LOS ANGELES, Aug. 9— John Anderson, the tall, craggy-faced character actor who played a snooping used-car salesman in Alfred Hitchcock's film "Psycho" and who appeared on Broadway and television, died on Friday at his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. He was 69 years old.

Mr. Anderson died of a heart attack, said Nicholas Pryor, a neighbor.

Mr. Anderson held a master's degree in drama from the University of Iowa. He began his acting career on the Mississippi River showboat Goldenrod.

After a year at the Cleveland Play House, he moved to New York. He appeared in both Off Broadway and Broadway productions, including the Broadway show "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." In recent weeks he was preparing for the New York production of "In the Sweet By and By," in which he had appeared at the Back Alley Theater in Los Angeles nearly 10 years ago.

But he was perhaps best known for his work in television in more than 500 roles, including frequent appearances on "The Twilight Zone" in the 1960's. His more recent credits included a recurring role as the grandfather of the title character in "MacGyver."

He had film roles, in addition to the one in "Psycho," in "Smokey and the Bandit II," "Ride the High Country" and "Cotton Comes to Harlem."

He is survived by two sisters, two children, five grandchildren and a great-grandson.

Photo: John Anderson (Associated Press)