Will Rogers, born a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, was a celebrated American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator, often called "Oklahoma's Favorite Son." He achieved immense popularity and became the highest-paid Hollywood film star by the mid-1930s. Rogers traveled the world extensively, starred in 71 films, and penned over 4,000 nationally syndicated newspaper columns, establishing himself as a leading political wit. His life tragically ended in 1935 in a plane crash in Alaska alongside aviator Wiley Post.
Near the end of 1901, at the age of 22, Will Rogers and a friend, Dick Parris, left home with the intention of working as gauchos in Argentina.
In May 1902, Will Rogers and his friend arrived in Argentina, where they spent five months attempting to establish themselves as ranch owners in the Pampas.
In 1904, Will Rogers returned to the United States after working in Australia and appeared at the Saint Louis World's Fair. He then started showcasing his roping skills on the vaudeville circuits.
On April 27, 1905, Will Rogers was at Madison Square Garden when a wild steer escaped into the stands. He successfully roped the steer, gaining front-page attention and a contract with Willie Hammerstein to perform on the Victoria Roof.
In 1908, Will Rogers married Betty Blake, and they had four children together.
Clement's death in 1911 precluded a full reconciliation between him and Will. This occurred after Will had achieved acclaim in vaudeville.
In 1911, Will Rogers purchased a 20-acre ranch near Claremore, Oklahoma, for $500 an acre, planning to use it as his retirement home.
In 1911, Will Rogers purchased the site in Claremore for his future retirement home, which later became the Will Rogers Memorial Museum.
In 1911, Will Rogers' father, Clement V. Rogers, passed away. Rogers County, Oklahoma, is named in honor of him.
From 1915, Will Rogers gained a national audience through acting and literary endeavors, expressing the views of the "common man."
In the fall of 1915, Will Rogers began performing in Florenz Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolic, where he refined his act and started delivering monologues based on current news, famously opening with the line "All I know is what I read in the papers."
By 1916, Will Rogers became a featured star in Ziegfeld's Follies on Broadway. Rogers evolved from a "Ropin' Fool" to a "Talkin' Fool", incorporating political satire and witty commentary on current events into his performances, demonstrating his remarkable skill for improvisation.
In 1916, Will Rogers appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies and continued until 1925.
In 1918, Rogers branched into silent films and made his first silent movie, "Laughing Bill Hyde", filmed in Fort Lee, New Jersey for Samuel Goldwyn's company Goldwyn Pictures.
In 1918, Samuel Goldwyn gave Will Rogers the title role in "Laughing Bill Hyde", marking his discovery by Hollywood.
At the end of 1922, Will Rogers began writing a weekly column titled "Slipping the Lariat Over". He also published a book of wisecracks and continued publishing humor books.
From 1922 to 1935, The New York Times syndicated Will Rogers's weekly newspaper column.
In 1922, The New York Times published an editorial comparing Will Rogers in the Follies to Aristophanes, recognizing his tradition of political satire.
In 1922, Will Rogers began writing his newspaper column, which ran until 1935, expressing traditional morality and downplaying the seriousness of political problems.
In 1923, Will Rogers began a one-year stint with Hal Roach and made 12 pictures.
In 1924, Will Rogers made three films for Hal Roach directed by Rob Wagner: Two Wagons Both Covered, Going to Congress, and Our Congressman.
In 1924, Will Rogers, a lifelong Democrat, supported Republican Calvin Coolidge over John W. Davis in the presidential election.
Around 1925, Will Rogers began a "lecture tour" across the United States, becoming the first civilian to fly from coast to coast with pilots flying the mail. The National Press Club dubbed him "Ambassador at Large of the United States".
In 1925, Will Rogers appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies and had been appearing since 1916.
During his 1926 European trip, Will Rogers witnessed the European advances in commercial air service and compared them to the almost nonexistent facilities in the United States.
In 1926, The Saturday Evening Post financed a European tour for Will Rogers in return for publication of his articles. Rogers visited numerous European capitals, met with international figures and common people, and reflected a fear that Europeans would go to war again, recommending isolationism for the United States.
In 1926, Will Rogers's short column "Will Rogers Says" became a daily feature, reaching 40 million newspaper readers.
