Skip to content
MovieCove
Will Rogers

Will Rogers

Actor · Died August 15, 1935, aged 55 · Oologah, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma)

William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer and actor and one of the best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s. Known as Oklahoma's favorite son, Rogers was born to a prominent Cherokee Nation family in Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma). He traveled around the world three times, made 71 movies (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), wrote more than 4,000 nationally-syndicated newspaper columns, and became a world-famous figure. By the mid-1930s, Rogers was adored by the American people. He was the leading political wit of the Progressive Era, and was the top-paid Hollywood movie star at the time. Rogers died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post, when their small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska. His vaudeville rope act led to success in the Ziegfeld Follies, which in turn led to the first of his many movie contracts. His 1920s syndicated newspaper column and his radio appearances increased his visibility and popularity. Rogers crusaded for aviation expansion, and provided Americans with first-hand accounts of his world travels. His earthy anecdotes and folksy style allowed him to poke fun at gangsters, prohibition, politicians, government programs, and a host of other controversial topics in a way that was readily appreciated by a national audience, with no one offended. His short aphorisms, couched in humorous terms, were widely quoted: "I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat." Rogers even provided an epigram on his most famous epigram:     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 dident like." I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved. Description above from the Wikipedia article Will Rogers, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 3, 1879
Died
August 15, 1935 (aged 55)
From
Oologah, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma)
Works as
Actor
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 58 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 35% in 30 days

What are Will Rogers' films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
34%
Bonds
27%
Morality
18%
Power
13%
Self
5%
Survival
3%
Family bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 6 · Charged 4 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 6 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 9 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

9 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 9 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 9
Mentor
3 of 9
Show the 9 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
7
Joyful
6
Romantic
2
Tense
3
Contemplative
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy9
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Will Rogers' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Will Rogers' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

58 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Parrott Chase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as (archive footage) (uncredited)

  • Going Hollywood: The '30s(1984)

    as (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Golden Age of Comedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as archive footage

  • If I Forget You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Will Rogers (uncredited/archive footage)

  • In Old Kentucky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Steve Tapley

  • Steamboat Round the Bend(1935)

    as Doctor John Pearly

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Doubting Thomas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Thomas Brown

  • Life Begins at 40(1935)

    as Keneshaw H. Clark

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The County Chairman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Jim Hackler

  • Judge Priest(1934)

    as Judge William Pitman 'Billy' Priest

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Handy Andy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Andrew Yates

  • Stand Up and Cheer!(1934)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • David Harum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as David Harum

  • Mr. Skitch(1933)

    as Ira Skitch

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Doctor Bull(1933)

    as Dr. George 'Doc' Bull

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • State Fair(1933)

    as Abel Frake

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Too Busy to Work (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Jubilo

  • Down To Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Pike Peters

  • Business and Pleasure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Earl Tinker

  • Ambassador Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Bill Harper

  • Young as You Feel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    as Lemuel Morehouse

  • A Connecticut Yankee(1931)

    as Hank Martin

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Lightnin' (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Lightnin' Bill Jones

  • So This Is London (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    as Hiram Draper

  • They Had to See Paris(1929)

    Additional Dialogue · as Pike Peters

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Happy Days(1929)

    as Minstrel Show Performer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Exploring England with Will Rogers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Actor

  • A Texas Steer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Writer · as Cattle Brander

  • Winging Around Europe with Will Rogers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director · Writer · as Himself

  • Tiptoes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    as Uncle Hen Kaye

  • A Truthful Liar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Ambassador Alfalfa Doolittle

  • Jubilo, Jr. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Jubilo / Himself

  • Don't Park There (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Jubilo

  • Going to Congress (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as Alfalfa Doolittle

  • Big Moments from Little Pictures (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Actor

  • The Cake Eater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Actor

  • The Cowboy Sheik (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    as 'Two Straw' Bill

  • Two Wagons Both Covered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Writer · as Bill Bunian / Joe Jackson

  • Uncensored Movies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Lem Skagwillow

  • Hustlin' Hank (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Hank

  • Jus' Passin' Through (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Jubilo

  • Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    as Will Rogers

  • The Headless Horseman(1922)

    as Ichabod crane

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Ropin' Fool (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Producer · Writer · as 'Ropes' Reilly

  • One Glorious Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    as Professor Ezra Botts

  • A Poor Relation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Noah Vale

  • Doubling for Romeo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Writer · as Sam Cody / Romeo

  • Boys Will Be Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Peep O'Day

  • An Unwilling Hero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Dick

  • Guile of Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    as Hjalmar Maartens

  • Honest Hutch (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Hutch

  • Cupid the Cowpuncher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Alec Lloyd

  • Jes' Call Me Jim (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Jim Fenton

  • The Strange Boarder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Sam Gardner

  • Water, Water, Everywhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    as Billy Fortune

  • Jubilo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Jubilo

  • Almost a Husband (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    as Sam Lyman

  • Laughing Bill Hyde (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    as Bill Hyde

Career shape

Star power in the 73rd percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 58 titles from 1918 to 2009.

Highest rated

Steamboat Round the Bend (1935)

Midcredits 79th

Most popular right now

Life Begins at 40 (1935)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting56 of 58: 51 only acting, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rdDirecting1 of 58: 0 only directing, 1 with another roleWriting6 of 58: 1 only writing, 5 with another roleProducing1 of 58: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 58: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

58 titles, 6 with more than one role — acting and writing overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

1910s3 · acting1920s31 · 30 acting · 6 crew1930s20 · 19 acting · 1 crew1940s1 · acting1950s1 · acting1980s1 · acting2000s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Will Rogers' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

28thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 12 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

Happy Days (1929)

76th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Steamboat Round the Bend (1935)

Midcredits 79th · 65% liked

Reviewers score the acting 66/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 76, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Will Rogers work with?

People who share at least 2 of Will Rogers' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Rochelle Hudson shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles