▁much ▁of ▁his ▁free ▁time ▁waiting ▁at ▁stage ▁doors ▁and ▁cutting ▁up ▁on ▁street ▁corners ▁with ▁his ▁friend ▁and ▁brother , ▁Corn el ius . ▁Anderson ▁briefly ▁tried ▁being ▁a ▁j ockey , ▁but ▁had ▁to ▁give ▁it ▁up ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁too ▁heavy . ▁Anderson ▁started ▁in ▁show ▁business ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁an ▁all ▁African - American ▁rev ue ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 4 ; ▁he ▁had ▁previously ▁won ▁an ▁amateur ▁contest ▁at ▁a ▁v au dev ille ▁the ater ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁Anderson ▁joined ▁the ▁cast ▁of ▁Str utt in ' ▁Al ong ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁and ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁Ste pp in ' ▁High ▁both ▁as ▁a ▁dan cer ▁and ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁" Three ▁Black ▁A ces " ▁with ▁his ▁brother , ▁Corn el ius , ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 . ▁He ▁later ▁worked ▁in ▁v au dev ille ▁with ▁Corn el ius . ▁Anderson ▁began ▁adding ▁comedy ▁to ▁his ▁song ▁and ▁dance ▁act ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 . ▁ ▁During ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁v au dev ille ▁t ours ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁Coast , ▁Anderson ▁first ▁met ▁Jack ▁Ben ny ; ▁the ▁men ▁only ▁ex changed ▁gre et ings ▁and ▁shook ▁hands . ▁ ▁Anderson ' s ▁vocal ▁c ords ▁were ▁ru pt ured ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁young ster ▁s elling ▁newsp apers ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁The ▁news bo ys ▁believed ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁shout ▁the ▁loud est ▁sold ▁the ▁most ▁papers . ▁The ▁permanent