Will Rogers

Person

Will Rogers

Acting November 3, 1879

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…

IMDb

Known for

Popular titles

Judge Priest

Judge Priest

6.4 1934 Movie
State Fair

State Fair

6.3 1933 Movie
Steamboat Round the Bend

Steamboat Round the Bend

7.5 1935 Movie
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

6.3 1975 Movie
Stand Up and Cheer!

Stand Up and Cheer!

5.3 1934 Movie
The Golden Age of Comedy

The Golden Age of Comedy

7.1 1957 Movie
Doctor Bull

Doctor Bull

6.7 1933 Movie
The Headless Horseman

The Headless Horseman

5.3 1922 Movie
A Connecticut Yankee

A Connecticut Yankee

6.1 1931 Movie
They Had to See Paris

They Had to See Paris

6.4 1929 Movie
Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s

9.0 1984 Movie
Happy Days

Happy Days

6.3 1929 Movie

Photos

More stills of Will Rogers

Biography

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Read full biography

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.

Filmography

Movies and shows, newest first

  1. 2010
    Will Rogers and American Politics

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  2. 2009
    The Parrott Chase

    Movie (archive footage) (uncredited)

  3. 1993
    Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  4. 1990
    Babe Ruth: The Man, the Myth, the Legend

    Movie himself

  5. 1984
    Going Hollywood: The '30s

    Movie (archive footage)

  6. 1976
    Bob Hope's World of Comedy

    Movie Self - Tribute Montage (archive footage)

  7. 1976
    The Biggest Little Star of the 30's

    Movie Self(archive footage)

  8. 1975
    Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  9. 1961
    The Legend of Rudolph Valentino

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  10. 1957
    The Golden Age of Comedy

    Movie archive footage

  11. 1942
    Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)

    Movie Self (archive footage)

  12. 1940
    If I Forget You

    Movie Will Rogers (uncredited/archive footage)

  13. 1935
    In Old Kentucky

    Movie Steve Tapley

  14. 1935
    Steamboat Round the Bend

    Movie Doctor John Pearly

  15. 1935
    Doubting Thomas

    Movie Thomas Brown

  16. 1935
    Life Begins at Forty

    Movie Keneshaw H. Clark

More credits
  1. 1935
    The County Chairman

    Movie Jim Hackler

  2. 1934
    Judge Priest

    Movie Judge William Pitman 'Billy' Priest

  3. 1934
    Handy Andy

    Movie Andrew Yates

  4. 1934
    Stand Up and Cheer!

    Movie Story

  5. 1934
    David Harum

    Movie David Harum

  6. 1933
    Mr. Skitch

    Movie Ira Skitch

  7. 1933
    Doctor Bull

    Movie Dr. George 'Doc' Bull

  8. 1933
    State Fair

    Movie Abel Frake

  9. 1932
    Too Busy to Work

    Movie Jubilo

  10. 1932
    Down To Earth

    Movie Pike Peters

  11. 1932
    Business and Pleasure

    Movie Earl Tinker

  12. 1931
    Voice of Hollywood (Series 2, No. 3)

    Movie Himself

  13. 1931
    Ambassador Bill

    Movie Bill Harper

  14. 1931
    Young as You Feel

    Movie Lemuel Morehouse

  15. 1931
    A Connecticut Yankee

    Movie Hank Martin

  16. 1930
    Lightnin'

    Movie Lightnin' Bill Jones

  17. 1930
    So This Is London

    Movie Hiram Draper

  18. 1929
    They Had to See Paris

    Movie Pike Peters

  19. 1929
    Happy Days

    Movie Minstrel Show Performer

  20. 1927
    Exploring England with Will Rogers

    Movie

  21. 1927
    A Texas Steer

    Movie Cattle Brander

  22. 1927
    Winging Around Europe with Will Rogers

    Movie Himself

  23. 1927
    Tiptoes

    Movie Uncle Hen Kaye

  24. 1927
    With Will Rogers in Dublin

    Movie Self