The Story of Will Rogers 1952

In the early 1900s, Will Rogers returns to his Oklahoma hometown after two years of drifting. He reconnects with his family and falls in love with Betty Blake, Jane Wyman — a friend of his sister — but he’s reluctant to settle on the ranch, preferring to meet people, perform rope tricks, and swap stories. This easygoing attitude strains his relationship with his father, Senator Clem Rogers, Carl Benton Reid.

Will joins a Wild West show and travels the world, then reunites with Betty at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and proposes. After their wedding, they blend their honeymoon with one of Will’s rodeo tours, which ends in New York’s Madison Square Garden. He becomes a hero when a dangerous bull breaks loose during a performance and he lassos it. The sensational newspaper coverage draws the attention of Bert Lynn, James Gleason, who runs a talent agency. He convinces the reluctant Rogers to try vaudeville, but the audience isn’t enamored with his rodeo act at first.

After six months of unemployment and with a baby on the way, Will takes the stage as a last-minute replacement and is forced to perform solo, without his horse. When rope tricks flop, he turns to talking to the audience; his down-home, folksy chatter resonates, and he becomes a hit. This success earns him a place in the Ziegfeld Follies, where he becomes one of its star attractions. He adds political commentary to his act and earns fame as a “cowboy philosopher,” known for witty quips about politicians and the issues of the day.

Later he moves to Hollywood to work in films and befriends aviator Wiley Post, Noah Beery Jr.. He becomes a strong proponent of aviation and goes on a European tour, meeting and amusing heads of state.

During the Great Depression, he works long hours flying across the country to perform benefit shows, lifting spirits and raising funds for the poor. At the 1932 Democratic National Convention, he is nominated as a presidential candidate as a “favorite son.”

Finally, Will and Wiley take off for Alaska. Will waves goodbye to Betty one last time as their plane circles back over the airfield. In a tragic ending, both men are killed in an airplane crash in Alaska, leaving behind a legacy built on humor, courage, and a public service spirit.