Will Rogers: A Reel Retrospective

Cowboy, movie star, newspaperman, radio pundit, vaudevillian, philosopher and humorist are just a few of the words that describe the multifaceted persona of American icon and renaissance man Will Rogers. "A Reel Retrospective" features original posters and lobby cards; "Timeless Quotes" with sketches by Charles Banks Wilson and storyboards covering the many talents of Will Rogers. The collection also features an 80-year-old lobby card from "Laughing Bill Hyde," Rogers' first movie, a silent film released in 1918. Another notable poster introduces "They Had to See Paris," Rogers' first movie with sound. The exhibition also includes the poster for his last film, "Steamboat 'Round the Bend" (pictured here). The quality of these posters is amazing, the colors are vivid, and they offer a fascinating view into the changes in movie poster design from the early silent film era to the Golden Age of film in the 1930s. Rogers was perhaps the most successful performer to bridge the silent and sound eras in film history — truly an American legend! The exhibit also features a video of Will Rogers classic films, "Ropin' Fool," "Beans, Bacon and Limosines," and a full length classic, "Judge Priest," which Rogers considered his best film. These can be viewed during the exhibit in our video gallery. "Will Rogers: A Reel Retrospective" serves up a vivid image of a golden era in Hollywood, when Will Rogers was the brightest light! Organized by Will Rogers Heritage, Inc., Claremore, Oklahoma.