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Eddie Anderson (comedian)
Encyclopedia
Jack Benny
Jack Benny was an American comedian, vaudevillian, and actor for radio, television, and film...
, on his radio and television shows.
Early life
Anderson was born in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. 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
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
. Anderson started in show business as part of an all African-American revue at age 14, later working in vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...
with his brother, Cornelius. Anderson's vocal cords were ruptured when he was a youngster selling newspapers in San Francisco. The newsboys believed those who were able to shout the loudest sold the most papers. The permanent damage done to his vocal cords left him with the gravel voice familiar to both radio listeners and television viewers over a course of more than twenty years. Anderson was a talented dancer and got his show business start in this way, but it was his uniquely recognizable voice that brought him to stardom.
The Jack Benny Program
Anderson's first appearance on The Jack Benny ProgramThe Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy.-Cast:*Jack Benny - Himself...
was on March 28, 1937. He was originally hired to play the one-time role of a redcap
Porter (carrier)
A porter, also called a bearer, is a person who shifts objects for others.-Historical meaning:Human adaptability and flexibility early led to the use of humans for shifting gear...
on the Benny program for a storyline of the show traveling from Chicago to California by train, which coincided with the radio show's actual move from New York to NBC's Radio City West in Hollywood. When Benny and cast were preparing to board the train, Anderson and Benny had their first lines together with Benny saying: "Here you are, redcap, here's fifty cents." Anderson replied, "This is a dime!" and Benny replied, "Look at your script, not the coin!" Benny later had an interaction with him as the train porter, who laughed when Jack asked about when they would arrive in Albuquerque (indicating he had never heard of the place). About a month after Anderson's first appearance on the Benny program, he was called for another radio role on the show, this time as a waiter in a restaurant serving Benny. In this conversation, Benny asked Anderson if he was not formerly a train porter; Anderson answered in the affirmative, and then asked Benny if he would ever forget about Albuquerque. During this appearance, Anderson made himself at home on the program, joining in the Jell-O commercial with the regulars of the cast. A few weeks later, Anderson was called back once more, now for the part of a "colored fellow" who had a financial disagreement with Benny.
The Benny show received a large amount of mail about Anderson's appearances on the radio program; Benny decided to make him part of the cast as his butler and valet, Rochester van Jones. Neither Benny nor Anderson could recall how they came up with the name of Rochester for Anderson's character. Anderson always credited Benny for the invention of the Rochester van Jones name, saying that the name was copyrighted and that Benny later on sold it to him for a dollar. When Anderson became a regular member of the Benny show cast, he became the first African-American to have a regular role on a nationwide radio program.
Subsequent episodes gave different "origin stories" for Rochester. One radio show guest starred Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television....
, where the skit showed that Rochester used to work for them as a taxi cab driver. Benny and Rochester collide cars, in which Benny is clearly at fault. Benny claimed it was Rochester’s fault and threatens to sue. The racial inequality of the respective parties is explicitly referenced, and Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television....
essentially give Rochester to Benny to settle the matter out of court. A later television show explained that Benny met Rochester when the latter was a porter on a railroad train; Benny is responsible for Rochester being fired and then hires him as a valet to make it up to him.
Benny's chief problem with his broadcasting partner was his frequently being late for the show. Benny attempted to instill punctuality in Anderson by fining him $50 each time he arrived at the studio late. Anderson had a habit of losing track of time, especially when he was talking with someone. Benny enlisted some of the cast members to drop in on him just before travel dates to make sure he would be ready to go on time. Most of the time he was not and there were times the other cast members would need to leave without Anderson with them. On one occasion when the entire Benny show was scheduled to appear in New York, Anderson, who had been out late the night before departure day, could not be roused by Mamie on time. The Andersons arrived at the Los Angeles train station just as the Super Chief
Super Chief
The Super Chief was one of the named passenger trains and the flagship of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was often referred to as "The Train of the Stars" because of the many celebrities who traveled on the streamliner between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California.The Super...
pulled out with the rest of the radio program's cast on it. Breaking the speed limit with an LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
motorcycle squad escort, Anderson arrived at the Pasadena
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
train station in time to catch his train from there.
