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Eddie Anderson (September 18, 1905 (Oakland,
California) - February 28, 1977) was an
African-American comic actor and star of
film|movies, television and especially old-time
radio, where he played the valet Rochester van
Jones  (usually known simply as Rochester) to Jack
Benny's eponymous title character on The Jack
Benny Program. Anderson was not Benny's valet in
real life, as many listeners of the time thought.
Anderson was also well-known for his role in the
groundbreaking musical film, Cabin in the Sky.

At a young age, Anderson permanantly damaged his
vocal cords, leading to his trademark "raspy"
voice.  

Benny's call of "Rochester," and Anderson's
answers (often a raspy "Yes, Boss," but just as
often a snappy joke at Benny's expense) were among
the weekly highlights of the show. Benny once
asked the character Rochester why he was named
Rochester, to which Rochester replied: "I don't
know, boss, I was born in Syracuse, New
York|Syracuse."

Because of the popularity of the Rochester
character, some newspapers reportedly listed the
show as The Eddie Anderson Show.

Anderson was as responsible as was Benny for the
show's tremendous success across so many segments
of American society, and the relationship between
Anderson and Benny became more complex and
intimate as the years went by.

Anderson's portrayal of a servant was a common
role for African-American leads in that era, such
as Ethel Waters in Beulah (show)|Beulah. In the
meantime, Amos and Andy depicted African-Americans
in more typical working class and professional
roles.

Anderson appeared in over 60 films including as
one of the taxi drivers in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad,
Mad World.