Will Rogers
Born
November 3, 1879
Died
August 15, 1935 (55 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Oologah, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma)
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor and one of the best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s.
Known as Oklahoma's favorite son, Rogers was born to a prominent Cherokee Nation family in Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma). He traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure. By the mid-1930s, Rogers was adored by the American people. He was the leading political wit of the Progressive Era, and was the top-paid Hollywood movie star at the time. Rogers died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post, when their small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska.
His vaudeville rope act led to success in the Ziegfeld Follies, which in turn led to the first of his many movie contracts. His 1920s syndicated newspaper column and his radio appearances increased his visibility and popularity. Rogers crusaded for aviation expansion, and provided Americans with first-hand accounts of his world travels. His earthy anecdotes and folksy style allowed him to poke fun at gangsters, prohibition, politicians, government programs, and a host of other controversial topics in a way that was readily appreciated by a national audience, with no one offended. His short aphorisms, couched in humorous terms, were widely quoted: "I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat."
Rogers even provided an epigram on his most famous epigram:
When I die, my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read: "I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I dident like." I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Rogers, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Will Rogers and American Politics
Self (archive footage)
2010
Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling
Self (archive footage)
1993
Babe Ruth: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
himself
1990
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
Self(archive footage)
1976
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
Self (archive footage)
1961
The Golden Age of Comedy
archive footage
1957
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
Self (archive footage)
1942
If I Forget You
Will Rogers (uncredited/archive footage)
1940
In Old Kentucky
Steve Tapley
1935
Steamboat Round the Bend
Doctor John Pearly
1935
Doubting Thomas
Thomas Brown
1935
Life Begins at Forty
Keneshaw H. Clark
1935
The County Chairman
Jim Hackler
1935
Judge Priest
Judge William Pitman 'Billy' Priest
1934
Handy Andy
Andrew Yates
1934
David Harum
David Harum
1934
Mr. Skitch
Ira Skitch
1933
Doctor Bull
Dr. George 'Doc' Bull
1933
State Fair
Abel Frake
1933
Too Busy to Work
Jubilo
1932
Down To Earth
Pike Peters
1932
Business and Pleasure
Earl Tinker
1932
Voice of Hollywood (Series 2, No. 3)
Himself
1931
Ambassador Bill
Bill Harper
1931
Young as You Feel
Lemuel Morehouse
1931
A Connecticut Yankee
Hank Martin
1931
Lightnin'
Lightnin' Bill Jones
1930
So This Is London
Hiram Draper
1930
They Had to See Paris
Pike Peters
1929
Happy Days
Minstrel Show Performer
1929
Exploring England with Will Rogers
1927
A Texas Steer
Cattle Brander
1927
Winging Around Europe with Will Rogers
Himself
1927
Tiptoes
Uncle Hen Kaye
1927
With Will Rogers in Dublin
Self
1927
A Truthful Liar
Ambassador Alfalfa Doolittle
1924
Jubilo, Jr.
Jubilo / Himself
1924
Don't Park There
1924
Going to Congress
Alfalfa Doolittle
1924
Big Moments from Little Pictures
1924
The Cake Eater
1924
The Cowboy Sheik
'Two Straw' Bill
1924
Two Wagons Both Covered
Bill Bunian / Joe Jackson
1924
Uncensored Movies
Lem Skagwillow
1923
Hustlin' Hank
Hank
1923
Jus' Passin' Through
Jubilo
1923
Hollywood
Will Rogers
1923
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
Self
1922
The Headless Horseman
Ichabod crane
1922
The Ropin' Fool
'Ropes' Reilly
1922
One Glorious Day
Professor Ezra Botts
1922
A Poor Relation
Noah Vale
1921
Doubling for Romeo
Sam Cody / Romeo
1921
Boys Will Be Boys
Peep O'Day
1921
An Unwilling Hero
Dick
1921
Guile of Women
Hjalmar Maartens
1921
Honest Hutch
Hutch
1920
Cupid the Cowpuncher
Alec Lloyd
1920
Jes' Call Me Jim
Jim Fenton
1920
The Strange Boarder
Sam Gardner
1920
Water, Water, Everywhere
Billy Fortune
1920
Jubilo
Jubilo
1919
Almost a Husband
Sam Lyman
1919
Laughing Bill Hyde
Bill Hyde
1918