# Will Rogers Jr.

William Vann Rogers (October 20, 1911 – July 9, 1993), generally known as Will Rogers Jr., was an American politician, writer, and newspaper publisher. He was the eldest son of humorist Will Rogers (1879–1935) and Betty Blake Rogers (1879–1944). He was a Democratic U. S. Representative from California from January 3, 1943, until May 23, 1944, when he resigned to return to the United States Army.

## Early life and military service

Rogers was born in New York City, where his father was performing. He grew up in Los Angeles, and attended school there. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1935. On completing his studies, he served as publisher of the Beverly Hills Citizen newspaper, a role in which he continued until 1953. He had been commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, but did not go on active duty. With U.S. entry into World War II, however, he enlisted as a private in June 1942, and was commissioned in the field artillery the following month and assigned to the 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion.

## Congress and return to active duty

While on active duty, Rogers was elected to the House of Representatives from California, and was sworn into office on January 3, 1943. He served in the 78th Congress. He did not complete his term, however, returning to active duty in the Army after resigning from Congress on May 23, 1944.
As part of his confidential 1943 report for the British government about the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Office analyst Isaiah Berlin described Rogers’s political leanings and his prospective post-war positions regarding world order and, more specifically, the British Empire:
   A new-comer to the House. Son of a very celebrated father. A sincere and somewhat impassioned young man who believes strongly in the Wallace type of internationalism and in cooperation with the United Nations. A trifle callow and politically inexperienced, he will undoubtedly be a vigorous and enthusiastic champion of all-out post-war co-operation with the United Nations. His fervent adherence to the liberal ideals of the "New Republic" may tend to make him critical of the British Empire.
After his resignation, Rogers was assigned to the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion and served in the European campaign in George Patton's Third United States Army. Rogers was wounded in action and also received a Bronze Star. He was released from active duty on March 1, 1946.

## Postwar politics

Rogers ran for the Senate seat in California in 1946, challenging William Knowland, who had been appointed by Governor Earl Warren in August of the previous year to fill in the seat after the death of Hiram Johnson. California held two elections involving the seat: a special election (with blank ballots) for filling out the remainder of Johnson's term (to 1947) and a full six-year term. Knowland won the special election handily over Rogers among an array of other write-ins and won a full term in the general election by over 200,000 votes.
After this, Rogers Jr. managed the Southern California presidential campaign for Harry S. Truman in 1948. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1948, 1952, and 1956. He participated in government service, serving as a member of the California State Parks Commission (1958–1962, chairman 1960–1962). Proud of his Cherokee heritage, he served as a special assistant to the Commission on Indian Affairs during the Johnson administration from 1967 to 1969.

## Acting

Rogers had a minor career as an actor and was most noted for playing his father (whom he closely resembled), particularly in The Story of Will Rogers (1952) and The Eddie Cantor Story (1953). As a character actor he starred in The Boy from Oklahoma, a 1954 Western film directed by Michael Curtiz (the basis for the 1957 television series Sugarfoot). He appeared in Wild Heritage (1958) as a judge, and also appeared frequently in the 1950s television anthology series Schlitz Playhouse of Stars.
During the 1953-54 season he starred in Rogers of the Gazette for CBS Radio, as the owner of a small-town newspaper. Also for one season, in 1956, he hosted the weekday-morning (7:00 a.m.) Good Morning show on CBS Television but was replaced by Jimmy Dean. He was one of several actors as well to host syndicated reruns of the television anthology series Death Valley Days, with the episodes he hosted airing under the title The Pioneers.

## Later years and death

In 1982 he recorded narration for The American Adventure at Disney's Epcot in Florida.
Rogers retired to his ranch at Tubac, Arizona. In poor health after suffering several strokes, having heart problems, and having had hip replacements, Rogers died by suicide in 1993 at the age of 81. His body was found in his car near the ranch with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was buried next to his wife in the Tubac Cemetery. Rogers was survived by his two sons, Clem Adair Rogers and Carl Connell Rogers and his brother, James Rogers.

## Electoral history

United States House of Representatives elections, 1942 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Will Rogers Jr. | 61,437 | 53.7 |
| | Republican | Leland M. Ford (incumbent) | 52,023 | 45.4 |
| | Communist | Allen L. Ryan | 1,043 | 0.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 114,503 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### Results

1946 U.S. Senate special election in California :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Write-in | William F. Knowland (inc.) | 425,273 | 74.31% |
| | Write-in | Will Rogers Jr. | 90,723 | 15.85% |
| | Write-in | George H. McLain | 17,883 | 3.13% |
| | Write-in | Ellis E. Patterson | 3,889 | 0.68% |
| | Write-in | Douglas Corrigan | 2,464 | 0.43% |
| | Write-in | Vic Paulsen | 1,616 | 0.28% |
| | Write-in | Moody Staten | 1,494 | 0.26% |
| | Write-in | Hartley F. Peart | 1,383 | 0.24% |
| | Write-in | George C. Highley | 1,268 | 0.22% |
| | Write-in | James Moran | 918 | 0.16% |
| | Write-in | Ben Rinaldo | 765 | 0.13% |
| | Write-in | Aubrey D. Lewis | 519 | 0.09% |
| | Write-in | Frank Merriam | 507 | 0.09% |
| | Write-in | All others | 23,619 | 4.13% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 572,321 | 100.00% |
General election results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William F. Knowland (inc.) | 1,428,067 | 54.10% |
| | Democratic | Will Rogers Jr. | 1,167,161 | 44.22% |
| | Prohibition | Douglas Corrigan | 42,683 | 1.62% |
| | Socialist Labor | Herbert Steiner (write-in) | 156 | 0.01% |
| | Write-in | All others | 1,398 | 0.05% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,639,465 | 100.00% |