Will Rogers
William Penn Adair "Will" Rogers (born November 4, 1879 in Oologah , Oklahoma , † August 15, 1935 at Point Barrow , Alaska , in a plane crash) was an American comedian , actor , author and cowboy . From the late 1910s until his death, Rogers was one of America's most popular and highest paid entertainers . With his stage, radio and film appearances as well as his newspaper columns, he covered a broad artistic field and reached an audience of millions.
Life
Early life and first successes
Will Rogers was born in Oklahoma in 1879 as the youngest of eight children of Senator and Judge Clement Vann Rogers (1839-1911) and his wife Mary America Schrimsher (1838-1890). Both parents had Cherokee ancestry, making Rogers about a quarter of Indian descent. Against his father's wishes, Rogers turned to show business at an early age; he was particularly fascinated by ranches and horses. In Argentina he failed when he tried to build a ranch with a friend, after which he lived temporarily in South Africa . After his return to America, Rogers hired himself from 1902 as a lasso artist and rider in " Texas Jack 's Wild West Circus". However, they quickly separated from this group and went on tour with the "Wirth Brothers' Circus" through Australia, New Zealand, USA, Canada and Europe. From 1905 he worked in a New York vaudeville , in 1907 he had his theater debut with the musical The Girl Rangers . Rogers was also known for his extraordinary skills in lasso artistry ( roping , fancy trick roping ). He appeared in Florence in 1916 Ziegfeld's Follies show, with which he reached the temporary high point of his career.
Great success
In 1918, Rogers was hired by Samuel Goldwyn for the first time as a film actor in Hollywood. He often played under Clarence Badger , in 1920 in leading roles in three of the director's films. In the mid-1920s, he also made several films for star producer Hal Roach . Rogers' fame and popularity was also due to his intellectual agility and wit, most of which he embodied the comedic average American. A broad audience could therefore identify with him. From 1919 he worked as a book author, from 1922 he wrote very popular newspaper articles. From 1922 until his death he had a weekly, later daily column in the New York Times , in which he humorously dealt with topics such as politics and society. His aphorisms such as “I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. " . In 1928 he made headlines with the announcement that he wanted to become president. Rogers launched a fictional, humorous campaign, his only promise being to step down immediately after the election.
After a three-year film break, he made travel documentary films in Europe between 1927 and 1928 . In the early 1930s, Rogers made further extensive trips to the Orient and South America. Rogers was also busy with many reading trips within the USA.
In the early sound film era , Rogers developed into one of the most popular box office actors in Hollywood. Rogers shot several comedies , especially for 20th Century Fox, and was considered one of the highest paid movie stars in Hollywood. In his films he always played somewhat old-fashioned and rural, but kind-hearted men such as farmers, judges or doctors. Rogers played the lead role in Henry Kings Lightning (1930) and starred in the highly successful films Doctor Bull (1933), Judge Priest (1934) and Steamboat Round the Bend (1935) , directed by John Ford . He was seen in a total of 70 films until his death. In the last years of his life, Rogers was also regularly heard on the radio: his show The Gulf Headliners was one of the most popular programs, often overdrawn and then interrupted in mid-sentence at the end of his airtime. To prevent this from happening, he set an alarm clock in front of him every radio broadcast.
Death and personal life
Will Rogers was married to his wife Betty Blake (1879–1944) from 1908 until his death. They had four children, including actors Will Rogers Jr. and Mary Howard Rogers . Will Rogers had numerous hobbies, including popularizing the game of polo in Hollywood . From the mid-1920s onwards, Rogers was also interested in aviation. On August 15, 1935, Will Rogers was with his friend Wiley Post on their way from Fairbanks to Point Barrow in what is now the US state of Alaska . On the way they landed in a lagoon to ask for directions. Immediately after starting the engine failed; probably one of the tanks was empty. Both died in the crash. When his country learned of his death, all of America mourned: "The sudden death of the respected American entertainer Will Rogers led to a national mourning that has not been seen in this way since the death of Lincoln ..."
