Eddie Anderson (comedian)

Eddie Anderson
Anderson as as Rochester circa 1947
Born	Edmund Lincoln Anderson (1905-09-18)September 18, 1905 Oakland, California, U.S.
Died	February 28, 1977(1977-02-28) (aged 71) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart disease
Resting place	Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles
Nationality	American
Other names	Eddie "Rochester" Anderson Rochester
Occupation	Comedian, actor
Years active	1919–1973
Known for	Rochester Van Jones on The Jack Benny Program
Spouse(s)	Mamie Wiggins Nelson (m. 1932; her death 1954) Eva Simon (m. 1956; div. 1973)
Children	4

Edmund Lincoln Anderson (September 18, 1905 – February 28, 1977) was an American comedian and actor.

Anderson got his start in show business as a teenager on the vaudeville circuit. In the early 1930s, he transitioned into films and radio. In 1937, he began his most famous role of Rochester van Jones, usually known simply as "Rochester", the valet of Jack Benny, on his radio show The Jack Benny Program. Anderson became the first Black American to have a regular role on a nationwide radio program. When the series moved to television, Anderson continued in the role until the series' end in 1965.

After the series ended, Anderson remained active with guest starring roles on television and voice work in animated series. He was also an avid horse-racing fan who owned several race horses and worked as a horse trainer at the Hollywood Park Racetrack.

Anderson was married twice and had four children. He died of heart disease in February 1977 at the age of 71.

Anderson was born in Oakland, California. His father, "Big Ed" Anderson, was a minstrel performer, while his mother, Ella Mae, had been a tightrope walker until her career was ended by a fall. He described himself as being a descendant of slaves who were able to leave the South during the Civil War through the Underground Railroad. At the age of ten, Anderson and his family moved from Oakland to San Francisco. He left school when he was 14 to work as an errand boy to help his family.

Stage-struck at an early age, he spent much of his free time waiting at stage doors and cutting up on street corners with his friend and brother, Cornelius. Anderson briefly tried being a jockey, but had to give it up when he became too heavy. Anderson started in show business as part of an all African-American revue at age 14; he had previously won an amateur contest at a vaudeville theater in San Francisco. Anderson joined the cast of Struttin' Along in 1923 and was part of Steppin' High both as a dancer and as one of the "Three Black Aces" with his brother, Cornelius, in 1924. He later worked in vaudeville with Cornelius. Anderson began adding comedy to his song and dance act in 1926. During one of his vaudeville tours to the East Coast, Anderson first met Jack Benny; the men only exchanged greetings and shook hands.