Can you tell me about Rochester on “The Jack Benny Show”?
—Ida Lee Harrison, Painesville, Ala.
Gravelly voiced Eddie Anderson played comedian Benny’s brash valet on his radio and TV show from 1937 until 1965. The native of Oakland, Calif., worked in more than 60 films including “The Green Pastures,” “Jezebel,” and “You Can’t Take It With You” and “Gone With The Wind,” and he starred in the 1943 all-star black musical “Cabin in the Sky.” After retiring from show biz, he worked part time as an assistant trainer of horses at Hollywood Park Racetrack. Anderson died of heart disease in 1977 at the age of 71.
Found in: Celebrity Q&A