Popularity
The Rochester character became immensely popular. In 1940, Anderson was invited to a Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
smoker; students from rival Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
detained him. The comedian was met at the airport by MIT students who claimed they were on the Harvard committee. When it was discovered why Anderson was late to the Harvard gathering, a riot broke out as students from the two schools began fighting over the incident. Especially after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Rochester was second only to Benny himself in popularity and almost always received the most enthusiastic applause on his entrances and exits. Although he usually did not appear in the opening minutes of the shows, he began to surpass Mary Livingstone
Mary Livingstone
Mary Livingstone , was an American radio comedienne and the wife and radio partner of comedy great Jack Benny . Enlisted almost entirely by accident to perform on her husband's popular program, she proved a talented comedienne...
as Jack Benny’s main foil, especially as Livingstone began to appear less frequently due to stage fright.
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy.-Cast:*Jack Benny - Himself...
explicitly referenced Rochester’s popularity on its first show on CBS:
Amos: That Mr. Benny is supposed to be a big comedian... He didn’t say nothin’ funny.
– Applause –
Andy: Well its just like I told ya’, he aint nothin’ without Rochester.
– Applause –
Benny: Were you boys talking to me?
Amos, Andy: No sir, No sir. We didn’t say nothing.
Jack Benny and Rochester had numerous running gags, often based on Rochester’s gambling, attempts to evade work, desire to go to Central Avenue (Los Angeles)
Central Avenue (Los Angeles)
Central Avenue is a major north-south thoroughfare in the central portion of the Los Angeles, California metropolitan area. Located just to the west of the Alameda Corridor, it runs from the eastern end of the Los Angeles Civic Center south, ending at Del Amo Boulevard in Carson...
to drink, and Benny’s business ventures, or sidelines (selling sandwiches, running a laundry service, etc.).
The Mayor of Central Avenue
While Anderson was born and raised in the Oakland area, he came to the Los Angeles African-American community in the 1930s in search of work in films. At the time of his success on the Benny radio show, the community thought of him as one of their own and was proud of his rise to stardom. The reality of an African-American mayor of Los Angeles would not come in this era; for many years, those living in the Central Avenue area had held mock elections, with the winner being known as "the Mayor of Central Avenue". The title holder had both the right and the duty to speak up about issues affecting the local African-American community. California EagleCalifornia Eagle
The California Eagle was one of the oldest and longest-running African American newspapers in Los Angeles, California and the West. It started in 1879, founded by John J. Neimore, who had escaped slavery in Missouri...
readers opened their newspapers on May 23, 1940 to find Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson asking for their votes for Mayor of Central Avenue.
From his headquarters at the Dunbar Hotel
Dunbar Hotel
The Dunbar Hotel, originally known as the Hotel Somerville, was the focal point of the Central Avenue African-American community in Los Angeles, California during the 1930s and 1940s. Built in 1928, it was known for its first year as the Hotel Somerville...
, Anderson conducted his campaign mainly based on real issues, one of them being a need for African-Americans to serve their country as aviators. He was deeply committed to this issue, taking flying lessons and lecturing with a Tuskegee Institute representative about this need. After Anderson announced his run for mayor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
also addressed the aviation issue, asking that the nation commit itself to building an air force. On Election Day, Anderson won the right to claim the title.
Progression of race relations
Anderson's role as a servant was common for black leads in the popular media of that era, such as Ethel WatersEthel Waters
Ethel Waters was an American blues, jazz and gospel vocalist and actress. She frequently performed jazz, big band, and pop music, on the Broadway stage and in concerts, although she began her career in the 1920s singing blues.Her best-known recordings includes, "Dinah", "Birmingham Bertha",...
in Beulah
Beulah (series)
The Beulah Show is an American situation-comedy series that ran on CBS radio from 1945 to 1954, and on ABC television from 1950 to 1952. The show is notable for being the first sitcom to star an African American actress.-Radio:...
. The stereotyping of blacks was a standard practice in the entertainment business for generations, referencing minstrel show
Minstrel show
The minstrel show, or minstrelsy, was an American entertainment consisting of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music, performed by white people in blackface or, especially after the Civil War, black people in blackface....
s, where white actors in blackface reinforced southern stereotypes of blacks as lazy, carousing, stupid, drunk, and otherwise infantile. Jack Benny’s November 1, 1936 broadcast was entitled Doc Benny's Minstrel Show in which the entire cast performed a minstrel show in a black dialect. They redid Doc Benny's Minstrel Show on March 3, 1942; the subsequent performance demonstrates the progression of race relations.
