Is Buddy Rogers in Revolt? (1931) 🇺🇸

Ex-Buddy! Call him Charles Rogers, now. He's not a kid any longer. He's growing up.

by Sydney Valentine

Will he step out and show us that he is more than just a grand juvenile with wide, flashing smile and wide lapels?

Is Buddy, the Good Boy of Hollywood, going to live his own life?

A girl who once worked with him called him 'the yes-boy.' I wonder if she was right. Come to think of it, Buddy has always done pretty much as he's been told. He has minded his mama and his picture papa, Paramount. His reward has been a steady popularity, tons of fan mail, a new contract calling for something like $1500 a week, and the good will of his bosses and his public. He's one of the Paramount School children — one of the three who made good.

He smiled his way through Fascinating Youth — which wasn't so fascinating, at that — and smiled his way to Hollywood. He was a novelty out there. Quite the youngest and the smilingest boy Hollywood had seen in a long time. He smiled at everybody and everybody smiled back. But particularly Claire Windsor. Claire was one of the most beautiful blondes in a city full of them. She had been married, and the mother of a sweet little son. She had been divorced from her first husband a long time ago. She was the heroine of a location romance. Claire, the leading lady of the Edwin Carewe troupe, went to Algiers on location for a film. Bert Lytell was the hero. That Algerian sun, not to mention the moon, got in its work. Claire and Bert came back to Hollywood madly in love, and married. But love's old sweet song turned sour and the Lytells agreed that Hollywood wasn't Algiers and that they could be happier apart.

And then along came youth! In the person of Charles “Buddy” Rogers, the boy from Kansas. Buddy with his flashing smile, his nice brown eyes, his broad, athletic shoulders. And his shy, deferential manner with women. Is it any wonder that the lovely Claire liked him? And first thing we knew, Hollywood had them engaged.

It was 'Claire and Buddy.' They went places together. All the world heard they were in love — the willowy, beautiful blonde and the new boy in town. Claire is a charming creature. Fragile — feminine — like a Fragonard. She should sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam — and has been known to. She likes to sew — to make her own underwear on a baby Singer. Nothing of the stage siren and little of the actress about Miss Windsor. A home body who happened to be born beautiful and transplanted to Hollywood. A sweet girl — and a sweet boy.

But of course, Claire is older than Charles “Buddy” Rogers. Buddy was just 21 when he arrived in Hollywood. He'd been to college and to Europe on a cattle boat but he was far from a cynic. Something of the wholesome, home-spun air of his native middle west clung to him — and clings to him still. It's partly that air that's made him an idol. He's a nice, home-town boy — in Hollywood. Claire and Charles both came from Kansas — Claire from Cawker City; Buddy from Olathe.

It was a Hollywood romance. Claire's regard for Buddy and his for her was sincere. But it didn't end swell. A rising young actor being groomed for stardom shouldn't get married, and especially not to an older woman. Claire wasn't — isn't — old. See her today and you'll gasp at her beauty. But she is older than Buddy, who is very, very young. And, the story goes, Buddy's company, the powerful Paramount, stepped in. Big plans for the Rogers future — Buddy would be a foolish boy if he jeopardized them. Big money being spent to make him a star. He represented an investment of hundreds of thousands. A grand and glorious career ahead for Charles “Buddy” Rogers — if he'd be a good boy.

Charles wanted to be a star. Why not? What boy wouldn't? Buddy's mother made a trip to Hollywood. She was along when Paramount threw a big luncheon at the Ritz in New York for "Abie's Irish Rose" with Charles as Abie and Nancy Carroll as Rose. Buddy on that trip was buoyant and boyish. He exuded youthful cheer. Buddy, nobody can deny, was being a good boy.

You all know what's happened — how he has climbed right up until he pretty nearly tops the list of male stars on the screen today. He was christened America's Boy Friend. He has smiled and sung and tooted his way through musical comedy pictures. He has made personal appearances at the Publix Theaters to wild acclaim. His personal following rivals that of Valentino. He has been a conscientious, hard-working boy. Forged right ahead, Buddy has.

And what of Claire? Well, Claire came east to go on the stage. But except for vaudeville she hasn't seemed to get very far. And first thing New Yorkers knew she was being seen places with Phil Plant. Tabloid columnists were calling her the new 'heart' of Connie Bennett's ex-husband.

Buddy was working hard in Hollywood. You heard that he had taken out Mary Brian, Paramount's pretty nice-girl ingenue. Or he has escorted June Collyer, another nice girl, to some correct party. Being just about as perfect a lad as Hollywood ever saw. The right company — the right pictures — the right girls — Buddy was on top of the world.

