Will Rogers
| Will Rogers | |
|---|---|
Will Rogers |
|
| Born | William Penn Adair Rogers November 4, 1879 Oologah, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) |
| Died | August 15, 1935 (aged 55) Point Barrow, Alaska Territory |
| Occupation | actor, comic, columnist, radio personality |
| Spouse | Betty (1908–1944) |
| Children | William Vann "Bill" Mary Amelia James Blake Fred Stone |
William Penn Adair “Will” Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was a Cherokee-American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor.
Known as Oklahoma's favorite son,[1] Rogers was born to a well off Indian Territory family and learned to ride horses and use a lariat so well that he was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for throwing three ropes at once—one around the neck of a horse, another around the horse's rider, and a third around all four legs of the horse. During his life he traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"),[2] wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns,[3] making him a world-famous figure.
By the mid-1930s, Rogers was loved by the American people, and was the highest-paid movie star in Hollywood at the time. During an around-the-world trip with piolt Wiley Post, Rogers died when their small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska Territory in 1935.
Citations[change]
- ↑ Curtis, Gene (2007-06-05). "Only in Oklahoma: Rogers statue unveiling filled U.S. Capitol". Tulsa World. http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/itemsofinterest/centennial/centennial_storypage.asp?ID=070605_1_A4_cpRog15817. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
- ↑ Rogers State University (2007-04-18). "RSU and Will Rogers Museum to Discuss Possible Merger". Press release. http://www.rsu.edu/news/2007/04-18_willrogersmuseum.html. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
- ↑ Schlachtenhaufen, Mark (2007-05-31). "Will Rogers grandson carries on tradition of family service". OkInsider.com. Oklahoma Publishing Company. http://www.okinsider.com/topic_01OF0MMAHY/readstory.oki?storyid=03K101DDQ. Retrieved 2007-07-21.