Late Hollywood actor Richard Anderson was a man of great taste. (Not to be confused with the famed Savile Row tailor who is also a dapper gent.) It makes sense, then, that he drove an equally sophisticated ride: the Bentley S1 Continental. The 1950s classic, which will go under the gavel at Gooding & Company on April 7, represents a milestone in both Anderson’s cinematic career and Bentley’s 104-year history.
The S-Type debuted in 1955 as the post-war successor to the R-Type. The saloon was larger and more stylish than its predecessor but still packed all the hardwearing mechanics pioneered by the British marque. More than 3,500 models were delivered in the half-decade production run, but only 431 high-spec Continentals left the Crewe factory. All of the range toppers were bodied by external coachbuilders.
This particular S1 Continental is a bigger Flying Spur that rolled off the line in 1958. The four-door coachwork (body no. 6104) was executed by H.J. Mulliner in West London. The car was delivered to its first owner in Washington, D.C., with a Shell Gray exterior over a blue-and-gray cloth interior, as per factory records. It was also equipped with power steering and an automatic transmission.
Fast-forward to the 1970s, the Bentley was snapped up by Anderson. The actor’s success in The Six Million Dollar Man television series allowed him to fulfill his dream of owning a Flying Spur, according to the auction house. The four-wheeler was reportedly a common sight in Hollywood and appeared at many red-carpet events around town.
The Continental was then acquired by noted collector Mark Smith in 2020, three years after Anderson’s death. It was subsequently sent to Palma Auto Repair in New Jersey and treated to $10,000 worth of repairs. Today, it wears traditional green paint over black leather. It also retains the actor’s California blue plate that reads “ANDESN.” Under the hood, meanwhile, the inline six-cylinder engine can churn out about 180 horses.
The Bentley is being offered from the personal collection of the late Mark Smith alongside a haul of other classics. It is expected to achieve between $100,000 and $130,000. You don’t even need $6 million, man.
