Stuart Jay Anderson and Jocelyn Rhae Carter welcomed Richard Dean Anderson into the world in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father was a teacher, while his mother painted. He was raised in Roseville, Minnesota, and has Swedish, Mohawk, Scottish, Finnish, and Norwegian ancestry. When he shattered both of his arms, his childhood goal of becoming a professional hockey player was crushed. Later, he developed an interest in acting, art, and music.
He attended school at Alexander Ramsey High School. After completing his education, he enrolled at St. Cloud State University to pursue an acting degree. Later, after enrolling, he left Ohio University without finishing his degree. When he was a college student, he participated in a cross-country bicycle journey from Minnesota to Alaska. Later, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a juggler, a street mime, and a whale handler.
