History In Ink®  Historical Autographs


1431429

Will Rogers

Scroll down to see the image of the item below the description

Nice signature of the beloved cowboy humorist

William Penn Adair Rogers, 18791935.  American cowboy humorist and philosopher.  Signature, Will Rogers, on a 2" x 3 card.

A native of the Indian Territory, now Oklahoma, Rogers became the most popular and beloved man in America in the early 20th Century.

Rogers began his career as a rope exhibitionist.  He learned his roping skills while tending cattle at a young age on the family ranch.  He was so good, in fact, that the Guiness Book of World Records named him for throwing three lassos at once—one around the horses neck, another around the rider, and the third under the horse and around all four of its legs.  After dropping out of school in the 10th grade, he performed rope tricks while touring with a Wild West show, a circus, and vaudeville shows, including the Ziegfield Follies, both in the United States and internationally.

But as good as his roping was, Rogers delighted audiences even more with his humorous, down-home wise cracks and homespun observations about people, life, and politics.  To Rogers, politics was “the best show in the world,” and Congress was the “national joke factory."  He became recognized as a well-informed and smart philosophertelling the truth in simple words that everyone could understand.

Rogers began his Broadway career with The Wall Street Girl (1916).  But his career took off with the advent of film.  He starred in Laughing Bill Hyde (1918), captured his roping skills in slow motion in The Ropin Fool (1921), and overall starred in 50 silent films.  His popularity skyrocketed when movies added sound, and he starred in 21 talking films, including They Had to See Paris (1929), State Fair and Doctor Bull (1933), Judge Priest (1934), and Steamboat Round the Bend (1935).  He was named the most popular male actor in Hollywood in 1934.

In addition, Rogers wrote six books, including the best-selling The Cowboy Philosopher on Prohibition (1919), Theres Not A Bathing Suit In Russia (1927), and Wit and Philosophy From the Radio Talks of Americas Humorist (1930).  He also penned some 4,000 syndicated columns for The Saturday Evening Post and newspapers around the country and became a prominent radio broadcaster and political commentator.  H. L. Mencken called him “the most dangerous writer alive,” Damon Runyan called him “America's most complete document,” and President Franklin D. Roosevelt said that he brought Americans “back to a sense of proportion."

In 1935, Rogers flew to Alaska with aviator Wiley Post.  On August 15, 1935, their plane crashed near Point Barrow, Alaska, and both of them were killed.  Rogers was 55.

Rogers has penned this signature in black fountain pen.  There is a bit of ink scuffing above the "g" in “Rogers,” and the corners, particularly the lower right, show evidence of prior mounting.  There is a large stamped black ink “W" on the back that does not show through.  Overall the piece is in fine condition and suitable for framing.

Unframed.  Click here for information about custom framing this piece.

This item has been sold.

Click here to see more American History items.

   

 

 

 

home  |  presidents  |  supreme court  |  american history  |  world history  |  contact us

     

© History In Ink, L.L.C.

           

 

 

 Registered Dealer # RD281