Will Rogers movies showing during holiday weekend
Ready for something light after the holiday dinner. The Will Rogers Memorial Museum is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. One of the best seats in the house is the Mini-Theater where Will’s movies show continuously.
He starred in 21 20th Century Fox movies. He was the hero in 50 silent films and was the top box office star of his time. Most of his movies have reference to his Rogers County and Cherokee Heritage.
The Thanksgiving Day feature is “David Harum”, released in 1934. David Harum (Will) is a turn of the century banker in upstate New York. Not only is he a shrewd banker, but also has a long-standing horse-trading feud with Deacon Perkins, who once tried to sell him a blind horse.
It is while promoting a romance between his teller and Ann Madison (Evelyn Venable) he finds his own balky horse has some powers as a trotter when sung to. Harum enters his new horse in a race and defeats Deacon’s best horse.
The move was Number 8 on the Honor Roll of Best Pictures in 1934 from ballots cast by film reviewers.
Venable, who visited Claremore several years ago talked about that movie, her first with Will Rogers. It was on this set she met her future husband, Hal Mohr, and said “Mr. Rogers’ teased her about his being a matchmaker. She later appeared with him in “County Chairman.” Stepin Fetchit also appears in this movie.
Other movies on tap for the weekend are:
• “They Had to See Paris” with Irene Rich and Fifi D’Orsay (Miss D’Orsay has also visited Claremore and the Will Rogers Memorial) plays Friday. Background material for the movie was shot in Claremore.
• “Too Busy to Work” with Dick Powell plays Saturday.
• ”Handy Andy” plays on Sunday.
A visit to the museum will also provide an opportunity to see renovated exhibits, including the 13 Jo Mora dioramas, all in one place — miniatures depicting Will Rogers life from his Nov. 4, 1879 birth on an Indian Territory Ranch to his death on Aug. 15, 1935 in an Alaskan plane crash.
The newly opened Will Rogers Heritage Gallery includes items on loan from Cherokee Heritage Center in Tahlequah, Will Rogers’ heritage from his southern Cherokee Indian roots through the Trail of Tears and to his own family of sisters, marriage to Betty Blake and their children. A short film “One Day in 365” produced by Will shows continuously.
The Memorial store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. New items include books, Native American art, Will Rogers' memorabilia, children’s toys and gifts and Will Rogers and Oklahoma souvenirs.
The Will Rogers Memorial and Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch near Oologah are open daily, 356 days a year; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is by donation.