Eddie Rochster Anderson

Eddie Anderson
(1905 – 1977)

That Jack Benny was an incredibly funny man cannot be argued. An amazing part of Jack Benny's genius was that he was rarely funny alone. Part of the credit goes to his team of writers, reputed to be among the best paid writers in Hollywood. But the best lines and stories are a waste unless they are delivered by competent actors; Jack assembled a company for the Jack Benny Program that was second to none.

Program announcer Don Wilson's size was fodder for a number of jokes through the years, but his real value to the show and its sponsors was simply that he worked so well with Jack and the rest of the company. Phil Harris started out as just the bandleader of the Jello Program, but his talent for zingy one-liners led to a more active role and the development of his jive-talking, hard drinking and skirt chasing character. "Man of a Thousand Voices" Mel Blanc had a sense of comic timing that fit remarkably well with Jack's. Mary Livingstone became a part of the company the old fashioned way- when vaudevillian Benjamin Kubelsky married Sadie Marks, it was nearly inevitable that she would eventually become part of the act.

As important as the company was, if the Jack Benny Program had a true co-star, most fans would agree that it was the character of Jack's valet, Rochester Van Jones. Rochester evolved from an appearance by Eddie Anderson on Mar 28, 1937. In this episode, the company is returning from a trip to Chicago, and Jack has an encounter with a porter at the railway station.

Jack: Here you are Redcap, here's fifty cents.

Anderson: This is a Dime!

Jack: Look at your script, not the coin!

The show called Anderson back to appear in another episode about a month later, this time as a waiter serving Jack (who asks if the waiter had ever been a train porter). During this appearance, Anderson made himself at home as though he was a regular part of the cast, and joined with the regulars singing the "J-E-L-L, Ohhh!" jingle.

The most significant partnership Jack Benny's personal life was with his costar and wife, Mary Livingstone; in was almost a tradition for Vaudeville stars to write their wives into the at after matrimony. Examples include Jim and Marian Jordan of Fibber McGee and Molly, Fred Allen and Portland Hoffa, and very close friends of the Benny's, George Burns and Gracie Allen. As successful as the Benny couple was, Mary had little love for performing, and throughout her career suffered from almost crippling stage fright.

Rochester's growing popularity made him an easy fit in the role as Jack's primary foil. The origin of the character is a matter of some debate, and the program created at least two back stories at different times. In one version, Rochester Van Jones had been a driver for Amos 'n' Andy's Taxi service; after an accident with Benny, the black-faced comedians essentially gave Rochester to Benny as reparation. On the TV show, the story was that Rochester had been a railway porter whom Jack got fired. To make up for it, Jack hired Rochester as his valet.

The real reason for Rochester's popularity was that Anderson and Benny worked so well together. Supposedly, the only real conflict that Jack had with his costar was Anderson's propensity for tardiness. For a time, Jack tried fining Eddie $50 whenever he was late for a performance, but time and again he would find himself talking to someone and arrive to the studio late. This may have been why the Rochester part of the show took place in the middle or second half of the program. Anderson's lack of time sense was especially problematic when the show was on the road; Benny would assign various cast members the job of dropping-by Eddie's place to be sure he made it to the station, with decidedly mixed results.

Anderson's tardiness was not the only problem when the show was on the road. A more pressing problem was his skin. When touring the show during WWII, military protocol called for Anderson to stay in quarters separate from the rest of the company because of his color, although when the show appeared at bases or military hospitals, Rochester was even more popular with the troops than he was with civilian audiences. At least one incident occurred at a hotel when the hotel managers would try enforce a No Blacks policy. Jack merely stated that if Anderson was not allowed to stay, the whole company would find different accommodations. Anderson was usually welcomed, but there was at least one case where the entire company deserted the hotel.

The Jack Benny Program was perhaps as racially insensitive as any other in the pre-War years. As the magnitude of the Nazi Holocaust came to light, Benny and the writing staff made a conscious effort to roll back on racially motivated humor, especially where Rochester was concerned. Rochester essentially changed from being a funny black character to a funny character who was black.

Some have criticized the character for having a stereotypical black role as a servant, Jack's valet and butler. Unlike other regularly appearing black servants, an African American actor actually played Rochester. In fact, Anderson was the first African American to have a regularly occurring role on radio.

Rochester retained his appreciation for drink, his essential laziness, and eye for the ladies. However, there was never an implication that these were black characteristics; they were Rochester's personality. Although, as the butler, he was always subservient to the other characters (he was always "Rochester" while he addressed the other characters as Mr or Miss), Rochester would routinely get the best of his boss. There were still plenty of racial humor, but it was always Rochester himself who cracked the joke. When the gang goes on a ski trip, Jack warns them to be careful so they will not get lost in the snow, to which Rochester quips Who? Me?

Just as Rochester became a funny character who was black, Eddie Anderson was more than an intriguing black man, he was a fascinating and successful man who happened to be black. He came from a show business background; his father had been a minstrel performer and his mother a circus tight-rope walker. Anderson grew up in Oakland, CA. As a boy selling newspapers, the thought was that the loudest boy would sell the most papers. At this time, Eddie ruptured his vocal chords, resulting in the gravel voice so recognized by audiences.

Anderson was one of the highest paid supporting players on radio, and until the 1950s, probably the highest paid African American entertainers. He was particularly wise with his investments. Eddie was the owner of the Pacific Parachute Company, selling parachutes to the Army and Navy during WWII. Anderson was enthusiastic about thoroughbred racing, and owned a string of horses, including Burnt Cork, who ran in the 1943 Kentucky Derby. This made Anderson the first African American to have an entry in the Derby, but Burnt Cork finished last.

Enjoying all the benefits of a successful businessman in Southern California, Anderson became the skipper of his own cabin cruiser. One trip in 1946 the boat's engines developed troubles, and Anderson and his two passengers found themselves adrift overnight because their attempts at sending an SOS were missed. Finally, a fishing boat gave them a tow into harbor. The skipper did not realize the fuss he had caused until he heard a radio report that the search for him was still underway.

Eddie Anderson and Jack Benny remained friends for the remainder of their lives, and Rochester remained part of the Jack Benny Show through the television years. During a rehearsal for a TV special in 1958 to celebrate Jack's "40th Birthday" Anderson suffered a mild heart attack. A photo published in Life magazine, snapped after the ambulance took Eddie to the hospital, shows a Jack Benny clearly worried about his friend. Jack was not thinking about his show. On a 1968 TV special, one of the bits involved Jack trying to talk Rochester into doing another show together. Jack presents a number of concepts, all based on then current shows. After Eddie shoots down all of his ideas, Jack suggests that Rochester become his valet again. Rochester replies: "Blue Eyes, we don't do that anymore." Jack then relents "Oh that's right, come on, lets get a hamburger."

A Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at 6513 Hollywood Blvd honors Eddie "Rochester" Anderson's contributions to Radio.