According to Jack Benny's posthumous autobiography, Sunday Nights at Seven, the tone of racial humor surrounding Rochester declined as a conscious decision between Benny and the writing staff during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, once the enormity of The Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
was revealed. In short, Benny didn't find such humor funny anymore and he made an effort to erase it from the character of Rochester. During the immediate post war period, The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program
The Jack Benny Program, starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th-century American comedy.-Cast:*Jack Benny - Himself...
made numerous appeals to fraternity and peaceful relations between all races of the world.
The relationship between Rochester and Benny became more complex and familiar as the popularity of Rochester's character grew, with Rochester's role becoming both less stereotypical (in early episodes he carried a switchblade) and less subservient (though he remained a butler). As a butler he was subservient to the entire cast and was addressed as Rochester, but addressed the other characters as Mr. and Ms. Although, Dennis Day's character is much younger and an idiot, Rochester respectfully addressed him as Mr. Day. Rochester often outwitted Benny, by getting Benny to mop the floor, for example.
The Rochester character retained many of the stereotypes (lazy, gambler, drinker), but they became a part of his character, disassociated with his race. Even though some of the humor was stereotypical, it was always done so that the racial element of the joke came from Anderson and no one else. When they get to Yosemite
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
to go skiing, Jack says "Don't wander off now, you're not used to being in the woods, you'll get lost in all the snow." Rochester replies "Who me?" Thus the racial element of the joke was provided by Anderson. In the same episode, Rochester complains that Jack wants him to make up for the lack of a radio in their car by singing. "And at 8:00 he wants me to do 'Amos and Andy'" said Anderson. He pauses at this point as the audience bursts into laughter, then continues - "and I ain't no good at that blackface stuff!" - and the laughter escalates.
Benny was often protective of Anderson, and this led to conflict. For instance, in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Benny toured with his show, but Rochester did not, because discrimination in the armed forces would have required separate living quarters. However, during performances of the radio program staged before armed forces audiences at bases and military hospitals, the appearance of Rochester routinely drew enthusiastic applause that arguably often outstripped that received by other members of the cast, more so than in civilian audiences. In 1943, when Benny brought his entire radio show cast to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at his own expense to perform for those in the various branches of the Canadian services, Anderson and his wife received a warm welcome. Stateside, an incident was defused by Benny when, according to reporter Fredric W. Slater, Rochester was denied a room at the hotel where Benny and his staff were planning to stay in Saint Joseph, Missouri. When it was announced that Anderson could not stay there, Benny replied "If he doesn't stay here, neither do I." The hotel eventually allowed Anderson to remain as a guest.
It was not the only time a hotel refused Anderson a room. Soon after he became part of the permanent show cast, the program went on location to New York. When a couple from the South complained about staying in the same hotel as Anderson, the hotel manager tried to get him to find a room somewhere else. Hilliard Marks, the show's producer and also Jack Benny's brother in law, told the manager that Anderson would leave the hotel the next day. When he did, the entire radio show cast and crew totaling 44 people, joined Anderson in checking out of the hotel.
Among the most highly-paid performers of his time, Anderson invested wisely and became extremely wealthy. Until the 1950s, Anderson was the highest paid African-American actor, receiving an annual salary of $100,000. In 1962, Anderson was on Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
magazine's list of the 100 wealthiest African-Americans. Despite this, he was so strongly identified with the "Rochester" role that many listeners of the radio program mistakenly persisted in the belief that he was Benny's actual valet. One such listener drove Benny to distraction when he sent a scolding letter to Benny concerning Rochester's alleged pay, and then sent another letter to Anderson, which urged him to sue Benny. In reality, Anderson did well enough to have his own valet. A similar letter came from a correspondent in the South who was angered that on an episode of the radio show where Benny was sparring with Anderson, that Benny allowed himself to be struck by Anderson. Benny retorted in a letter that it would not have been humorous the other way around.
When Benny brought his show to television in 1951, Anderson as Rochester remained part of the cast until the television show left the air after the 1964-1965 season. In 1953, Anderson appeared as Rochester in an episode of Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
's television show with the storyline being that Berle wanted to hire him away from Benny. He appeared on an episode of Bachelor Father in 1962 again as Rochester, where the story was that the Gregg household had borrowed him, hoping some of the thrifty habits he learned working for Benny might cut their own expenses.
