The Papers of Will Rogers: The final years, August 1928-August 1935

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University of Oklahoma Press, 2006 M10 31 - 683 pages

This fifth and final volume of The Papers of Will Rogers traces the career of Oklahoma’s beloved entertainer during his most popular years and extends beyond his death in 1935.

By 1928, the Oklahoma humorist and commentator had reached national prominence through his newspaper columns, silent films, sound recordings, books, philanthropic endeavors, and lecture tours. His fame, fortune, and influence, however, had yet to crest. This volume showcases a wide variety of documents, including correspondence with some of the most significant figures of the day, revealing Rogers’s rise to fame as the nation’s leading social and political commentator and as a hugely popular star of radio, stage, and film.

Rogers’s multifaceted career ended abruptly when he and the famous aviator Wylie Post died in an airplane crash in northernmost Alaska. This documentary history of his final years includes transcripts of radio broadcasts, contracts, and business documents, as well as nearly two hundred telegrams and letters to family, friends, and notable public figures—the majority of which have never before been published. It also covers the aftermath of his fatal airplane accident: the certificate of death, a first-person account of his funeral, settlement of his estate, efforts to pay tribute to his memory, and unauthorized attempts to capitalize on his fame.

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Contents

CHRONOLOGY AUGUST 1928AUGUST 1935
9
EDITORIAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES
51
Introduction
75
Oct 1928 Notes for Remarks in Three Cheers
80
Nov 1928 To Amon G Carter
90
Dec 1928 To George H Lorimer
98
Introduction
127
FROM MOTION PICTURES TO RADIO
130
March 1931 From John Barton Payne
247
Oct 1931 Telegram to O O McIntyre
266
April 1932 Notes for Remarks at Motion Picture Premiere
311
May 1932 Notes for Radio Broadcast
326
Introduction
337
June 1932 Telegram from Amon G Carter
340
July 1932 To Herbert C Hoover
350
Oct 1932 Notes for Speech
358

Oct 1929 From Hamlin Garland
136
April 1930 Notes for Speech at Dedication of Pioneer
162
May 1930 Notes for Radio Broadcast
172
May 1930 To Helen Keller
179
Introduction
191
DEPRESSION AND DROUGHT
194
Oct 1930 Letter of Agreement with Fox Film Corporation
200
Jan 1931 Itinerary Benefit Relief Tour
213
Nov 1932 To Sallie Rogers McSpadden
366
Dec 1932 Notes for Speech
381
March 1934 Notes for Remarks
477
Introduction
485
April 1934 Draft of Telegram from Eugene ONeill
489
BIBLIOGRAPHY
637
INDEX
651
Copyright

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