In 1927, Will Rogers made two feature silent films and a travelogue series, after which he did not return to the screen until 1929.
During the 1928 Republican Convention, Will Rogers criticized the party platform, but welcomed the nomination of Charles Curtis as Vice President, though expressing that the leadership kept Curtis from the presidency.
From about 1925 to 1928, Will Rogers toured the length and breadth of the United States in a "lecture tour".
In 1928, Will Rogers mounted a mock campaign for the presidency to prove that all campaigning was "bunk." He ran as the "bunkless candidate" of the Anti-Bunk Party in Life magazine, promising to resign if elected and caricaturing campaign politics weekly from Memorial Day through Election Day.
From 1929 to 1935, Will Rogers made radio broadcasts for the Gulf Oil Company. His weekly Sunday evening show, "The Gulf Headliners", became one of the top radio programs in the country.
In 1929, Will Rogers returned to the screen with the advent of 'talkies'.
In 1929, Will Rogers starred in his first sound film, "They Had to See Paris", which allowed him to showcase his verbal wit and solidified his status as a top star in the medium.
In 1931, Will Rogers traveled to Asia to perform.
In 1932, Will Rogers supported Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt, who he considered his favorite president and politician. He also made jokes about Roosevelt's New Deal.
In 1933, Will Rogers played the role of a homespun farmer in 'State Fair' and an old-fashioned doctor in 'Dr. Bull'.
In 1934, Will Rogers appeared in the films 'David Harum' and 'Judge Priest' alongside Stepin Fetchit.
In 1934, Will Rogers made a globe-girdling tour and returned to play the lead in Eugene O'Neill's stage play Ah, Wilderness!.
In 1934, Will Rogers played a small-town banker in 'David Harum' and a rustic politician in 'Judge Priest'.
On August 15, 1935, Will Rogers died in a plane crash in northern Alaska along with aviator Wiley Post. Rogers was a popular entertainer and humorist known for his political wit.
Will Rogers was temporarily interred on August 21, 1935, in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California after his death.
By 1935, Will Rogers's radio show was being announced as "Will Rogers and his Famous Alarm Clock". He used an alarm clock to keep track of time during his broadcasts for the Gulf Oil Company.
From 1922 to 1935, Will Rogers wrote columns for the McNaught Syndicate, winning the admiration of the American people through his witty commentary on current events and prominent figures.
In 1935, Will Rogers appeared in 'County Chairman', 'Steamboat Round the Bend', and 'In Old Kentucky'.
In 1935, Will Rogers appeared in the films 'Steamboat Round the Bend' and 'The County Chairman' alongside Stepin Fetchit.
In 1935, Will Rogers tentatively agreed to star in the movie version of "Ah, Wilderness!", but declined due to concerns about a fan's reaction. He and Wiley Post then made plans to fly to Alaska that summer.
In 1935, a small monument at the Renton airport commemorates the starting point of the fatal Post-Rogers flight.
The New York Times syndicated Will Rogers' weekly newspaper column from 1922 to 1935.
Until 1935, Will Rogers continued to express the views of the "common man" in his acting and literary career, emphasizing individualism and hard work.
Will Rogers' newspaper column, which began in 1922, ended in 1935. In his column, he expressed his traditional morality and his belief that political problems were not as serious as they sounded.
In 1936, Will Rogers was portrayed by A.A. Trimble in a cameo in the film "The Great Ziegfeld".
In 1936, the NVA Hospital in Saranac Lake, New York, was renamed the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital by the National Vaudeville Artists association.
The Will Rogers Memorial Center was built in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1936.
On June 6, 1939, a bronze statue of Will Rogers, sculpted by Jo Davidson, was dedicated in the Capitol before a crowd of over 2,000 people.
On May 19, 1944, Will Rogers's body was moved from Glendale, California, to the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma.
From 1944, Will Rogers's California home, stables, and polo fields were preserved for public enjoyment as Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades, after his widow Betty willed the property to the state of California, stipulating that polo be played on the field every year.
In 1944, Will Rogers was re-interred at the Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, Oklahoma.
