Edmund Lincoln Eddie Anderson (September 18, 1905 – February 28, 1977), also known as Eddie Rochester Anderson, was an American comedian and actor. The son of a minstrel and circus tightrope walker, Eddie Anderson developed a gravel voice early in life which would become his trademark to fame. He joined his older brother Cornelius as members of The Three Black Aces during his vaudeville years, singing for pennies in the hotel lobby. He eventually moved his way up to the Roxy and Apollo theaters in New York, which led to the Los Angeles Cotton Club in the west. He began to appear in films, typically in servile bits, his best being the featured role of Noah in The Green Pastures (1936). He continued in that vein until a chance pairing with comedy star Jack Benny on his radio program in 1937 put him on the map. He only had a bit part on Bennys Easter show as a Pullman porter, but his scratchy voice, superb timing and comic reaction to Bennys banter earned him a fixed spot. He then was heard as Bennys personal valet, Rochester Van Jones, and the role became so popular that he became billed as Eddie Rochester Anderson. In between radio assignments, he found the time to appear in both film drama and comedies, including You Cant Take It with You (1938), Kentucky (1938), Jezebel (1938), and three with Benny - Man About Town (1939), Buck Benny Rides Again (1940) and Love Thy Neighbor (1940). After the films Brewsters Millions (1945) and The Show-Off (1946), Anderson concentrated on his partnership with Jack Benny, following him into television and working with him for a total of 23 years. He returned to the screen for Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) but ill health eventually forced him into retirement. In 1932, Anderson married Mamie (Wiggins) Nelson. She was the daughter of Alonzo and Annie Wiggins of Eastman, GA. Mamie died on August 5, 1954, at the age of 43, following a two-year battle with cancer. At the time of her death she and Anderson had been married for 22 years and her son Billy (Andersons stepson) was playing professional football for the Chicago Bears. Billy was born George Billy Nelson to Mamie Wiggins and her previous husband on March 8, 1929, in Los Angeles, CA[49] When Mamie married Eddie Anderson, Billy was adopted and took the surname Anderson. Following Mamies death Anderson married Evangela Eva Simon on February 8, 1956, at Kingman, Arizona. The couple had three children: daughters Stephanie and Evangela, Jr. (Eva), and son Edmund, Jr. Simon and Anderson divorced in 1973 with Anderson retaining custody of his minor son and daughter. Anderson died of heart disease on February 28, 1977 at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Los Angeles, California. He was buried in Los Angeles in historic Evergreen Cemetery, the oldest existing cemetery in the city.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 02:38:53 +0000
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