The Expressions of Will Rogers (1920) 🇬🇧

The noted lariat-thrower, who wields witticisms along with his lasso, has made a successful screen debut.

Will Rogers, who made his screen debut in a picture called Laughing Bill Hyde, is one of the most human actors on any stage.

He is known throughout the world for his inimitable humour, his contagious smile, his skilful rope and lasso throwing, and for his very likeable personality altogether.

Many picture-goers in this country will have seen Laughing Bill Hyde. In this film, Will Rogers created a sensation by the skilful way in which he portrayed the character of Bill Hyde, and his magnificent work in the many pathetic, thrilling and humorous situations which abounded throughout the play.

Smiling and Quaint.

The humanness of Laughing Bill Hyde makes it rank as one of the most successful films of the year. It was not only the smiling, quaint-looking Will Rogers who, as the escaped convict, made everybody happy, but it was the witty, humorous Will Rogers as well.

Never were funnier “captions” than those sprinkled through this story. It must have been Will Rogers himself who wrote them, or perhaps re-wrote them, for he is noted for his wit.

In a purely acting sense, too, Rogers displayed unusual powers, especially in the utterly unexpected expression of pathos.

His quaint, even homely, countenance, his loose-jointed, shambling figure, and, above all, that illuminating smile are all qualities that have added to his success.

A Witty Cowboy.

Before Rogers became an actor, he was, of course, a cowboy, and was noted for his wonderful spontaneous wit. He still keeps up his practice of making jokes on any and every occasion, and he causes much amusement amongst his friends at the studio.

“I ain’t one of these hero movie cowboys,” he said, the other day, that can jump on a horse from a fur distance. The kinder horse I ride ain’t there when you jump on ‘em.”

He achieved the ambition of his adventure-filled life-time when he was able to break out of jail recently — for a picture, of course.

“I been hankerin’ all my life to get out o’ jail,” laughed the cowboy wit, “but I ain’t never been able to get in.”

Rex Beach, who wrote the film, and the director, Hobart Henley, who produced it, engineered the scheme which got Rogers into prison and out again.

They Earn What They Get.

On one occasion Will Rogers was called upon to go to a place called Boontan for work on a picture, and it was this trip that convinced him that motion-picture stars really earned most of the money they got.

He and Mr. Henley began the journey by motor, and were making excellent progress, when a terrible thunder and rain storm upset their plans, and spoiled what might have been a nice spin.

Twenty miles from Boontan the chauffeur swerved the machine suddenly to avoid going over a cliff which he had not seen in the pitchy blackness.

Lost Their Way.

They had, indeed, completely lost their way, and it was four o’ clock before infrequent flashes of lightning showed the party their way into Boontan. They had gone 10 miles out of their way, they were soaked to the skin, tired, hungry and cold.

Will Rogers is very modest when he is confronted by an interviewer. “Gosh! he said, “I never felt so important in my life. Fancy anyone coming over here to interview me! But I wish you had been able to see my performance at the theatre.

“That is where I really shine with the ladies, I tell you. I am very popular there, and everybody is simply crazy over me.

“Of course, I am not nearly so handsome as Senor Caruso, but I think I can sing just as well.”

The Machine-Gun Camera.

“Gee!” he continued. “Ain’t it just terrible to think I am dancing around in front of that machine-gun camera, and a handsome young fellow like him, standing behind, producing the picture.”

The “handsome young fellow” was Hobart Henley.

“Do you know, I think I am going to be terribly bad on the screen. I am no sort of an actor, and this part calls for a lot of ‘sod’ stuff that I don’t think I am going to get away with.

“I only agreed to act it because Rex Beach wanted me to. He said that I looked just like a convict. But, gee! when you make things for the movies you make ‘em for keeps; and when you see yourself prancing around on the screen, and making every kind of an idiot of yourself, you can’t prop up your performance with any of your old games. You’re just done for, that’s all!”

Will Rogers’s next film will be called Jubilo, an appealing story of on irresponsible but lovable character.

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Photo captions:

• I’m sorry for you.
• Deep in thought.
• What shall I do?
• Don’t be cross.

Collection: Picture Show Magazine, January 1920