Will Rogers's wife, Betty Blake, passed away in 1944.
In 1947, a college football bowl game was named in Will Rogers's honor, but the event folded after the first year.
On November 4, 1948, the United States Post Office commemorated Will Rogers with a three-cent postage stamp.
In 1949, Will Rogers was portrayed by his son, Will Rogers Jr., in a cameo in the film "Look for the Silver Lining".
On February 16, 1950, a casting of "Riding into the Sunset" was dedicated at the entrance to the main campus quad at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, by Rogers' friend, Amon G. Carter.
In 1952, Will Rogers was portrayed by his son, Will Rogers Jr., as the star of the film "The Story of Will Rogers".
In 1962, the town of Higgins, Texas, began an annual observance of Will Rogers Day, in honor of Rogers and his friendship with Frank Ewing.
In 1966, the USS Will Rogers (SSBN-659), the final ship of the Benjamin Franklin-class submarines, was launched.
In 1970, James Whitmore performed the first of eight runs of the one-man play "Will Rogers' USA".
In a 1971 article, Bobby H. Johnson and R. Stanley Mohler argued that Post used floats designed for a larger plane, contributing to the accident.
In 1972, James Whitmore portrayed Will Rogers in a television film of "Will Rogers' USA".
In 1974, James Whitmore performed a limited run of the one-man play "Will Rogers' USA" on Broadway.
According to scholar Peter Rollins in 1976, Will Rogers was seen as an anchor of stability during the Roaring Twenties, reminding people of the recent past with his traditional values.
In 1976, Will Rogers was among the historical figures depicted in Stanley Meltzoff's artwork, "Our Nation's 200th Birthday, The Telephone's 100th Birthday," for Bell System.
In 1976, film critic David Thomson described Will Rogers' philosophy as reactionary, dispiriting, and provincial in "A Biographical History of Film".
In 1979, Brown argued that Rogers held up a "magic mirror" reflecting iconic American values as the archetypical "American Democrat", "American Adam", and "American Prometheus".
In 1979, the United States Postal Service issued a 15-cent stamp of Will Rogers as part of the "Performing Arts" series.
In 1980, a sociological-psychological assessment by Roach was published, examining the relationship between Will Rogers and his father during Will's boyhood and teenage years, focusing on their differing expectations and personality clash.
In 1991, "The Will Rogers Follies", a Tony Award-winning musical, was produced on Broadway, starring Keith Carradine in the lead role.
In 1994, Keith Carradine also played Will Rogers in the film "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle".
In 2000, James Whitmore performed the last of eight runs of the one-man play "Will Rogers' USA".
Bryan and Frances Sterling maintain in their 2001 book that their research showed the floats were the correct type for the aircraft, suggesting another cause for the crash in Alaska.
On November 4, 2019, Google celebrated Will Rogers's 140th birthday with a Google Doodle.
On January 8, 2025, the house and stables at Will Rogers State Historic Park burnt down during the Palisades Fire.
Google LLC is a multinational technology corporation specializing in online...
California is the most populous US state located on the...
College football is a popular amateur sport in the United...
Football is a category of team sports primarily involving kicking...
Argentina is a country located in the southern half of...
News encompasses current events disseminated through various media including oral...
12 minutes ago Aaron Rodgers potentially joining Steelers: Throwing session with Metcalf and Tomlin's appreciation.
1 hour ago Camilo Ugo Carabelli advances to Bucharest Open second round, faces Albot next.
1 hour ago AJ Russell's triumphant return fuels Tennessee Vols' victory over Tennessee Tech.
2 hours ago Dongfeng and Changan Discussed Merger: A New Automotive Giant Emerges?
1 day ago Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued and Later Expired; Warm-Up Forecasted Afterwards.
2 hours ago Wisconsin Badgers Football: Defensive Size, New Offense, and Fickell's Spring Practice Update
Bruce Pearl is an American college basketball coach currently head...
LeBron James nicknamed King James is a highly decorated American...
Jasmine Crockett is an American lawyer and politician currently serving...
Cristiano Ronaldo nicknamed CR is a Portuguese professional footballer widely...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...
Pamela Jo Bondi is an American attorney lobbyist and politician...