Will Rogers
Who Will Rogers is
Will Rogers was a Cherokee vaudeville performer, actor and humorous social commentator from the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, who moved from trick roping to topical monologues on the day's news. He was a featured star of the Ziegfeld Follies from 1916 to 1925, made 71 films, wrote more than 4,000 syndicated newspaper columns and broadcast weekly on radio for Gulf Oil, and by the mid-1930s was hugely popular across the United States. He died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post when their plane crashed in northern Alaska.
At a glance
- Born
- 1879
- Died
- 1935
- Style
- Topical monologue
- Podcasts
- Rogers-isms: The Cowboy Philosopher on the Peace Conference, Illiterate Digest, Letters of a Self-Made Diplomat to His President and 1 more
- On screen
- Ziegfeld Follies, The Gulf Headliners, State Fair and 9 more
Specials, shows and podcasts
On screen
- Ziegfeld Follies Broadway revue, featured star, 1916–1925
- The Gulf Headliners radio host, 1929–1935
- State Fair Abel Frake, 1933
- Judge Priest Judge Priest, 1934
- Steamboat Round the Bend Doctor John Pearly, 1935
- Doctor Bull Dr. George "Doc" Bull, 1933
- Life Begins at 40 Kenesaw H. Clark, 1935
- In Old Kentucky Steve Tapley, 1935
- A Connecticut Yankee Hank Martin, 1931
- They Had to See Paris Pike Peters, 1929
- David Harum David Harum, 1934
- The Headless Horseman Ichabod Crane, 1922
Podcasts
- Rogers-isms: The Cowboy Philosopher on the Peace Conference book, 1919
- Illiterate Digest book, 1924
- Letters of a Self-Made Diplomat to His President book, 1926
- There's Not A Bathing Suit in Russia book, 1927
Comedians like Will Rogers
Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.
- W. C. Fields also in Ziegfeld Follies
Career timeline
- 1916Ziegfeld Follies (Broadway revue, featured star, 1916–1925) On screen
- 1919Rogers-isms: The Cowboy Philosopher on the Peace Conference (book, 1919) Book
- 1922The Headless Horseman (Ichabod Crane, 1922) On screen
- 1924Illiterate Digest (book, 1924) Book
- 1926Letters of a Self-Made Diplomat to His President (book, 1926) Book
- 1927There's Not A Bathing Suit in Russia (book, 1927) Book
- 1929The Gulf Headliners (radio host, 1929–1935) On screen
- 1929They Had to See Paris (Pike Peters, 1929) On screen
- 1931A Connecticut Yankee (Hank Martin, 1931) On screen
- 1933State Fair (Abel Frake, 1933) On screen
- 1933Doctor Bull (Dr. George "Doc" Bull, 1933) On screen
- 1934Judge Priest (Judge Priest, 1934) On screen
- 1934David Harum (David Harum, 1934) On screen
- 1935Steamboat Round the Bend (Doctor John Pearly, 1935) On screen
- 1935Life Begins at 40 (Kenesaw H. Clark, 1935) On screen
- 1935In Old Kentucky (Steve Tapley, 1935) On screen
- 1935Died
Questions about Will Rogers
What podcast does Will Rogers host?
Rogers-isms: The Cowboy Philosopher on the Peace Conference, Illiterate Digest, Letters of a Self-Made Diplomat to His President and There's Not A Bathing Suit in Russia.
What TV shows and films are they in?
Ziegfeld Follies, The Gulf Headliners, State Fair, Judge Priest, Steamboat Round the Bend and Doctor Bull, among 12 credits.
Who are some comedians like them?
W. C. Fields (also in Ziegfeld Follies).
The full SUCDb record
The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with their place on the Legends ballots.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Will Rogers ↗ Birth and death years, Cherokee Nation, vaudeville and trick roping, Ziegfeld Follies, 71 films, 4,000+ columns, Gulf Oil radio show, books, death with Wiley…
Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 27 September 2026