The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-08-19

keep alive Il inOuSdnu anu one
private charities about which
few, except those directly con-
cerned, ever heard.
Associate and friend Of Presidents
and princes. able to hold his own
with the keenest minds OF his day.
ne vas Just as ready 10 "chsw the
fat" with bunch Of uneducated
COWBOYS or swap wisecracks with
s5-a-dsv extras.
HIS good humor tipped with the
sharp barb Of satire when occasion
warranted. was Unborn and not
pose.
He Frowned at the Mr."
The only time he ever frowned
was when some one persisted in
addressing him as Mister Rogers.
All who ever came in contact with
him naturally thought Of him as
VIII or Bill" and called him
that
No one could hope for a more sin
Cere tribute Al his death than that
spontaneous reaction CO millions
when The first news of his tragic
passing Sputtered out of the Arctic
over the wireless.
A president. haraSsed by the
cares OF a nation. world-famOuS
figures whose names are known 10
every one who reads. wOrkmen AT
their factory benches. humble Ia
borer7 engaged in tasks commonly
regarded as mental. recOiled from
the shock of the news in stunned
disbelief
My Cod II can't be truel rs
impossible"
\ Friend Of EvcrvbOdy'S
VIII Rogers was the sort Of q man
whom every one he met regarded
rs friend. and he was II would
take 1000 pages to record his many
klndnesSeS not only 10 his intimateS
but 10 multitude he never knew.
He reserved his keenest shafts of
devastating wit for the stuffed shirts
of the world and even those were
delivered with such sly good humOr
that his victims grinned and loved
him.
Many valued his lampOOning and
the story is recalled of A Senator
who was bit peeved with Bill be-
cause ne hadn't put him "On the
IN, l,o
Senator William s. Borah.
IF you'd do as much for me as
YOU did for Bill Borah I'd be IA
nous" the Senator walled
mo Malice in My Heart"
II was a peculiar quality Will had
He could say things about the high
and mighty that no one else would
scarcely dare TO think without the
slightest feeling Of rancor or ill-will
resulting.
A short time before he started on
his tragic vacation he was discuss
Ing that very thing with George
Bagnall. close studio associate.
I've kidded Coolidge and Hard
ing and Hoover and Roosevelt" he
said. and I'll kid any President of
the United States. They let me
get away with it. George It's be
cause there amt no malice in my
heart. and every one knows it,"
Although Will continually ScofTed
when people commented on his act
ing ability. the fact remains that
he was the top man of all screen
PLAYERS in HOLLYWOOD
Easily No. 2 Star
Il Amt smart enough 10 act" he
used 10 grin. If they can find
role that's SOrta like me. I'm Okav."
asst wear 1000 theater owners all
over the country. voting entirely
from a box Office angle on the
amount Of money brought in by in
dividusl players. Overwhelmingly
ranked Will IS public favOrite No. l.
His first talking picture. They
Had 70 See Paris was released in
September. 1929. and since that
time there have been eighteen more
Rogers productions shown through
out the world. None of them brought
in less than 100000 and many
much more than that. and it is eSti-
mated that in the SIX years he has
been active on the talking screen he
earned his company no less than
$4,000 900.
He Kissed En-
This Is a far greater sum than all
the Carlos and Shearers and Har-
lows and other queens of the screen
combined have ever brought in.
proving that home spun virtues and
homely comedy have a very tangible
market after all
In his many pictures. VIII never
kissed any Of his numerous screen
wives. except for an Occa SiOnal peck
on the cheek He StesdfaStly re-
fused TO go into a clinch" saying
L never kissed nobody but Betty
Blake in nv life. and I amt goln
TO start now" Betty Blake, Of
course. Is Mrs Rogers.
VIII was fond Of calling himself
an ambaSSador-at- large. and wrote
numerous magazine and newspaper
articles about his amusing expert
ences in various parts Of the world
While he always cloaked his OBJ
servatlons and Shrewd comments
under q sugar-coating Of humor.
= there Is ample evidence that his
ideas received serious consideration
IN the chancellorles Of the world.
Even Family in Dark
HIS humanitarian Is we'll known
no person in our lifetime has
given so Literally Of his time and