He served in the United States Army during World War II, attaining the rank of Second Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General's Corps.
Anderson worked with Governor Hugh Carey and Assembly Speaker Stanley Steingut to put together a package to rescue New York City from bankruptcy in 1975.
[1] Anderson served in the Senate's top post until 1989, when he re-joined the law firm of Hinman, Howard & Kattell, LLP[2] in Binghamton, New York.
In May 2006, Anderson announced his endorsement of former Assembly Minority Leader John Faso for the Republican nomination for governor.
In his role as Temporary President of the Senate, Anderson twice performed the duties of the Lieutenant Governor of New York.