1879-11-03 ( 145 years old ) in 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.
Movies
Will Rogers and American Politics
2010-11-30
Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling
1993-08-31
Babe Ruth: The Man, the Myth, the Legend
1990-04-25
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984-01-01
The Biggest Little Star of the 30's
1976-01-01
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975-08-06
The Legend of Rudolph Valentino
1961-05-24
The Golden Age of Comedy
1957-12-26
Screen Snapshots (Series 22, No. 10)
1942-01-01
If I Forget You
1940-05-01
In Old Kentucky
1935-11-28
Steamboat Round the Bend
1935-09-06
Doubting Thomas
1935-07-10
Life Begins at Forty
1935-03-22
The County Chairman
1935-01-11
Judge Priest
1934-09-15
Handy Andy
1934-07-19
David Harum
1934-03-02
Mr. Skitch
1933-12-22
Doctor Bull
1933-09-22
State Fair
1933-02-10
Too Busy to Work
1932-12-02
Down To Earth
1932-09-01
Business and Pleasure
1932-02-24
Voice of Hollywood (Series 2, No. 3)
1931-12-31
Ambassador Bill
1931-11-13
Young as You Feel
1931-08-06
A Connecticut Yankee
1931-04-06
Lightnin'
1930-11-28
So This Is London
1930-05-23
They Had to See Paris
1929-09-18
Happy Days
1929-09-16
Exploring England with Will Rogers
1927-12-18
A Texas Steer
1927-12-04
Winging Around Europe with Will Rogers
1927-11-20
Tiptoes
1927-06-19
With Will Rogers in Dublin
1927-03-06
A Truthful Liar
1924-08-16
Jubilo, Jr.
1924-06-28
Don't Park There
1924-06-22
Going to Congress
1924-05-24
Big Moments from Little Pictures
1924-03-30
The Cake Eater
1924-03-02
The Cowboy Sheik
1924-02-03
Two Wagons Both Covered
1924-01-05
Uncensored Movies
1923-12-09
Hustlin' Hank
1923-11-11
Jus' Passin' Through
1923-10-14
Hollywood
1923-08-19
Screen Snapshots, Series 3, No. 12
1922-11-05
The Headless Horseman
1922-11-05
The Ropin' Fool
1922-10-29
One Glorious Day
1922-01-29
A Poor Relation
1921-12-30
Doubling for Romeo
1921-10-22
Boys Will Be Boys
1921-05-05
An Unwilling Hero
1921-01-08
Guile of Women
1921-01-01
Honest Hutch
1920-09-19
Cupid the Cowpuncher
1920-07-25
Jes' Call Me Jim
1920-05-23
The Strange Boarder
1920-04-01
Water, Water, Everywhere
1920-02-08
Jubilo
1919-12-07
Almost a Husband
1919-10-11
Laughing Bill Hyde
1918-09-22
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