He began his broadcasting career in the 1950s, singing and playing records on Saturday mornings for radio station KTIL in Tillamook.

[1][2] In 1964, while working for KPOJ, Anders heard of an opening for a host on a Portland children's TV show called Popeye's Pier 12 on KPTV, channel 12.

Anders also appeared in many commercials for various local businesses including two Portland area automobile dealerships, Beaverton Toyota and Mike Salta Pontiac.

In 1994, Anders constructed the Apple Valley Airport on land near his log cabin home in Buxton, Oregon, west of Portland.

On May 11, 2002, Ander's died suddenly at the age of 69, at a now defunct Volunteers of America Thrift Store located at SE 181st and Division streets in Gresham, where he was making a personal appearance.

A decades-old rumor claims that Ramblin' Rod inspired Matt Groening to create the character Krusty the Clown, the bitter host of a fictional children's program on The Simpsons.

However, in interviews, Groening has mentioned that it was Ramblin' Rod's predecessor on KPTV, a somewhat melancholy clown named Rusty Nails, who was the creation of Jim Allen and served as a partial inspiration for the character of Krusty.