New Exhibit Opens May 30

CLAREMORE, Okla. – The Will Rogers Memorial Museum will open a new exhibit entitled “Aces and Actors: Will Rogers’ Famous Friends” with a special opening night celebration on Friday, May 30, at 6 p.m. The exhibit explores Will Rogers’ friendships with early aviators, live performers and movie stars. Walt Disney is the biggest star included in this exhibit. He and Will Rogers often played polo at Will’s ranch in California. Disney also included Will in the 1933 cartoon “Mickey’s Gala Premier.” Pencil sketches from this cartoon, including drawings of Will Rogers and Mickey Mouse, will be on display. The original drawings will be on exhibit for two weeks. However, due to atmospheric conditions in the museum, they will need to return to the vault on June 13. 

The new exhibit also features pilots and Will’s love of adventure and flying. Will knew that air travel was the future and jumped at the chance to fly. He flew with early pioneering aviators like Wiley Post, Frank Hawks, Jocko Clark and more. This exhibit explores Will’s early career in live entertainment with Wild West shows and Vaudeville plus the friends he made along the way. As the top box office star in the 1930s, Will befriended several stars early in their careers, like Billie Burke, who played Glinda the Good Witch in “The Wizard of Oz,” and Hattie McDaniel, who would go on to win an Oscar for her role as Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.” Some of the Hollywood stars featured in the exhibit include Tom Mix, Mickey Rooney, Shirley Temple and Sterling Holloway, who was the famous voice of Winnie the Pooh.

Aces and Actors Exhibit

Charles Lindbergh and Will Rogers

Will Rogers dances with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson

This exhibit opening coincides with the museum’s monthly movie night. Patrons can enjoy the new exhibit and then watch a screening of the baseball classic, “The Sandlot,” at 7 p.m. Admission and popcorn are free, thanks to the movie night sponsor, Bank of Commerce.