- Born
- Died
- Birth nameWilliam Penn Adair Rogers
- Nicknames
- Bill
- Swill Rogers
- The Cowboy Philosopher
- Height1.80 m
- World-famous, widely popular American humorist of the vaudeville stage and of silent and sound films, Will Rogers graduated from military school, but his first real job was in the livestock business in Argentina, of all places. He transported pack animals across the South Atlantic from Buenos Aires to South Africa for use in the Boer War (1899-1902). He stayed in Johannesburg for a short while, appearing there in Wild West shows where he drew upon his expertise with horse and lasso. Returning to America, he brought his talents to vaudeville and by 1917 was a Ziegfeld Follies star. Over the years he gradually blended into his act his unique style of topical, iconoclastic humor, in which he speared the efforts of the powerful to trample the rights of the common man, while twirling his lariat and perhaps chewing on a blade of straw. Although appearing in many silents, he reached his motion-picture zenith with the arrival of sound. Now mass audiences could hear his rural twang as he delivered his homespun philosophy on behalf of Everyman. The appeal and weight of his words carried such weight with the average citizen that he was even nominated for governor of Oklahoma (which he declined).- IMDb mini biography by: Bill Takacs <kinephile@aol.com>
- SpouseBetty Blake Rogers(November 25, 1908 - August 15, 1935) (his death, 4 children)
- ChildrenFred RogersMary Rogers
- RelativesClu Gulager(Cousin)
- Warm hearted fatherly roles
- As host of the 1933 Academy Awards ceremony, he made a minor blunder when announcing the Best Director Award. After reading the nominees he told the winner, "Come and get it, Frank!" Frank Capra (nominated for Grande dame d'un jour (1933)) was halfway to the podium before he realized Rogers meant Frank Lloyd (winner for Cavalcade (1933)). Capra could well afford to lick his wounds: He won the following year for New York - Miami (1934) and became Academy President the year after that.
- A friend, and frequent critic, of several U.S. Presidents, Rogers once visited Warren G. Harding (1865-1923, President 1921-1923) and said, "'Morning, Mr. President! Would you like to hear the latest political jokes?" Harding replied, "You don't have to, Will. I appointed them."
- Died in the Arctic crash of a plane piloted by the world-renowned, one-eyed pioneer aviator, Wiley Post (in which Post died as well).
- Was portrayed by his son, Will Rogers Jr., in the movie, The Story of Will Rogers (1952).
- He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 6608 Hollywood Boulevard and for Motion Pictures at 6401 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
- It's a good thing we don't get all the government we pay for.
- There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education.
- I love a dog. He does nothing for political reasons.
- No man can be condemned for owning a dog. As long as he has a dog, he has a friend; and the poorer he gets, the better friend he has.
- Being a hero is about the shortest-lived profession on Earth.
- Le fils de l'oncle Sam chez nos aïeux (1931) - $150,000
- Lightnin' (1930) - $150,000
- So This Is London (1931) - $150,000
- Ils voulaient voir Paris (1929) - $150,000
- L'honneur de Bill (1919) - $150 /week
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