Bob Anderson ran one of Salem's most successful businesses, Anderson Manufacturing. He was married to Phyllis Anderson and they had one daughter Mary.

Bob gave Scott Banning a job at his company in 1973, but when Scott Banning was killed on the job Bob felt so bad for Julie he offered her a place to live and financial support. Bob soon fell in love with Julie, and in 1974 he divorced Phyllis to marry Julie. However Bob's age and busy life contributed to a lack of sex, and Julie soon became unhappy in the marriage. Eventually Bob would begin to suspect Julie of having affairs with younger men, though Julie remained faithful to Bob. In 1976 Julie finally divorced Bob and returned to Doug.

Later that year Bob would learn that Brooke Hamilton had stolen some checks from his company and used the money to finance a trip to New York with her mother. Bob confronted them in the hospital were Adele was dying, and Adele told Bob that Brooke was his child, but swore him to secrecy about it. After Adele died Bob gave Brooke a job in his company and allowed her to pay back what she had stolen.

In 1978 Bob began to suffer heart problems and Linda Patterson began to assume more control over the company. Linda enjoyed her newly acquired power and in order to keep it she married Bob Anderson in April of 1978. In 1978 Bob Anderson had a heart attack and gave his wife power over the company. However when Linda chased Chris Kositchek out of the company Bob was quick to hire Chris back. Later that year after Linda and Stephanie Woodruff began dirty dealings in the company Mary confronted her father about Linda and Neil, and Bob quickly investigated the alleged affair and took away Linda's power at the company.

In 1979 Bob confronted Linda about her affair, and Linda became so upset she fell down the stairs and was rushed into emergency surgery. Linda made it through but couldn't remember her affair with Neil. Linda returned to Bob Anderson and tried to make the marriage work for Melissa's sake. She was replaced by Stephanie Woodruff at Anderson. However, Bob was unaware that Stephanie was his daughter Brooke in disguise, and when Bob ordered a security check at the plant Stephanie burnt her hands so she could not be fingerprinted. Bob continued to give Stephanie Woodruff more and more power at Anderson, and eventually allowed her to move onto his estate, never suspecting she was out to sabotage his company. When a solar power device was stolen from Anderson Bob accused Linda of stealing it, and dropped her from his will. Desperate to get back in his good graces Linda claimed to be pregnant, which she was not.

In 1980 Bob Anderson's health began to decline rapidly. Bob told his wife Linda that he would include her and her daughter Melissa in his will if they left town, and they did. Bob's first wife Phyllis returned to take care of Bob, and he proposed to her. However, in March Bob Anderson died of a heart attack.