Honors
On September 6, 1937, Will Rogers was inaugurated in honor of the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun west of Colorado Springs in the Cheyenne Mountains. The Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and the Barrow , Alaska airport were named “Wiley Post-Will Rogers Memorial Airport” after him, and there is a “Will Rogers Memorial Park” in Beverly Hills. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In Pacific Palisades near Santa Monica, California, a stretch of beach was named after him: Will Rogers State Beach. A section of Interstate 44 is called Will Rogers Turnpike after him , on which is the Will Rogers Archway , the first bridge restaurant in the USA.
Because of one of his jokes, the Will Rogers phenomenon was named after him. Another of his jokes coined the term “trickle down” ( English for “trickle down ”), the name of the trickle-down theory .
filming
In 1952, the biopic The Story of Will Rogers was directed by Michael Curtiz . The title role was taken by Rogers' son Will Rogers Jr. , while Jane Wyman appeared as his wife Helen.
Filmography
- 1918: Laughing Bill Hyde
- 1919: Almost A Husband
- 1919: Jubilo
- 1919: Water, Water Everywhere
- 1920: The Strange Boarder
- 1920: Jes' Call Me Jim
- 1920: Cupid The Cowpuncher
- 1920: Honest Hutch
- 1920: Guile Of Women
- 1921: Boys Will Be Boys
- 1921: To Unwilling Hero
- 1921: Doubling For Romeo
- 1921: A Poor Relation
- 1922: The Illiterate Digest
- 1922: One Glorious Day
- 1922: The Headless Horseman
- 1922: The Ropin 'Fool
- 1922: Fruits Of Faith
- 1923: Hollywood
- 1923: Hustling Hank
- 1923: Two Wagons Both Covered
- 1923: Jes 'assin' Through
- 1923: Uncensored Movies
- 1924: The Cake Eater
- 1924: The Cowboy Sheik
- 1924: Big Moments From Little Pictures
- 1924: High Brow Stuff
- 1924: Going to Congress
- 1924: Don't Park There
- 1924: Jubilo, Jr.
- 1924: Our Congressman
- 1924: A Truthful Liar
- 1924: Gee Whiz Genevieve
- 1927: Tip Toes
- 1927: A Texas Steer
- 1927: In Dublin
- 1927: In Paris
- 1927: Hiking Through Holland
- 1927: Roaming The Emerald Isle
- 1927: Through Switzerland And Bavaria
- 1927: In London
- 1927: Hunting For Germans In Berlin
- 1927: Prowling Around France
- 1927: Winging Round Europe
- 1927: Exploring England
- 1927: Reeling Down The Rhine
- 1928: Over The Bounding Blue
- 1929: They Had To See Paris
- 1929: Happy Days
- 1930: So This Is London
- 1930: Lightnin
- 1930: Young As You Feel
- 1930: Ambassador Bill
- 1930: Business and Pleasure
- 1931: A Connecticut Yankee
- 1932: Down To Earth
- 1932: Business and Pleasure
- 1932: Too Busy To Work
- 1933: Fair Rummel (State Fair)
- 1933: Doctor Bull (Doctor Bull)
- 1933: Mr. Skitch
- 1934: David Harum
- 1934: Handy Andy
- 1934: Judge Priest
- 1935: The County Chairman
- 1935: Life Begins At Forty
- 1935: Doubting Thomas
- 1935: Full steam ahead (Steamboat Round the Bend)
- 1935: In Old Kentucky
literature
- Carl Ritter: Earned money. Memories of Otto Reutter and Will Rogers. Volksverlag, Elgg (Canton of Zurich) 1958.
- Bryan B. Sterling (Ed.): The Will Rogers Scrapbook. A Nostalgic Return to Will Rogers' America. Bonanza (Crown), New York NY 1980, ISBN 0-517-33458-5 .
- Richard D. White Jr .: Will Rogers: A Political Life. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock TX 2011, ISBN 978-0-89672-676-5 .
Web links
- Will Rogers in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Pictures by Will Rogers In: Virtual History
Individual evidence
- ↑ Press Chicago "The sudden death of renowned American entertainer Will Rogers inspired a national mourning not seen since Lincoln's death ...."
- ^ The Story of Will Rogers at the Internet Movie Database
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rogers, Will |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Rogers, William Penn Adair |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American comedian and entertainer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 4, 1879 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Oologah , Oklahoma |
| DATE OF DEATH | August 15, 1935 |
| Place of death | Point Barrow , Alaska |