The high esteem in which the two actors held each other was evident. During a February 1958 taping of a Shower of Stars
Shower of Stars
Shower of Stars is an American variety television series broadcast in the United States from 1954 to 1958 by CBS. The series was also known as Chrysler Shower of Stars. Unusually at the time for CBS, the series was telecast in color.-Overview:...
special which was to celebrate Benny's "40th birthday", Anderson suffered a mild heart attack. A Life
Life
Life is a characteristic that distinguishes objects that have signaling and self-sustaining processes from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased , or else because they lack such functions and are classified as inanimate...
magazine photo taken at the rehearsal after Anderson was taken to the hospital, shows a clearly concerned Benny, whose thoughts were not about the television show, but about his friend. After the television show went off the air, it was four years before the pair worked together again. Though Benny was frequently working out of town during that time, he and Anderson still kept in touch; Anderson said, "We always exchange Christmas gifts and he's not as stingy as he pretends to be." On the 1968 special, Benny asked Anderson to work with him on a new television series. The plots brought up by Benny were of recent or current television shows, with Anderson reminding him that this had already been done. Benny then asked Anderson about coming back to work for him as his valet. Anderson replied, "Blue Eyes, we don't do that any more." Benny's response to Anderson was, "Oh, that's right. Come on, let's go get a hamburger." Upon Benny's death in 1974, a tearful Anderson, interviewed for television, spoke of Benny with admiration and respect.
Films
Anderson's film career debuted with George CukorGeorge Cukor
George Dewey Cukor was an American film director. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO and later MGM, where he directed What Price Hollywood? , A Bill of Divorcement , Dinner at Eight , Little Women , David Copperfield , Romeo and Juliet and...
's What Price Hollywood? (1932), as 'James, Max's Butler', and appeared in dozens of Hollywood films through the 1930s and 1940s. In July 1939, Anderson appeared on screen for the first time with radio boss Jack Benny, in the film Man About Town
Man About Town (1939 film)
Man About Town is a 1939 musical comedy film starring Jack Benny and Dorothy Lamour. A producer tries to get his leading lady take him seriously romantically by pursuing other women.-Cast:*Jack Benny as Bob Temple*Dorothy Lamour as Diana Wilson...
. The duo appeared in a few other feature films, including Buck Benny Rides Again
Buck Benny Rides Again
Buck Benny Rides Again is a 1940 Paramount Pictures feature film starring Jack Benny and Ellen Drew. The film featured regulars from Benny's radio show including Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Andy Devine, Phil Harris, and Dennis Day. The film was directed and produced by Mark Sandrich and produced...
(1940).
In addition to his role with Benny, Anderson appeared in over sixty motion pictures, including The Green Pastures
The Green Pastures (film)
The Green Pastures is a 1936 film depicting stories from the Bible as visualized by African American characters. It starred Rex Ingram , Oscar Polk, and Eddie "Rochester" Anderson...
as Noah (1936), Jezebel (1938) as 'Gros Bat', Capra's You Can't Take It with You
You Can't Take It with You (film)
You Can't Take It With You Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The cast includes James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore and Edward Arnold....
(1938) as 'Donald', and 'Uncle Peter' in 1939's Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
, among many others. He reprised his 'Rochester' role in Topper Returns
Topper Returns
Topper Returns is the third and final entry in the initial series of films inspired by the novels of Thorne Smith. It followed Topper and Topper Takes a Trip...
, this time as Cosmo Topper's valet (though he jokes about Mr. Benny in the film). He had a rare lead role in the all-star black Hollywood musical, Vincente Minnelli's 1943 debut film, Cabin in the Sky
Cabin in the Sky
Cabin in the Sky is a 1943 American musical film with music by Vernon Duke, lyrics by John La Touche, and a musical book by Lynn Root. The musical premiered on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 25, 1940. It closed on March 8, 1941 after a total of 156 performances...
, giving a memorable performance as Joseph 'Little Joe' Jackson. The 1945 version of the film Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions
Brewster's Millions is a novel written by George Barr McCutcheon in 1902, originally under the pseudonym of Richard Greaves. It was adapted into a play in 1906, which opened at the New Amsterdam Theatre, and the novel or play has been made into a film nine times .-Plot introduction:The novel's...
, in which Anderson was one of the stars, was banned in some Southern areas. The Memphis Board of Motion Picture Censors banned the film from being shown there, saying about Anderson, "(he) has an important role and has too familiar a way about him.", and about the film itself, "(it) presents too much social equality and racial mixture."
