Dave Anderson
• Name: David Anderson
• Joined Infocom: 1983
• Games written: 1
• Left Infocom: 1988

"Hollywood" Dave Anderson's first exposure to a computer was at California State University, Fullerton.

Each student in his biology class was given a password that allowed limited access to the school's mainframe computer. Class members were instructed to analyze their diets using a diet program on the school's mainframe. After several runs of the diet program, Hollywood wanted to see more of this compute. Knowing only as much about computers as you can learn on television, he quickly stole a password from a regular user and began to explore. After 5 hours and 14 on-line sessions of how to use the computer, he left the lab with a severe headache and no better understanding of computers, except that they were fun.

Two years later his friend bought an Atari 800. Hollywood's first thought after watching "Pac-Man" race across the screen was, "How do they do that?" After giving up on the computer manual, he went to the library and checked out a book on BASIC written at Dartmouth in 1962, thus becoming totally confused. A few months later a friend recommended a book that would change his life forever - "Atari BASIC for Kids." He was on his way.

Hollywood left L.A. and moved to Massachusetts in 1983, where he answered a want ad by Infocom for a product tester. He was hired, and later became the manager of testing.

It was also in his days as a tester at Infocom, that be became the only employee ever put on "trial" for murder: One day in November Hollywood looked at the goldfish pond in front of the office building and found it needed a cleaning. So he put the three fish from the pond in a safe place, emptied the pond, scrubbed it clean and then returned the fish - they died the next day.

His fellow imps decided that for that he needs to be prosecuted. Marc Blank was the prosecuting attorney, while Steve Meretzky served as his defense. The result of the trial was published in Infocom's internal newsletter, "InfoDope:" "InfoTester Dave 'Hollywood' Anderson was declared innocent by a jury of his peers in a sensational murder trial on Friday. The jury needed only five minutes to reach its verdict, declaring Anderson innocent of the charge of murdering three goldfish in the Apt Courtyard Fish Pond on Wednesday, November 16."

In 1985 he took a job as a game writer, resulting in his "Hollywood Hijinx" (in collaboration with Liz Cyr-Jones) in 1986.

Hollywood was also well known for his like of Hawaiian shirts. Often was he seen wearing one and some baggy shorts in his beach-mural-lined office at Infocom, while a cigar (still in the wrapper) was firmly placed in his mouth.

Dave's current whereabouts are unknown.

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Titles written by Dave Anderson:

Hollywood Hijinx (1986) (with Liz Cyr-Jones)

Past Infocom:


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