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Legendary humorist visits Fort Scott
Fort Scott, Kan. -- Actor, author, journalist, cowboy and erstwhile political candidate Will Rogers was in Fort Scott Tuesday in the person of Andy Hogan.
Hogan, a historical guide and Will Rogers interpreter at the Claremore Will Rogers Memorial Museum since 2005, was the featured speaker at the Historical Preservation Association of Bourbon County's annual meeting at the Old Congregational Church.
Dressed in cowboy garb and wielding a rope the way Rogers would have, Hogan related Rogers' life and times and some of the sayings he's famous for.
Rogers was born in 1879 on a large ranch in the Cherokee Nation near what later would become Oologah, Okla., the willrogers.org Web site said. It was there he was taught to use a lasso to work Texas Longhorn cattle on the family ranch, the site said.
Rogers honed his skills in wild west and vaudeville shows around the world. Hogan told audience members Rogers' father wanted him to run the family farm, but Rogers wanted to become a cowboy.
During his life, Rogers starred on Broadway, made movies, was a radio personality, humorist, wrote newspaper columns, covered wars, wrote six books and knew seven presidents personally, offering them advice whether they wanted it or not, Hogan said. Rogers was put up as a prank presidential candidate in 1924, 1928 and 1932. While he was never elected, he did help Franklin Roosevelt get into office and was quoted in the Congressional Record a few times.
"He told it like it was and people believed him. He looked for the good in people. He wanted people to know there wasn't anything you couldn't laugh at," Hogan said.
Being raised in the Claremore area, Hogan said Rogers was pervasive. "I've heard his name all my life. My father was really enamored with him and a lot of people were, too," Hogan said.
Hogan, 72, took a bachelor's degree in language arts and a master's degree in education from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Hogan was an elementary principal for 30 years. He was also a coach and bus driver. Having done Rogers skits for chamber of commerce functions, someone from the Will Rogers Memorial Museums caught his act and asked him if he'd work part time there. He's now a historical guide and Will Rogers interpreter.
Hogan arranges his schedule around tour groups that visit the museums and does speaking engagements, such as the one in Fort Scott. He was on his way Thursday to speak to a group in Pryor.
"Will had a message for everybody," Hogan said.
Rogers said there's always something you can laugh at.
"Don't take yourself too seriously and don't take the other guys too seriously," was a sentiment Hogan said Rogers espoused. "He liked to simplify everything."
"I like to spread his message besides that he's kind of fun. He'd have made a good neighbor."
Rogers died in a plane crash at age 55 while flying through Alaska with celebrated pilot Wiley Post, Hogan and Internet references said.
Rogers and his wife, Betty, had four children -- three boys and one girl. Their youngest son, Fred, died of diphtheria when he was 2 years old.
HPA President Don Miller said at least 100 people attended Hogan's presentation Tuesday. "I thought it was an extremely good turnout ...," he said. " ... I thought the program was extremely good. There was something for everybody. It was very entertaining. You could learn a lot about Will Rogers, the way he lived, especially toward the end of his life."
Miller added he would like to thank the Lyons Mansion, where Hogan and his wife, Jan, stayed, for their hospitality.
Hogan also enjoyed his stay here and got a chance to look around town before taking off Wednesday.
"I thought it was really neat," Hogan said. "I really like to talk to adult people that are interested in Will. It's really fun telling people things they want to know."