Will Rogers

Will Rogers was a famous Cherokee film star. He also starred on the radio and he was famous for writing too.

He was born November 4, 1879 near modern-day Oklahoma. He was a quarter Cherokee.

Will Rogers could never settle at school. He went to six different schools between 7 and 18 years’ old.

He learnt lots of skills on his dad’s ranch. This is where he learnt roping.

Will travelled to Argentina with a friend and ended up in a ranch in South Africa. He joined Texas Jack’s Great Wild West Show. He was known as the Cherokee kid.

He travelled as far as Australia with another circus tour.

Will Rogers spent his early life working for Wild West shows in the United States and abroad. Wild West shows were four-day long spectacles.

These shows hired Native American casts to perform tricks on horseback and demonstrate rope and shooting skills.

They were made famous by Buffalo Bill in 1887. Queen Victoria saw this show three times when it travelled to England.

Will Rogers showed off his roping skills at the Wild West show at Madison Square Garden in 1905. He performed in a theatre show on Broadway in 1912 called The Wall Street Girl.

Will Rogers was famous for his funny comments about politics on stage. Rogers was also in a show called the Ziegfeld Follies between 1916-1925.

Will Roger’s first film was called Laughing Bill Hyde in 1918. He starred in lots of silent productions and also wrote and produced many comedies himself.

Rogers wrote books and articles as well.

The first film Roger’s was in with words (talking picture) was called They Had to See Paris. This launched his career into stardom.

In 1931, he was in a famous film called A Connecticut Yankee. This was a film based upon Mark Twain’s Novel.

Will Rogers was also a very kind person who did a lot for charity. In 1929, Will Rogers opened a hospital in his home town.

He also supported those who suffered during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. He toured with the Red Cross in 1931 in support of those who suffered from droughts.