The Inconvenient Indian

by

Thomas King

Will Rogers was a Cherokee actor and social commentator who got his start performing in vaudeville shows across the country, including Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show. He was one of the highest-paid actors by the 1930s. Although Rogers is one of two Indian actors to have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he was never cast in Indian roles because he was thought not to “look Indian enough” to play one onscreen.
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Will Rogers Character Timeline in The Inconvenient Indian

The timeline below shows where the character Will Rogers appears in The Inconvenient Indian. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 2. The End of the Trail
Racism and Systemic Oppression  Theme Icon
King reveals which famous Indian he’d like to see depicted on currency: Will Rogers. Rogers was a Cherokee who performed as a vaudeville player and appeared in Buffalo Bill... (full context)
Racism and Systemic Oppression  Theme Icon
Rogers was never cast as an Indian, since he “didn’t look Indian enough” to Hollywood. Still,... (full context)