Will rogers biography and quotes

(1879-1935)

Who Was Will Rogers?

After performing in Wild West shows as a young man, Will Rogers broke into vaudeville and then Broadway. His folksy wit and common sense attitude made him one of the most famous actors and authors in the world in the 1920s and '30s.

Early Life

Rogers was born on November 4, 1879, in present-day Oologah, Oklahoma — then part of Indian territory. Rogers grew up in a ranching family.

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Himself part Cherokee, Rogers socialized with both Indigenous peoples and Anglo-American settlers in the immediate area. He left Oklahoma as a teenager, eventually finding work in the traveling Wild West shows popular at the time.

Career

In 1905, Rogers began performing a lasso act on the vaudeville circuit.

His charm and humor, along with his technical ability, made Rogers a star. Audiences responded with enthusiasm to his off-the-cuff remarks delivered while performing elaborate roping tricks.

Rogers parlayed his vaudeville success into a Broadway