| William Penn Adair Rogers is born on his father’s ranch near Oologah, Indian Territory. |
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| Begins work as a cowboy on a ranch in Higgins, Texas. |
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| In December, joins Texas Jack’s American Circus and Wild West Show In South Africa as a bronco rider and lasso thrower. Billed as the “Cherokee Kid.” |
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| Joins Colonel Zach Mulhall’s Wild West Show as a fancy roper at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. In October, plays in a vaudeville bill at the Cleveland Theatre in Chicago. |
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| Receives considerable publicity for helping to rope a runaway bull that had run into stands at the Horse Fair in New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Buck McKee becomes his partner, riding Will’s horse on stage. |
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| Will marries Betty Blake in Arkansas on November 25. They will have four children. Three of them survive to adulthood. |
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| Will takes his first airplane flight in Atlantic City. |
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| He gives his first presidential performance to Woodrow Wilson in May. In July, Will joins the Ziegfeld Follies as a comedian and emcee. |
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| Will makes his first motion picture, Laughing Bill Hyde. |
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| Moves the family to California to start a silent film contract with Goldwyn Studio. |
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| He stars in and produces his own motion pictures, as well as begins a series of syndicated weekly articles for the McNaught Syndicate. |
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| Travels all over United States on a lecture tour. |
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| Elected honorary mayor of Beverly Hills, California. |
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| Will makes his first sound picture for Fox Film Corporation. He will star in 21 films for them from 1929-1935. |
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| Does a series of radio broadcasts for E. R. Squibb and Sons. |
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| Travels to Nicaragua to benefit earthquake and fire victims and London to observe disarmament conference. |
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| Will Rogers is the highest paid film star in Hollywood. His famous talks on the Gulf Oil radio broadcasts reach millions of listeners. Will and Betty celebrate their silver anniversary. |
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| August 15, Will Rogers is killed with his friend Wiley Post in an airplane crash near Point Barrow, Alaska. |
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“When I die my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read, ‘I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I didn’t like.’ I am proud of that I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved. “And when you come to my grave you will probably find me sitting there proudly reading it.” |