Meanwhile, Claire Windsor and Phil Plant broke into the pages of the New York dailies when Phil's yacht collided with another boat somewhere in Long Island Sound. And Claire was a passenger. Both were rescued. But the Windsor-Plant romance seemed to be over soon after. Phil Plant announced he was going off somewhere — to Africa, it might have been — to shoot lions or something.

And then Buddy came back to Manhattan. Buddy? Well, Charles Rogers, then. Buddy, tired of being Buddy. He wanted, maybe, to grow up a little. After all, his name was Charles. No more Buddy for him, he said — and Paramount seconded the motion.

At least they sent out stories saying that from now on their Mr. Rogers would be officially billed and referred to as 'Charles.' No more Buddy — excent on peoples' tongues.

Try to make folks call Fairbanks 'Douglas' instead of Doug; Chaplin 'Charles Spencer' instead of Charlie — and you'll have some idea of what the Rogers boy is up against.

But it was a definite assertion. He insisted upon it. Rebelling a little — daring to_say 'No!'

And — he came back to New York. He had to make personal appearances in the east. Made a picture, too — "Heads Up."

And first thing we knew, he and Claire Windsor were flitting hither and thither together. To see "Once in a Lifetime." They sat in the front row, and a handsome couple they made, too. Richard Barthelmess and his stunning wife, Jessica, were in the audience that same night, but young Rogers, with the flashing smile and the beautiful blonde on his arm, attracted all the attention.

And then at the Casino, that smart restaurant in Central Park which is a little bit of Paris in Manhattan. Screen stars rush to it when they're in town. It's the place to go to dine and to dance — to see and to be seen. Virginia Valli, with Winston Guest, famous polo player. (Before Virginia went back to Hollywood to marry Charlie Farrell.) And — Charles Ex-Buddy Rogers, with Claire Windsor.

They looked very happy together. People said: "Oh, that was all over, long ago." Maybe. But they make a grand couple, just the same. Just old friends, just good pals, perhaps. But — they look well together; they laugh and have a good time together.

It's Broadway gossip that Buddy is besieged by Park Avenue debutantes whenever he is in town. But he chose to take Claire to the Casino.

Why shouldn't Ex-Buddy and his ex-adoree Claire, dine together? What of it? Nothing — except that Charles Rogers can't go anywhere these days without being spotted and stared at; without letting himself in for speculation. He must know it. Yet he picks Claire Windsor out of all the girls to dine and dance and theater with. Nothing — except that platonic friendship is just something that we don't expect to find among Hollywood stars, that's all.

Buddy doesn't want to get married, he says to interviewers. He hasn't found the Right Girl. And here, right at his elbow, is Claire. Will he look once more into her lovely long-lashed sapphire eyes and stage a little revolt all his own?

Perhaps if he did turn defiant he would be a bigger and a better actor.

Even Jackie Coogan is growing up. And Charles Rogers has decided he won't be Buddy any longer. He can't smile his way forever through his films. Right now all he needs to do is to croon a little, smile a little, act a little — and, if the script calls for it, sing a little or play the sax. But the day of the musical comedy movie seems to be over.

Charles Rogers will have to be a different star from Buddy. There will be more mature stories for him to act. He'll have to learn other roads to peoples' hearts it he wants to retain as a man the fame he won as a boy. He'll have, in other words, to grow up. And it looks to us as if he is starting to do it. He isn't afraid of what people will say if he appears as Claire's escort. He wants to be himself. And it's a much more interesting self than Buddy.

By the time you read this he will be in Europe, with his mother, Mrs. Bert Rogers. He's being a nice boy, taking his mother along on his first long trip since stardom. Still in the “Buddy” tradition. But the sights and sounds and scents of the Old World may help him to grow up a little more. We hope so.

We feel there's a lot more to Charles Rogers than just this Buddy business; just this sax appeal. He has a spark which, when fanned, may lead him on to big things — real things. He hasn't these glowing, deep brown eyes for nothing but close-ups. Is it his fault they are screened by long curling lashes?

He smoked his first screen cigarette in "Heads Up," A good sign!

'My Buddy' is the theme song of several million American girls. What will they do if their idol ever grows up, goes serious, or gets married?

Charles Rogers and his mother, Mrs. Bert Rogers, who accompanied him on a recent trip to Europe.

Left: That Rogers-Brian team, so redolent of sweet young love. Mary is one of Buddy's ideal girls.

Right: June Collyer having her hand respectfully kissed by Mr. Rogers. June and Buddy are good friends

With Kathryn Crawford who played opposite Buddy in Safety in Numbers.

Lovely Claire Windsor, Buddy Rogers' erst Hollywood crush.

Since Lillian Roth has made such a hit in talkers, her sister Anne has decided to try her screen luck. Anne made a good beginning playing a small role in "Madame Satan."

Collection: Screenland Magazine, January 1931