Anderson, Benny, and the remaining cast members of The Jack Benny Program (Mary Livingstone
Mary Livingstone
Mary Livingstone , was an American radio comedienne and the wife and radio partner of comedy great Jack Benny . Enlisted almost entirely by accident to perform on her husband's popular program, she proved a talented comedienne...
, Don Wilson
Don Wilson (announcer)
Don Wilson was an American announcer and occasional actor in radio and television, with a Falstaffian vocal presence, remembered best as the rotund announcer and comic foil to the star of The Jack Benny Program.-Career:...
, and Mel Blanc
Mel Blanc
Melvin Jerome "Mel" Blanc was an American voice actor and comedian. Although he began his nearly six-decade-long career performing in radio commercials, Blanc is best remembered for his work with Warner Bros...
) also provided their voices to the 1959 Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
The Mouse that Jack Built
The Mouse that Jack Built
The Mouse that Jack Built is a Merrie Melodies cartoon short, directed by Robert McKimson and released by Warner Brothers studios in 1959.-Production:The cartoon was released on April 4, 1959...
, directed by Robert McKimson
Robert McKimson
Robert "Bob" Porter McKimson, Sr. was an American animator, illustrator, and director best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros., and later DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
. This cartoon portrays rodent versions of the show's characters. The real Jack Benny appears as himself at the end. Anderson's last feature film performance was as one of the taxi drivers in Stanley Kramer's 1963 classic comedy, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a 1963 American comedy film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer about the madcap pursuit of $350,000 in stolen cash by a diverse and colorful group of strangers...
, in which Benny made a cameo appearance (though they did not appear together). Anderson was elected into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame in 1975.
Filmography
^ Uncredited roles:- What Price Hollywood? 1932 ^
- Hat Check Girl 1932
- False Faces 1932 ^
- Billion Dollar Scandal 1933 ^
- From Hell to Heaven 1933 ^
- Terror Aboard 1933 ^
- I Love That Man 1933 ^
- Behold My WifeBehold My WifeBehold My Wife is a 1934 drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen. It stars Sylvia Sidney and Gene Raymond.-Cast:*Sylvia Sidney as Tonita Storm Cloud*Gene Raymond as Michael Carter*Laura Hope Crews as Mrs. Hubert Carter*H.B. Warner as Hubert Carter...
1934 ^ - The Gay BrideThe Gay BrideThe Gay Bride is a 1934 black-and-white gangster film starring Carole Lombard as a wisecracking gold-digger and Chester Morris as the poor man she despises...
1934 ^ - Transient Lady 1935
- His Night Out 1935 ^
- The Music Goes 'Round 1936 ^
- Show BoatShow Boat (1936 film)Show Boat is a 1936 film based on the musical play by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II , which the team adapted from the novel by Edna Ferber....
1936 ^ - The Green Pastures 1936
- Star for a NightStar for a NightStar for a Night is a British television singing competition that ran for five annual episodes from 1999 to 2002. It was presented by Jane McDonald and the judges were Nigel Martin Smith and Barbara Windsor.-Famous alumni:...
1936 ^ - Two in a CrowdTwo in a CrowdTwo in a Crowd is a 1936 romantic comedy film made by Universal Pictures, directed by Alfred E. Green, and starring by Joan Bennett and Joel McCrea. The screenplay was written by Lewis R. Foster, Doris Malloy and Earle Snell, based on story by Lewis R. Foster .- External links :* at Allmovie...
1936 - Three Men on a HorseThree Men on a HorseThree Men on a Horse is a play by George Abbott and John Cecil Holm. The comedy focuses on a man who discovers he has a talent for choosing the winning horse in a race as long as he never places a bet himself.-Plot:...
1936 - Rainbow On the River 1936 ^
- Mysterious Crossing 1936 ^
- Love Is News 1937 ^
- Bill Cracks DownBill Cracks DownBill Cracks Down is a 1937 American film directed by William Nigh. The film is also known as Men of Steel in the UK.- Cast :*Grant Withers as "Tons" Walker*Beatrice Roberts as Susan Bailey*Ranny Weeks as Bill Reardon Jr., aka Bill Hall...
1937 - When Love Is Young 1937 ^
- Melody For Two 1937
- Public Wedding 1937 ^
- White Bondage 1937 ^
- Reported Missing 1937 ^
- One Mile From Heaven 1937
- Wake Up and LiveWake Up and LiveWake Up and Live is a 1937 Fox musical film directed by Sidney Lanfield and produced by Darryl F. Zanuck. The movie stars Walter Winchell, Ben Bernie and Alice Faye and was based upon the self-help bestseller by Dorothea Brande...
