Will Rogers: America’s Cowboy Philosopher
Our American Stories
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 817 Ratings
🗓️ 16 March 2026
⏱️ 38 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode of Our American Stories, few public figures captured the American mood quite like Will Rogers. Raised in "Indian Territory" and shaped by the traditions of the American West, he first gained attention as a rope-twirling performer in vaudeville. From there his career expanded rapidly. Rogers became a film star, newspaper columnist, and radio personality whose observations about politics and everyday life were quoted across the country.
Tad Jones, director of the Will Rogers Memorial, shares the story of the man often called America’s cowboy philosopher, along with historic audio from Lux Radio Theater.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.3 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:14.2 | This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories, |
| 0:18.7 | the show where America is the star and the American people. To search for the Our American Stories, the show where America is the star and the American people. |
| 0:22.9 | To search for The Our American Stories podcast, go to the Iheart Radio app to iTunes or |
| 0:29.2 | wherever you get your podcasts. Most everyone over the age of 50 has heard the name Will Rogers. |
| 0:35.9 | His quotes ring is true today, as they did in the 1930s. |
| 0:40.5 | Congress opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation. |
| 0:44.7 | Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. |
| 0:49.6 | Make crime pay. |
| 0:51.2 | Become a lawyer. |
| 0:52.8 | Here to tell the story of Will Rogers is Tad Jones, the executive director of the |
| 0:58.2 | Will Rogers Memorial in Claremore, Oklahoma. |
| 1:02.1 | But first, audio from Lux Radio Theater. |
| 1:05.6 | You'll be hearing a lot of it over this hour. |
| 1:08.6 | Let's get into the story. |
| 1:12.3 | From Hollywood, the Hollywood Radio Theater. |
| 1:26.4 | Starring Jane Wyman and Will Rogers, Jr., in the story of Will Rogers. |
| 1:32.4 | Ladies and gentlemen, your producer, Mr. Irving Cummings. |
| 1:40.8 | Greetings from Hollywood, ladies and gentlemen, if a vote were taken for the most popular American of all time outside of public office, |
| 1:49.0 | I'm sure Will Rogers' name would head the list. |
| 1:53.0 | His keen perception, gentle humor and simplicity |
... |
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