Imperial Valley press., 1935-08-16
WILL ROGERS LIFE REACHED
HEIGHTS FROM HUMBLE START

Cowboy, actor, humorist, writer,
sportsman and unofficial diplomat
were roles Will Rogers played on
his way to international promin-
ence.
Descendant of a long line of
chieftains of the Cherokee Indians,
he first came to the attention of
the American public in 1905 when
ae appeared in New York at Ham
merstein's roof.
II was a meager start but Rog-
err made the best of it and in
succeeding years increased his pop
ularity to the point where he was
considered one of the best box Of
flee screen players.
Will was born November a. 1879,
at Oolagah, Indian Territory, later
to become Oklahoma. His father,
CIem Van Rogers, was a senator of
the Cherokee nation. His mother,
Mary Schrimpsher Rogers, also had
Cherokee blood.
His family had a distinguished
tribal lineage. The Caucasian strain
came from a British officer of the
Revolution who married into the
tribe when Georgia and the South
Atlantic coast was the home of the
Cherokees.
The Rogers family was related
to the Black Coats, the Bushy-
heads, the Rattlingourds, the Lit
tie Terrapins and most of the fam
lilies of the Arkansas valley, includ-
ing Oolooteka, chief of the nation,
whose American chosen name was
John jolly.
Learned Rope Tricks
Will was educated at the Willie
Hassell school at Neosho, Mo-, and
at Kemper Military Academy,
Bonneville, Mo. Reared in the cat
tie country, it was only natural
that he should serve his appren-
ticeship on the range.
Shortly after the turn of the CEN
tury, Will went to South America
to enter the cattle business. 1t was
there he learned most of the rop-
ing tricks which started him on the
road to fame.
An American wild-west show,
playing Argentina attracted Will
and he joined it, making a tour of
South Africa before returning to
America.
Entering vaudeville, he made his
first appearance at Hammerstein's
roof in 1905, as roping cowboy.
He had not yet added his mono
logues to the act, but it was not
long before he began to joke with
the audience and comment on him
self. He was a hit and in immediate
demand throughout the country.
In 1915 he was induced to join
ziegfelds Follies where, as he often
jokingly remarked, he was the only
Christian. Wills running patter at
this time was made up principally
of comments on the days news.
Ziegfeld, Rogers told his friends,
often strobe up and down the
wings wringing his hands in fear
Will would "insult" some notable.
But Rogers usually tempered any
criticism with boost.
When Will was making $4,000 a
week in the Follies, he wrote his
father of the achievement. The old
senator thought Will had either
completely "gonl2 Broadway" or
was lying, so Will invited him east
to see the show.
The elder Rogers sat all evening
in the front row. Will, from the
wings, could see him figuring on
the back of an envelope, counting
the house." and noting the ap-
plause his son won.
well, Father, what did you think
of it?" Rogers asked.
willie" said the elderly man,
They're not paying you enough" i"
Will was with zeigfeld for four
years before entering motion pic
lures for Sam Goldwyn, His early
pictures included "Jubilo," "One
Glorious Day." Doubling For Ro-
meo," and Just Call Me jim"
He returned to the Follies for a
year in 1921, but once more an
Swered the call of the films.
One of his famous early films
was a satire on "The Covered Wa
gon," called 1.-TWO Wagons-Both
Covered" in which he played the
dual roles made famous by Ernest
Torrance and j. Warren Kerrigan.
Later he did They Had to See
Paris" "a Texas Steer" state
Fair" and Ambassador Bill
His most recent pictures were
Doctor Bull" Mister Skitch, y
Handy Andy" Doubling Tho
mas" Life Begins at Forty and
Steamboat Round the Bend
Helped Fred Stone
During the 1920s he made fire.
quent world tours, returning with
inimitable travelogues of his ad-
ventures. He was welcomed alike
in palaces and slums, for his hui
NOR by this time, had become
world-famous. He was on friendly