1937 ^ - On Such a NightOn Such a Night (1937 film)On Such a Night is a 1937 crime film directed by Ewald André Dupont and starring Grant Richards, Karen Morley and Roscoe Karns. It was made by Paramount Pictures and later sold to MGM in 1958 for television release.-Cast:* David Knight...
1937 - Over the Goal 1937
- Reckless Living 1938
- Jezebel 1938
- Gold Diggers in ParisGold Diggers in ParisGold Diggers in Paris is a 1938 Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Ray Enright with musical numbers created and directed by Busby Berkeley, starring Rudy Vallee, Rosemary Lane, Hugh Herbert and Allen Jenkins.-Plot:...
1938 - You Can't Take It With YouYou Can't Take It with You (film)You Can't Take It With You Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The cast includes James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore and Edward Arnold....
1938 - Five Of a Kind 1938 ^
- Exposed 1938
- Thanks For the Memory 1938
- Strange Faces 1938
- Kentucky 1938
- Going Places 1938
- Honolulu 1939
- You Can't Cheat an Honest ManYou Can't Cheat an Honest ManYou Can't Cheat an Honest Man is a comedy film starring and scripted by W. C. Fields.-Production background:Fields plays "Larsen E. Whipsnade", the owner of a shady carnival that is constantly on the run from the law. The whimsical title comes from a line spoken by Fields about ten minutes into...
1939 - You Can't Get Away With Murder 1939 ^
- Man About TownMan About Town (1939 film)Man About Town is a 1939 musical comedy film starring Jack Benny and Dorothy Lamour. A producer tries to get his leading lady take him seriously romantically by pursuing other women.-Cast:*Jack Benny as Bob Temple*Dorothy Lamour as Diana Wilson...
1939
as Rochester, with Benny - Gone With the Wind 1939
- Buck Benny Rides Again 1940
as Rochester, with Benny - Love Thy NeighborLove Thy Neighbor (1940 film)Love Thy Neighbor is a movie produced by Paramount in 1940 which starred Jack Benny and Fred Allen. It featured Mary Martin with her famous fur coat striptease performance of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" which is set in a stage revue....
1940
as Rochester, with Benny - Topper Returns 1941
- Kiss the Boys Goodbye 1941
- Birth Of the Blues 1941
- Tales of ManhattanTales of ManhattanTales of Manhattan is a 1942 American anthology film directed by Julien Duvivier. Thirteen writers, including Ben Hecht, Alan Campbell, Ferenc Molnár, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Donald Ogden Stewart worked on the six stories in this film.-Cast:...
1942
- The Meanest Man In the World 1943
with Benny - Cabin In the Sky 1943
- Calling All KidsCalling All KidsCalling All Kids is a 1943 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Sam Baerwitz. It was the 214th Our Gang short that was released.-Plot:...
1943
voice role - What's Buzzin', Cousin? 1943
as Rochester - Stormy WeatherStormy Weather (1943 film)Stormy Weather is a 1943 American musical film produced and released by 20th Century Fox. The film is one of two major Hollywood musicals produced in 1943 with primarily African-American casts, the other being MGM's Cabin in the Sky, and is considered a time capsule showcasing some of the top...
1943
scenes edited out - Broadway RhythmBroadway RhythmBroadway Rhythm is an MGM Technicolor musical film. It was produced by Jack Cummings and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film was originally announced as Broadway Melody of 1944 to follow MGM's Broadway Melody films of 1929, 1936, 1938, and 1940. The movie was originally slated to star Eleanor...
1944 - Brewster's MillionsBrewster's Millions (1945 film)Brewster's Millions is one of a number of adaptations of the novel of the same name by George Barr McCutcheon. An ex-serviceman, played by Dennis O'Keefe, receives an unusual inheritance....
1945 - I Love a Bandleader 1945
as Rochester - The Sailor Takes a Wife 1945
- The Show-OffThe Show-OffThe Show-Off is a 1946 film directed by Harry Beaumont. It stars Red Skelton and Marilyn Maxwell. Previously filmed in 1926 as The Show Off starring Ford Sterling, Lois Wilson and Louise Brooks and in 1934 as The Show-Off with Spencer Tracy also with Lois Wilson.-Cast:*Red Skelton as J. Aubrey...
