Will Rogers
Will Rogers (November 4, 1879 - August 15, 1935) was an American humorist and entertainer. Born in Indian Territory (he was part Cherokee) in what would later become the state of Oklahoma, he grew up as a cowboy, with a special knack for rodeo tricks, including bare-back horse riding and rope twirling.
Rogers moved to Hollywood in 1934, and his career in acting immediately took off. He starred in silent and later sound films. At the same time, he also began writing a popular syndicated column called "Will Rogers Says." In it, he expressed his disappointment with big government and the effect it had on the nation, particularly during the Depression era. His wit was often caustic: as he explained, "There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you." Nevertheless, he identified with the Democratic Party, saying "I don't belong to any organized party. I'm a Democrat," and was a vocal supporter of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At one point, he was even asked to run for governor of Oklahoma, the party hoping to benefit from his immense popularity.
Will Rogers's career was cut short, when he and Wiley Post died in a plane crash near Barrow, Alaska on August 15th, 1935. In 1944 his body was moved from a holding vault in California to the grounds of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma. Later in 1944, Mrs. Rogers was interred beside him.
Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma was named after him.
