Will Rogers Jr.

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Will Rogers Jr.

|image = Will Rogers, Jr.JPG

|state = California

|district = {{ushr|CA|16|16th}}

|term_start = January 3, 1943

|term_end = May 23, 1944

|predecessor = Leland M. Ford

|successor = Ellis E. Patterson

|birth_name = William Vann Rogers

|birth_date = {{birth date|1911|10|20}}

|birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|1993|07|09|1911|10|20}}

|death_place = Tubac, Arizona, U.S.

|party = Democratic

|spouse = {{marriage|Collier Connell|1941}}

|children = 2

|father = Will Rogers

|relatives = Jimmy Rogers (brother)

|education = Stanford University (BA)

|allegiance = {{flag|United States|1912}}

|branch = {{army|United States}}

|serviceyears = 1942–1946

|unit = 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion
814th Tank Destroyer Battalion

|battles = World War II

|mawards = File:Bronze Star Medal ribbon.svg Bronze Star

}}

William Vann Rogers (October 20, 1911 – July 9, 1993), generally known as Will Rogers Jr., was an American politician, writer, and newspaper publisher. He was the eldest son of humorist Will Rogers (1879–1935) and Betty Blake Rogers (1879–1944). He was a Democratic U. S. Representative from California from January 3, 1943, until May 23, 1944, when he resigned to return to the United States Army.

Early life and military service

File:Will Rogers, Jr. showing lasso tricks at Alaska Methodist University.jpg during the 1967–1968 academic year, showing attendees his skill with a lasso.]]

Rogers was born in New York City, where his father was performing. He grew up in Los Angeles, and attended school there. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1935. On completing his studies, he served as publisher of the Beverly Hills Citizen newspaper, a role in which he continued until 1953. He had been commissioned a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, but did not go on active duty. With U.S. entry into World War II, however, he enlisted as a private in June 1942, and was commissioned in the field artillery the following month and assigned to the 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion.

Congress and return to active duty

While on active duty, Rogers was elected to the House of Representatives from California, and was sworn into office on January 3, 1943. He served in the 78th Congress. He did not complete his term, however, returning to active duty in the Army after resigning from Congress on May 23, 1944.{{ cite web | url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=R000406| title= Rogers, William Vann, Jr.| publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress | access-date=October 27, 2013}}

As part of his confidential 1943 report for the British government about the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Foreign Office analyst Isaiah Berlin described Rogers’s political leanings and his prospective post-war positions regarding world order and, more specifically, the British Empire:

A new-comer to the House. Son of a very celebrated father. A sincere and somewhat impassioned young man who believes strongly in the Wallace type of internationalism and in cooperation with the United Nations. A trifle callow and politically inexperienced, he will undoubtedly be a vigorous and enthusiastic champion of all-out post-war co-operation with the United Nations. His fervent adherence to the liberal ideals of the "New Republic" may tend to make him critical of the British Empire.{{cite journal | url=http://berlin.wolf.ox.ac.uk/published_works/singles/bib139a/bib139a.pdf | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131021185357/http://berlin.wolf.ox.ac.uk/published_works/singles/bib139a/bib139a.pdf | archive-date=October 21, 2013 | title=American Profiles on Capitol Hill: A Confidential Study for the British Foreign Office in 1943 | author=Hachey, Thomas E. | journal=Wisconsin Magazine of History |date=Winter 1973–1974 | volume=57 | issue=2 | pages=141–153 | jstor=4634869}}

After his resignation, Rogers was assigned to the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion and served in the European campaign in George Patton's Third United States Army. Rogers was wounded in action and also received a Bronze Star. He was released from active duty on March 1, 1946.

Postwar politics

Rogers ran for the Senate seat in California in 1946, challenging William Knowland, who had been appointed by Governor Earl Warren in August of the previous year to fill in the seat after the death of Hiram Johnson. California held two elections involving the seat: a special election (with blank ballots) for filling out the remainder of Johnson's term (to 1947) and a full six-year term. Knowland won the special election handily over Rogers among an array of other write-ins and won a full term in the general election by over 200,000 votes.

After this, Rogers Jr. managed the Southern California presidential campaign for Harry S. Truman in 1948. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1948, 1952, and 1956. He participated in government service, serving as a member of the California State Parks Commission (1958–1962, chairman 1960–1962). Proud of his Cherokee heritage, he served as a special assistant to the Commission on Indian Affairs during the Johnson administration from 1967 to 1969.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-04 |title=WILL ROGERS JR., 81, DIES |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1993/07/11/will-rogers-jr-81-dies/3c7bb6e0-e795-4577-83d8-c48162f66f6a/ |access-date=2024-06-13 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |last=Nazario |first=Sonia |date=1993-07-11 |title=Ailing Will Rogers Jr., 81, Commits Suicide : Obituary: Actor, journalist and former congressman worked to ensure his famous father's legacy. He had suffered two strokes and recently undergone hip implant surgery. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-07-11-me-12271-story.html |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Acting

Rogers had a minor career as an actor and was most noted for playing his father (whom he closely resembled), particularly in The Story of Will Rogers (1952) and The Eddie Cantor Story (1953). As a character actor he starred in The Boy from Oklahoma, a 1954 Western film directed by Michael Curtiz (the basis for the 1957 television series Sugarfoot). He appeared in Wild Heritage (1958) as a judge, and also appeared frequently in the 1950s television anthology series Schlitz Playhouse of Stars.