1946 - The Mouse That Jack Built 1959
as Rochester, with Benny, voice role - It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World 1963
with Benny
Other performances
Anderson appeared as a mystery guest on the television game show What's My Line?What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
in 1952. Since the panel was blindfolded, Dorothy Kilgallen
Dorothy Kilgallen
Dorothy Mae Kilgallen was an American journalist and television game show panelist. She started her career early as a reporter for the Hearst Corporation's New York Evening Journal after spending only two semesters at The College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, New York...
's question, "Are you a brunette?", brought a roar of laughter from the audience; Anderson laughed so hard he was not able to reply to the question. In 1957, Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City based greeting card company. The second longest-running television program in the history of television, it has a historically long run, beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2011...
presented The Green Pastures, giving Anderson the chance to reprise his film role as Noah on television; the program was nominated for an Emmy award. Anderson also appeared on episodes of The Dick Powell Show
The Dick Powell Show
The Dick Powell Show is an American anthology series that ran on NBC from 1961- 1963, primarily sponsored by the Reynolds Metals Company. It was hosted by longtime film star Dick Powell until his death from lymphatic cancer on January 2, 1963, then by a series of guest hosts until the series ended...
, It Takes a Thief, and Love, American Style
Love, American Style
Love, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974...
. In the early 1970s Anderson was the voice of cartoon character Bobby Joe Mason in Harlem Globe Trotters
Harlem Globetrotters (TV series)
Harlem Globetrotters was a Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera and CBS Productions, featuring animated versions of players from the basketball team, Harlem Globetrotters....
and The New Scooby-Doo Movies
The New Scooby-Doo Movies
The New Scooby-Doo Movies is the second incarnation of the Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!. It premiered on September 9, 1972 and ran for two seasons on CBS as the only hour-long Scooby-Doo series...
. By 1972, he attempted a comeback with a nightclub act in Houston which led to being cast in Broadway revival of Good News but was forced to resign due to bad health.
Other business ventures
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Anderson was the owner of the Pacific Parachute Company, an African-American owned and operated business that made parachutes for the Army and Navy. He also managed a boxer in the 1940s.
Anderson was the owner of racehorses
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. The best known of them was Burnt Cork
Burnt Cork (horse)
Burnt Cork was a thoroughbred race horse, a son of Mr. Bones, who was owned by Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson. His career earnings totaled $21,130 in 38 starts...
, a Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
that ran in the 1943 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
, making him the first African-American owner of a horse entered into the Derby. Having been given the following day off by Benny, Anderson and his wife, Mamie, traveled to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
to see their horse run in the Derby. Since segregation in public accommodations was practiced there, the Andersons were invited to be guests at the home of Mae Street Kidd
Mae Street Kidd
State Representative Mae Street Kidd born in Millersburg, Kentucky was an innovative businesswoman, a civic leader, and a skilled politician during a time when both her gender and her inter-racial background made such accomplishments more difficult than they would be today...
, a noted female African-American Kentucky politician.
Both before and after the race, Anderson was accused of entering his horse in the race strictly for publicity purposes for himself, especially after Burnt Cork finished last. Those making the statements believed this tarnished the name and history of the race. Jack Cuddy, a United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
sports columnist, pointed out in his column that around the same time Burnt Cork ran last for Anderson, King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
's horse, Tipstaff, finished last at Ascot
Ascot Racecourse
Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...
without any of the comments that surrounded Anderson.
When Burnt Cork won an important race, Anderson came to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
for work dressed as a Kentucky colonel; he also insisted on being called "Colonel Rochester".
Anderson had an astute business sense; in 1948, he saw the value and potential of Las Vegas as an entertainment center. With the idea of building and operating a hotel and casino there where African-Americans would be welcome, he asked for investors to join him in the venture. Anderson failed to attract enough people willing to invest, and he was unable to complete the plan. When the Moulin Rouge Hotel
Moulin Rouge Hotel
The Moulin Rouge Hotel was a hotel and casino located in the West Las Vegas neighborhood of Las Vegas, Nevada, that is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places...
, an integrated hotel and casino, opened in 1955, Anderson was brought in for its opening. He expressed regret at the thought that the hotel might have been his if he had the further financial backing.
