A good-looking, pleasant leading man of mostly light Hollywood films, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers broke into films at the urging of his father, who had submitted his son's photograph to a talent search. As one of 20 selected to screen test and undergo a six-month training course, he made his film debut in "Fascinating Youth" (1926). The following year was particularly historic for him as he played opposite future wife Mary Pickford in "My Best Girl" and acted in one of the most famous silent films, the first Oscar-winning Best Picture, "Wings". In the latter, Rogers portrayed one of two All-American boys (in love with the same girl--Clara Bow) who enlist in the army air corps during WWI. Renowned for its combat flying sequences, the film introduced him to sophomore director William Wellman, tapped for his exposure to aerial warfare as a member of the Layfayette Escadrille Flying Corps, and the two worked together again on another flying picture, "Young Eagles" (1930).
With his narrow range but pleasant charm, Rogers headlined a series of undistinguished films at Paramount, including being cast as the Jewish boy in "Abie's Irish Rose" (1929). In 1931, he asked to be let out of his contract with the studio and embarked on a second, minor career as an orchestra leader, forming a band with Johnny Green and Gene Krupa with Mary Martin and Marilyn Maxwell as vocalists. After nearly ten years of pursuing Pickford, he finally convinced her to marry him in 1937. In the early 40s, he replaced Donald Woods as the husband of Lupe Velez in three of the "Mexican Spitfire" movies before embarking on a career as a producer, which saw him oversee (along with Pickford) "Sleep, My Love" (1948), among other pictures. His last feature appearance came in "The Parson and the Outlaw" (1957), which he also produced.
- Also Credited As:
Charles Edward Rogers, Rogers
- Born:
August 13, 1904 in Olathe, Kansas
- Died:
April 20, 1999.
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Job Titles:
Actor, Producer
Significant Others
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Companion: Claire Windsor. had relationship in the late 1920s
Education
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University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Milestones
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1925 Chosen by Paramount to take a six-month training course for actors
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1925 Father submitted photograph to Famous Players-Lasky nationwide talent search; one of 20 selected for a screen test
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1926 Film debut, "Fascinating Youth"; alongside other winners of the talent search
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1927 Acted opposite future wife Mary Pickford in "My Best Girl" (Pickford's last silent movie)
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1927 Starred in the first Oscar-winning Best Picture, the silent "Wings"; second feature directed by William Wellman; also starred Clara Bow
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1928 First time headlining a movie, "Varsity"; also his first talkie, it contained 13 minutes of dialogue, mostly in the last 10 minutes of the film
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1930 Reteamed with Wellman for "Young Eagles", once again playing a WWI American pilot
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1931 Asked to be released from Paramount contract; formed first in a series of orchestras with musicians Johnny Green and Gene Krupa and singers Mary Martin and Marilyn Maxwell; reportedly Pickford provided some of the financing for the band
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1933 Acted in movie musical, "Take a Chance"
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1935 Played playboy son of George Barbier in Edward Ludwig's fluffy musical, "Old Man Rhythm"
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1941 Replaced Donald Woods as Lupe Velez's husband in the "Mexican Spitfire" movies, acting in "Mexican Spitfire's Baby"; also acted in "Mexican Spitfire at Sea" and "Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost" (both 1942)
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1946 First producing credits, two movies directed by Reginald LeBorg, "Little Iodine" and "Susie Steps Out" (also produced LeBorg's "Adventures of Don Coyote" 1947)
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1947 Produced Cy Enfield's "Stork Bites Man"
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1948 Produced Douglas Sirk's "Sleep, My Love"; Pickford also produced after 12 years away from films
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1948 Returned to screen after six year absence, "An Innocent Affair/Don't Trust Your Husband"
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1957 Final screen appearance, "The Parson and the Outlaw"; also produced