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Edmund Lincoln Anderson (September 18, 1905 - February 28, 1977), often known as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, was a Black comic actor who became famous playing "Rochester van Jones" (usually known simply as "Rochester"), the valet to Jack Benny's eponymous title character on the long-running radio and television series The Jack Benny Program.

Biography

Born in Oakland, California into a family of performers, Anderson began his show business career at age 14 in a song-and-dance act with his brother Cornelius and another performer. They billed themselves as the Three Black Aces. At a young age, Anderson permanently damaged his vocal cords (he had to yell loudly for his job selling newspapers), leading to his trademark "raspy" voice.

Benny's ordering of his "valet" and Anderson's responses (sometimes a resigned "Yes, Boss," but just as often a snappy joke at Benny's expense) were among the weekly highlights of the long-running show. "Rochester" became virtually as popular and well-known as Jack Benny himself: his popularity was so great that some newspapers reportedly listed the Benny program as The Eddie Anderson Show.

Anderson's role as a servant was common for Black leads in the popular media of that era, such as Ethel Waters in Beulah. The stereotyping of Blacks (or any ethnic group) had been standard practice in the entertainment business for generations. The relationship between Anderson and Benny became more complex and intimate as the years went by, with Rochester's role becoming both less stereotypical (in early episodes he carried a switchblade and shot craps) and less subservient (though he remained a valet), reflecting changing social attitudes toward Blacks. 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, once the enormity of the Holocaust 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. The high esteem in which the two actors held each other was evident upon Benny's death in 1974, in which a tearful Anderson, interviewed for television, spoke of Benny with admiration and respect.

Benny was often protective of Anderson and this led to conflict. For instance in World War II, Benny toured with his show but not Rochester because discrimination in the armed forces would have required separate living quarters. Stateside, a similar incident was defused by Benny when, according to reporter Fredric W. Slater, Rochester was denied a room at the hotel that Benny and his staff was staying at in St. 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.

Even though some of the humour was stereotypical, it was always done so that the racial element of the joke came from Anderson and no one else. For instance when Jack takes a vacation he takes Rochester along--but as a guest, as Jack drives just as often as Rochester. When they get to Yosemite 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 race element of the joke was provided by Anderson.

Among the most highly paid performers of his time, Anderson invested wisely and became extremely wealthy. 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. A similar letter came from a corespondent 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.

In addition to his famous role with Benny, Anderson appeared in over sixty motion pictures, including Uncle Peter in Gone with the Wind, Cabin in the Sky, and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He reprises his Rochester role in Topper Returns, this time as Cosmo Topper's valet (though he jokes about 'Mr. Benny' in the film).

Anderson was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001.

How Rochester became Jack Benny's Valet

According to one show guest-starring Amos and Andy, Rochester was employed at The Sunshine Taxi Company. In the skit, Benny, in his Maxwell, runs into Rochester's taxi -- while it's up on a grease rack! Amos and Andy want to settle but have no money, so they offer Rochester as a valet. This plotline is referenced in the 1992 Seinfeld episode The Virgin.

Another explanation mentioned in a few other shows alleges that Rochester was originally a porter or redcap on a train who had helped Benny with his luggage, and wound up following him home. ("Now if you'll give me my tip, I'll go home to my family.")

External links

• Eddie Rochester Anderson at IMDb
• Find-A-Grave profile for Eddie Anderson

Template:Persondata

• American film actors
• American television actors
• Vaudeville performers
• American radio actors
• African-American actors
• People from Oakland, California
• 1905 births
• 1977 deaths
• Hollywood Walk of Fame