▁program . ▁When ▁the ▁series ▁moved ▁to ▁CBS ▁television ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁Anderson ▁continued ▁in ▁the ▁role ▁until ▁the ▁series ' ▁end ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁series ▁ended , ▁Anderson ▁remained ▁active ▁with ▁guest ▁st arring ▁roles ▁on ▁television ▁and ▁voice ▁work ▁in ▁animated ▁series . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁av id ▁horse - rac ing ▁fan ▁who ▁owned ▁several ▁race ▁horses ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁horse ▁tra iner ▁at ▁the ▁Hollywood ▁Park ▁R ac et rack . ▁ ▁Anderson ▁was ▁married ▁twice ▁and ▁had ▁four ▁children . ▁He ▁died ▁of ▁heart ▁disease ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 7 1 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Anderson ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Oak land , ▁California . ▁His ▁father , ▁" Big ▁Ed " ▁Anderson , ▁was ▁a ▁min st rel ▁perform er , ▁while ▁his ▁mother , ▁El la ▁Ma e , ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁tight ro pe ▁walk er ▁until ▁her ▁career ▁was ▁ended ▁by ▁a ▁fall . ▁He ▁described ▁himself ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁desc endant ▁of ▁slaves ▁who ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁South ▁during ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁through ▁the ▁Under ground ▁Rail road . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ten , ▁Anderson ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁moved ▁from ▁Oak land ▁to ▁San ▁Francisco . ▁ ▁He ▁left ▁school ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁ 1 4 ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁an ▁err and ▁boy ▁to ▁help ▁his ▁family . ▁ ▁Stage - stru ck ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age , ▁he ▁spent