BONUS - Oh, Rochester (Jack Benny Program & Private Life of Rochester Van Jones)
Eddie Anderson, the vaudeville star and comedian with a trademark gravelly voice, made his first appearance on The Jack Benny Program in 1937. He'd become an iconic part of the series and a member of Benny's cast on radio and television for nearly 30 years. Anderson was the first African American actor with a regular role on a national radio series, and his character of Rochester Van Jones was one of the most popular on the show. We'll hear him as Sam in the show's production of Casablanca (originally aired on NBC on October 17, 1943). Then, Anderson stars in the audition recordings of what would have been his own comedy series - The Private Life of Rochester Van Jones (recorded May 12, 1950).