Personal life
In 1932 Anderson married Mamie Wiggins Nelson. After 22 years of marriage, Mamie died August 5, 1954, after a two-year battle with cancer. Mamie was 43. At the time of her death, her son Billy (whom Eddie had adopted) was playing professional football for the Chicago Bears.Like many of the African-Americans in the entertainment industry, Anderson made his home in the West Adams district of Los Angeles. In previous times, the district had been home to doctors, lawyers, and railroad barons. In the Depression era, the area had fallen into hard times, with many residents needing to either sell their homes or rent out rooms in them. By the 1940s, the African-American entertainment community began purchasing homes in the district, nicknaming it "Sugar Hill". Some property owners reacted to their new neighbors by adding restrictive covenants to their deeds. The covenants either prohibited African-Americans from purchasing a property or inhabiting it once purchased. The practice was declared illegal by the US Supreme Court in 1948.
Since Anderson wanted to build a home designed by Paul Williams
Paul Williams (architect)
Paul Revere Williams, FAIA was a Los Angeles-based, American architect. He practiced largely in Southern California and designed the homes of numerous stars including Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz, Lon Chaney, and Charles Correll...
, he was limited in his choice of a site for it by these restrictive covenants. As a result, his large and luxurious home with a swimming pool where the neighborhood children were always welcome, stands in an area of smaller, bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
-style homes. The street was re-named because 'Rochester' lived on it.
Anderson, who was the skipper of his own cabin cruiser, was missing and feared lost at sea in 1946. When the boat developed engine trouble, Anderson and his two friends did everything sailors are expected to do to signal an SOS. They used mirrors, built fires, used lanterns and flew the ship's flag upside-down to indicate they were in distress. They spent the night adrift until a fishing boat finally spotted them and towed them into Los Angeles harbor. Anderson did not realize he had caused great concern until he heard a news story on the radio that described the search for him as still continuing.
Anderson built model airplanes and racing cars, but also designed a life-size sports car for himself in 1951. Anderson combined a Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
engine under the hood and a sleek, low-slung exterior to create a car that he both drove and exhibited at various sports car shows throughout the country.
Eddie Anderson married beauty Evangela 'Eva' Simon in Kingman, Arizona
Kingman, Arizona
Kingman is located in a desert climate on the edge of the Mojave Desert, but its higher elevation and location between the Colorado Plateau and the Lower Colorado River Valley tempers summer high temperatures and contributes to winter cold and rare snowfall. Summer daytime highs reach above 90 °F ...
on February 8, 1956; the couple had three children: daughters Stephanie and Evangela Jr. ("Eva"), and son Edmund Jr. Eva and Anderson divorced in 1973 with Anderson retaining custody of his minor son and daughter.
After the Benny television show had left the air, Anderson turned back to his love of horses and racing, working as a trainer at the Hollywood Park Racetrack until shortly before his death. He acquired much of his knowledge when one of his racing horses, Up and Over, was injured in a fall; it was suggested that the horse be euthanized due to the extent of those injuries. Anderson refused this and said he would take care of his injured animal. He spent extensive periods of time at the Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
studio library, reading everything in their collection on equine anatomy. This led Anderson to a veterinary surgeon who was interested in helping Up and Over; together the two men brought the thoroughbred back on his feet again.
Death and legacy
Anderson died of heart disease on February 28, 1977 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and HospitalMotion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
The Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital is a retirement community, with individual cottages, and a fully licensed, acute-care hospital, located at 23388 Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills, California...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California. He was buried in Los Angeles in historic Evergreen Cemetery, the oldest existing cemetery in the city.
In a last philanthropic gesture, it was his intention to will his sizable home after his passing. The house at 1932 Rochester Cir. in Los Angeles, was to be used to house at-risk substance sober-living residence for homeless substance abusers. Three decades after his death, The Eddie Rochester Anderson Foundation in Los Angeles ("The Rochester House"), helps troubled men transition into society. The Rochester House opened its doors in 1989, and is dedicated in memory of Eddie Anderson.
Anderson's son, Eddie, Jr. later established The Eddie "Rochester" Anderson Foundation.
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson earned a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
for Radio, at 6513 Hollywood Blvd, in Hollywood, and in 2001 Anderson was posthumously inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame
Radio Hall of Fame
The National Radio Hall of Fame is a project of the Museum of Broadcast Communications.Although no physical building currently exists to house it, the National Radio Hall of Fame is a project of Bruce DuMont, CEO of the currently homeless Museum of Broadcast Communications, and is purported to be a...
.