During the 1953-54 season he starred in Rogers of the Gazette for CBS Radio, as the owner of a small-town newspaper.{{cite news| last1=Kirby| first1=Walter| title=Better Radio Programs for the Week| newspaper=The Decatur Daily Review| url= https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2750370/the_decatur_daily_review/| agency=The Decatur Daily Review| date=July 5, 1953|page=40|via = Newspapers.com|access-date = July 5, 2015}} {{Open access}} Also for one season, in 1956, he hosted the weekday-morning (7:00 a.m.) Good Morning show on CBS TelevisionRoss Reports on Television, Dec. 16, 1956, p. D. but was replaced by Jimmy Dean. He was one of several actors as well to host syndicated reruns of the television anthology series Death Valley Days, with the episodes he hosted airing under the title The Pioneers.

Later years and death

In 1982 he recorded narration for The American Adventure at Disney's Epcot in Florida.

Rogers retired to his ranch at Tubac, Arizona. In poor health after suffering several strokes, having heart problems, and having had hip replacements, Rogers died by suicide in 1993 at the age of 81. His body was found in his car near the ranch with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was buried next to his wife in the Tubac Cemetery. Rogers was survived by his two sons, Clem Adair Rogers and Carl Connell Rogers and his brother, James Rogers.{{ cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/11/obituaries/will-rogers-jr-humorist-s-son-soldier-politician-and-actor-81.html | title= Will Rogers Jr., Humorist's Son, Soldier, Politician and Actor, 81| work=New York Times | date=July 11, 1993 | access-date=October 27, 2013 }}Nazario, Sonia (1993). [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-07-11-me-12271-story.html “Ailing Will Rogers Jr., 81, Commits Suicide : Obituary: Actor, journalist and former congressman worked to ensure his famous father's legacy. He had suffered two strokes and recently undergone hip implant surgery”], archives of the Los Angeles Times, July 11, 1993. Retrieved October 27, 2013.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change | title= United States House of Representatives elections, 1942[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1942election.pdf 1942 election results]}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Will Rogers Jr.

|votes = 61,437

|percentage = 53.7

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Leland M. Ford (incumbent)

|votes = 52,023

|percentage = 45.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Communist Party USA

|candidate = Allen L. Ryan

|votes = 1,043

|percentage = 0.9

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 114,503

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box turnout no change|

|percentage =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link without swing|

|winner = Democratic Party (United States)

|loser = Republican Party (United States)

}}

=Results=

{{Election box begin no change

| title=1946 U.S. Senate special election in California{{cite web |title= Our Campaigns - CA US Senate Special|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=24094 |website=OurCampaigns |access-date=June 19, 2020}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = William F. Knowland (inc.)

| votes = 425,273

| percentage = 74.31%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Will Rogers Jr.

| votes = 90,723

| percentage = 15.85%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = George H. McLain

| votes = 17,883

| percentage = 3.13%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Ellis E. Patterson

| votes = 3,889

| percentage = 0.68%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Douglas Corrigan

| votes = 2,464

| percentage = 0.43%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Vic Paulsen

| votes = 1,616

| percentage = 0.28%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Moody Staten

| votes = 1,494

| percentage = 0.26%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Hartley F. Peart

| votes = 1,383

| percentage = 0.24%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = George C. Highley

| votes = 1,268

| percentage = 0.22%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = James Moran

| votes = 918

| percentage = 0.16%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Ben Rinaldo

| votes = 765

| percentage = 0.13%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Aubrey D. Lewis

| votes = 519

| percentage = 0.09%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = Frank Merriam

| votes = 507

| percentage = 0.09%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = All others

| votes = 23,619

| percentage = 4.13%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 572,321

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{Election box begin no change

| title=General election results{{cite web |title= Our Campaigns - CA US Senate|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=24093 |website=OurCampaigns |access-date=June 19, 2020}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Republican Party (United States)

| candidate = William F. Knowland (inc.)

| votes = 1,428,067

| percentage = 54.10%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Will Rogers Jr.

| votes = 1,167,161

| percentage = 44.22%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Prohibition Party (US)

| candidate = Douglas Corrigan

| votes = 42,683

| percentage = 1.62%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Socialist Labor Party (US)

| candidate = Herbert Steiner (write-in)

| votes = 156

| percentage = 0.01%

}}

{{Election box candidate no change

| party = Write-in

| candidate = All others

| votes = 1,398

| percentage = 0.05%

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 2,639,465

| percentage = 100.00%

}}

References

Bibliography

{{cite book|title=Standing on the Shadow: The Will Rogers, Jr. Story|first=Lyle|last=Johnston|year=2019|publisher=Privately printed}}

External links

[http://www.historynet.com/lieutenant-will-rogers-jrs-service-in-world-war-ii.htm Rogers' World War II service at the History Net]
[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/holocaust/peopleevents/pandeAMEX105.html Profile of Rogers in the context of his efforts on behalf of Jews in World War II]
{{IMDb name|id=0736688}}
{{Congbio|R000406}}
{{Find a Grave|6683653|William Vann "Bill" Rogers}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California's 16th congressional district|years=1943–1944}}

{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from California
(Class 1)|years=1946}}

Category:1911 births

Category:1993 deaths

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:American actor-politicians

Category:United States Army personnel of World War II

Category:American male film actors

Category:American politicians who died by suicide

Category:Cherokee Nation members of the United States House of Representatives

Category:Male actors from New York (state)

Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California