Jimmy Rogers (actor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jimmy Rogers
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As a child in The Strange Boarder
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| Born |
James Blake Rogers
July 25, 1915 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | April 28, 2000 (aged 84) Bakersfield, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Will Rogers Memorial, Claremore, Oklahoma |
| Other names | Jim Rogers |
| Occupation | Actor, newspaperman, rancher |
| Spouse(s) |
Astrea Kemmler
(m. 1938; died 1987)Judith Braun
(m. 1995) |
| Children | 3 |
James Blake Rogers (born July 25, 1915 – died April 28, 2000) was an American actor. He was also a horse rancher, a polo player, and worked with newspapers. Many people knew him for playing Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick in six movies. Jim Rogers also helped manage the Will Rogers Memorial and worked with the staff at the Will Rogers State Historic Park.
Growing Up
Jim Rogers was born in New York City on July 25, 1915. His parents were the famous entertainer Will Rogers and Betty Blake. He had three older siblings: Will Jr., Mary, and Fred.
He spent his early childhood in Beverly Hills, California. But in the late 1920s, his family moved to a ranch. This is where Jim learned to love working with horses. He went to Pomona College. However, he left college in 1935 after his father and pilot Wiley Post died in a plane crash.
Movie Career
When Jim was a child, he acted in four of his father's silent films. These were movies without spoken dialogue, where actors used their expressions and actions to tell the story. In these early roles, he was known as Jimmy Rogers. He used this stage name (a name used for performing) for all his movie parts.
Jim was very interested in horses. In the 1930s, he and a friend bought a ranch in Santa Barbara County. They planned to raise horses there. But in the early 1940s, the U.S. government bought their ranch. It was turned into a new army base, which later became Vandenberg Air Force Base.
Because he needed a new job, Jim went back to acting. He made three funny western movies with Noah Beery Jr. at Hal Roach Studios. After that, he starred in six Hopalong Cassidy movies with William Boyd. In these films, he played a character named Jimmy Rogers, who was a fictional version of himself.
Later Life and Work
During the later part of World War II, Jim Rogers joined the Marine Corps. He worked as a writer and a correspondent, which means he reported on events.
After the war, he and his brother Will Rogers Jr. ran a newspaper called The Beverly Hills Citizen. This newspaper was published between 1955 and 1962.
Jim also appeared in documentaries about his famous father. These included The Story of Will Rogers in 1961, which was part of a TV show called Project Twenty. It was narrated by Bob Hope. He also appeared in Will Rogers, an episode of California’s Gold in 2001. This episode aired after Jim's death.
Jim Rogers was the family's representative on the Will Rogers Memorial Commission. He also worked closely with the people at the Will Rogers State Historic Park. Michelle Lefebvre-Carter, who directed the Memorial Commission, said that Jim called his father "Dad" when talking about family. But he called him "WR" when talking about his father's public image as a famous person.
Jim owned a ranch in California. There, he trained horses and ran a riding school. He also went to western fan conventions. At these events, he would talk about his movie career and experiences.
Family Life
Jim Rogers married Astrea Kemmler on March 26, 1938. They had three children: James Kemmler Rogers, Charles Edward Rogers, and Astrea Elizabeth Rogers Brandon. His first wife, Astrea, passed away on November 19, 1987.
He later married Judith Braun on August 31, 1995. Jim Rogers died from cancer on April 28, 2000.
Movies He Was In
- 1920 Water, Water, Everywhere – a small, uncredited part
- 1920 The Strange Boarder – played Billy Gardner
- 1920 Jes' Call Me Jim – played Harry Benedict
- 1921 Doubling for Romeo – played Jimmie Jones
- 1942 Dudes Are Pretty People – played Jimmy
- 1943 Calaboose – played Jimmy
- 1943 Prairie Chickens – played Jimmy
- 1943 False Colors – played Jimmy Rogers
- 1943 Riders of the Deadline – played Jimmy Rogers
- 1944 Texas Masquerade – played Jimmy Rogers
- 1944 Lumberjack – played Jimmy Rogers
- 1944 Mystery Man – played Jimmy Rogers
- 1944 Forty Thieves – played Jimmy Rogers
