The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-08-20
Rogers Was Born Witll .BotOLegs To Fit Horse
Pictures Was Trouble to Get Passport, Because He Couldn't Show Birth Certificate
BY ROBERT BUKHARDT

l1OlIyWOOU, CAL.s fAuBs ZV-tOEl Will Rogers said he was born "bowlegged so I'd fit a horse," and 1t is fact that he owned a pony before he could walk. With the exception of when he was aboard ship, scarcely a day passed in his long and vigorous life but that he found opportunity to get into Q saddle.
 Born on his fathers cattle ranch in Indian Territory November 1, 1879, he always gave Colagh, the nearest village, as his birthplace. Expert Rider As Kid
 Before he was old enough for school, he was an expert rider and already had started to "fool around" with the lariat which was later to twirl him to the dizzy heights of worldwide fame and fortune.
 At the age of 14, competing against skilled horsemen many years his senior, he won riding | contest.
 Despite his deliberate disregard for grammar in his speech and writings, he was 8 highly educated man who knew much more than "what I read in the papers" His early education was obtained at Neosho, Mo. Later he attended the Kemper military academy at Boon- vile, Mo.
 One Funny Scene One of the funniest scenes Rog- CTS ever made in 8 picture incor- porated in "So This Is London" his second talkie, concerned his difficulties in getting a passport be- cause he couldn't produce birth certificate.
 Gan you prove you were born?" asked the passport clerk. "Well, you're lookin' at me what do you think?"
 Gan you produce any witness es?"
 Nope. You see those days, such things were sorta private. Wasn't nobody there but jest ma aad me-"
 Cowpuncher at 17. | At 17, Will became a cowpunch- CT. He and another youngster bought third class tickets to Ar gentina to seek their fortunes. But they could earn as gauchos was $4 a month and that didn't go very far toward establishing the for tune they were looking for. His pal shipped aboard frcighter for New Orleans, leaving Will strand ed in Buenos Aires. He wangled a job chaperoning a cargo of mules destined for British troops fighting the Boers.
 He wanted to fight too. But the war ended the day after he landed in Capetown. Again strand ed, he joined travelling "wild west" show and speedily became its star. His lariat spinning and fancy riding astounded the South Africans. Homestick, he left the show in England and returned to New York and thence to Okla homa.
 He Falls In Love. | About this time he met Bett, Blake and fell in love, but she hat many suitors and he was too sh. to propose. He joined anothe "wild west" show in Oklahoma an, went trouping through the south west. Later, he left the show an, went into vaudeville with his hors, and lariat.
 "I played ony tank towns, ant used to ride my horse from place to place because couldn't afford to ship 1t by train," Will recalled
 His rope spinning reached neal perfection at this time and book ing agent, seeking novelties for the 1905 horse show at Madison Square Garden, signed him. Oscar Ham merstein booked him for Hamm' erstein's roof, and he had his first taste of the "big time."
 Accepted And Married.
 Rogers took time off to return west, looked up Betty Blake and after cutting up capers on bicycle in front of her house for several days to attract her attention, final ly became bold enough to lay ser ious suit. Much to his surprise she promptly accepted and they were married on November 25, 1908.
 From that day, Mrs. Rogers took complete charge. And until the day of his departure on his last tragic flight she supervised his wardrobe and made him the sort of a home he loved-simple almost to the point of baroness in ap- pointments, but comfortable.
 Three children were born-Will, Jr., recently a student at Stanford university; Mary, who has been playing in stock preparing for the stage, and Jimmy, who attends Claremont school in California.
 Kept Family Unexploitcd
 Until very recently, when his children began to strike out in the world, Rogers always kept his family in the background and re- fused to let them be exploited Once they had proved their abil. ity to take care of themselves. he proudly sat back and let them SC ahead. '..
 "They're not the kinda kids who want to get by on anything may have done" he often said. "And I won't let anyone exploit then simply because they're my chil dren."
 Two years ago, Mary Rogers |