didn't cry or breathe when she was born and had to be revived. Doctors and nurses rushed to save her, and when Richard was sure Wylie wasn't in danger anymore, he collapsed.

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The star said he cried with relief and understood at that moment that his life had taken a turn. Sadly, Richard's relationship with Prose failed to last as long as she'd anticipated, but his role in his daughter's life intensified.

Farm Life as Homebound Father after Split with Daughter's Mother

Prose's relationship with Richard concluded in 2003. By 2017, the actor had semiretired from Hollywood and was living a quiet and ordinary life on a farm with his two dogs and his daughter, then ten, whom he took to school in the morning and picked up later.

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Then 59, Richard sacrificed his career to raise his daughter. In June 2012, the loving father showed how proud he was of Wylie by sharing her Twitter photo, revealing she'd graduated from middle school.

The star noted how the moment was one that he'd cherish and declared the day as one that he took pride in. In the image, the little girl smiled softly as she posed in the back seat of a car.

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Richard Dean Anderson Turned 73: He Cried at Daughter's Birth, Quit 'MacGyver' for Her & is Happy on Farm (2024)

FAQs

Why did Richard Dean Anderson quit MacGyver? ›

After MacGyver ended, Anderson stated "MacGyver was seven years of being in virtually every frame that was shot and having absolutely no life at all." During the run of the program, Anderson suffered a number of injuries related to doing his own stunt work, some of which required surgery.

How does Richard Dean Anderson feel about MacGyver? ›

"I'm happy with MacGyver; he is a relatively nonviolent character that uses his brain and not his brawn to solve problems," the actor said during an interview with the Carroll County Times in 1987. "Anytime MacGyver makes a bomb, it's a diversionary tactic.

What does Richard Dean Anderson's daughter do? ›

Was Richard Dean Anderson the original MacGyver? ›

He is played by Richard Dean Anderson in the 1985 original series. Lucas Till portrays a younger version of MacGyver in the 2016 reboot.

Why did Patty leave MacGyver? ›

It appears the main reason Sandrine Holt departed MacGyver was for a leading role in ABC series The Crossing, which began filming a couple of months after Thorton's final appearance in 2017 episode "Screwdriver." While the behind-the-scenes shuffles on MacGyver may have played a role in Holt's exit, it's also possible ...

Does Richard Dean Anderson get residuals from MacGyver? ›

Anderson's residual perks for being the star of ABC's long-running MacGyver series (now in its final season) were a development deal at Paramount Studios, offices on the studio lot, and money to develop projects through his company, Gekko Film Corp.

What's Richard Dean Anderson doing now? ›

PHOTO: 80s Hunks: Then and Now

Now settled in Malibu, he helped design and build his own house - which featured in Architectural Digest – and is a single dad to his 16-year-old daughter Wylie Anderson.

Who does MacGyver fall in love with? ›

Riley Davis
Originally From:America
Current Location:Los Angeles, Califonia
Interests:Billy Colton (Ex-Boyfriend) Aubrey Jones (Ex-Boyfriend) Angus MacGyver (Love Interest)
Parents:Diane Davis (mother) Elwood Davis (father)
14 more rows

Who was MacGyver's best friend? ›

In the original series, Wilt Bozer is in a handful of episodes: Serenity, The Lost Amadeus, Hearts of Steel, and MacGyver's Women. In the 2016 reboot, Wilt Bozer is an aspiring filmmaker, prosthetic makeup artist, and MacGyver's best friend and roommate.

Did MacGyver ever marry? ›

His role in the SG-1 series was substantially reduced in its seventh and eighth seasons, which culminated in his departure from the series in 2005. Never married, he had dated many women including such actresses as Teri Hatcher, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Sela Ward as well as German ice-skater Katarina Witt.

Where does Richard Dean Anderson currently live? ›

Anderson was spending most of his time in Vancouver, British Columbia, working as an actor and producer on the Sci-Fi channel's Stargate SG-1 series, when a two-acre spread with land's-end views persuaded him to put down roots in Malibu's northern reaches.

Did Richard Dean Anderson do his own stunts? ›

Anderson used to do all of his own stunts but not any more. “I won't be jumping off of buildings again,” he said laughing. “My back has been compressed and operated on, my feet have been surgically cut up and I have a knee that's just going wacky. So I do my own driving, and I ski and skate.

What does Richard Dean Anderson think of the new MacGyver show? ›

He turned them down with a simple but emphatic no, and didn't ultimately regret that decision after seeing the finished product. While Anderson doesn't take personal offense to the existence of the new MacGyver, he doesn't feel that the reboot properly built on the foundation he helped create with the original show.

How did the original MacGyver end? ›

The original series that aired from 1985 to 1992 ended with Angus MacGyver having recently resigned from his job at the Phoenix Foundation- and going off with his 19-year-old son Sam Malloy both away on motorcycles together.

What languages does MacGyver speak? ›

Did you know. MacGyver speaks at least six other languages in addition to English: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian and Mandarin.

Why is Jack Dalton no longer on MacGyver? ›

Jack is reassigned from the Phoenix Foundation to an elite international task force dedicated to hunting terrorist Tiberius Kovac. Before he left on his open-ended assignment, he hand-picked his replacement as MacGyver's partner. Desirae Wing in no way begins to fill the gap left by Jack.

Why did MacGyver quit Phoenix? ›

At the end of season two, he learns that his absent father, James MacGyver, is Oversight—the man who oversees the Phoenix Foundation. Mac then leaves the Phoenix because of his lack of trust in its leadership.

Why did MacGyver's dad leave? ›

His wife Ellen (Scottie Thompson) died when MacGyver was 5. James didn't deal well with her death; becoming emotionally distant to his son due to constantly feeling angry. He eventually left when MacGyver was 10, leaving him in the care of Harry.

Did Richard Dean Anderson ever marry? ›

His role in the SG-1 series was substantially reduced in its seventh and eighth seasons, which culminated in his departure from the series in 2005. Never married, he had dated many women including such actresses as Teri Hatcher, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Sela Ward as well as German ice-skater Katarina Witt.

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