, ▁but ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁res ign ▁due ▁to ▁bad ▁health . ▁ ▁Other ▁business ▁vent ures ▁Though ▁Anderson ▁had ▁roles ▁in ▁films ▁such ▁as ▁The ▁Green ▁Past ures ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁dan cer ▁at ▁the ▁Cot ton ▁Club ▁in ▁C ul ver ▁City , ▁California , ▁when ▁he ▁first ▁came ▁to ▁Hollywood , ▁his ▁real ▁success ▁did ▁not ▁arrive ▁until ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁regular ▁on ▁The ▁Jack ▁Ben ny ▁Program . ▁ ▁Not ▁long ▁after ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁regular ▁cast ▁member ▁on ▁the ▁Ben ny ▁show , ▁Anderson ▁opened ▁a ▁night club ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁Avenue ▁section ▁of ▁Los ▁Angeles . ▁ ▁Anderson ' s ▁night club ▁was ▁short - l ived ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁too ▁gener ous ▁with ▁his ▁friends . ▁ ▁The ▁club ▁was ▁pick ing ▁up ▁the ▁tab ▁for ▁too ▁many ▁guests ▁and ▁Anderson ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁night club ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁it ▁opened . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Anderson ▁was ▁the ▁owner ▁of ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Par ach ute ▁Company , ▁an ▁African - American ▁owned ▁and ▁operated ▁business ▁that ▁made ▁par ach utes ▁for ▁the ▁Army ▁and ▁Navy . ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁managed ▁a ▁box er , ▁Billy ▁Met cal fe , ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁ ▁Anderson ▁had ▁an ▁ast ute ▁business ▁sense ; ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁he ▁saw ▁the ▁value ▁and ▁potential ▁of ▁Las ▁Veg as ▁as ▁an ▁entertain ment ▁center . ▁With ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁building ▁and ▁operating ▁a ▁hotel ▁and ▁cas