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Will Rogers
Actor, Additional Credits
Born November 3, 1879Died August 15, 1935 (55 years)
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 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.
Filmography
| 2000 | Jeff Foxworthy's Comedy Classics · as Cast |
| 1993 | Mo' Funny: Black Comedy in America · as Cast |
| 1992 | John Ford · as Judge William 'billy' Priest [in "judge Priest"] |
| 1984 | Going Hollywood: The '30s · as (archive Footage) |
| 1957 | The Golden Age of Comedy · as Archive Footage |
| 1935 | In Old Kentucky · as Steve Tapley |
| 1935 | Steamboat Round the Bend · as Doctor John Pearly |
| 1935 | Doubting Thomas · as Thomas Brown |
| 1935 | Life Begins at 40 · as Keneshaw H. Clark |
| 1934 | Judge Priest · as Judge William Pitman 'billy' Priest |
| 1934 | Handy Andy · as Andrew Yates |
| 1934 | David Harum · as David Harum |
| 1933 | Mr. Skitch · as Ira Skitch |
| 1933 | Doctor Bull · as Dr. George 'doc' Bull |
| 1933 | State Fair · as Abel Frake |
| 1932 | Too Busy to Work · as Jubilo |
| 1932 | Down to Earth · as Pike Peters |
| 1932 | Business and Pleasure · as Earl Tinker |
| 1931 | Ambassador Bill · as Bill Harper |
| 1931 | Young as You Feel · as Lemuel Morehouse |
| 1931 | A Connecticut Yankee · as Hank Martin |
| 1930 | Lightnin' · as Lightnin' Bill Jones |
| 1929 | They Had to See Paris · as Pike Peters |
| 1929 | Happy Days · as Minstrel Show Performer |
| 1922 | The Headless Horseman · as Ichabod Crane |
| 1922 | One Glorious Day · as Professor Ezra Botts |
| 1920 | Jes' Call Me Jim · as Jim Fenton |
| 1919 | Jubilo · as Jubilo |