FOUND A GRAVE

Actor. He is best remembered for his role of ‘Rochester Van Jones’, on the “Jack Benny Show”. The son of a minstrel, Big Ed Anderson, and a circus tightrope walker, Ella May Anderson, Eddie was born into a show business family, where he joined his brother, Cornelius, in a vaudeville troop. For a while, he played bit roles in movies, including the role of ‘Noah’ in “The Green Pastures” (1936), which led to his role with Jack Benny on his radio program in 1937. Playing the role of a Pullman Porter, his scratchy voice, superb timing, and comic banter to Jack Benny’s jibs earned him a permanent part on the show. From then on, he appeared on the “Jack Benny Show” (both radio and television versions) as a regular, playing the role of Jack’s personal valet, ‘Rochester Van Jones’. Between his radio shows, he made appearances in several films, including “You Can’t Take it With You” (1938), “Kentucky” (1938), “Man About Town” (1939), “Buck Benny Rides Again” (1940), “Brewster’s Millions” (1945), and “The Show Off” (1946). He continued to work with Benny for a total of 23 years, until ill health forced him into retirement in 1964. He died of long standing heart problems in 1977. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001.