In the early morning hours of February 3, 1959, a private plane carrying musicians J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly (most famous for founding The Crickets) crashed outside … Buddy Rogers. Buddy G Rogers SR (88) Fair Oaks, CA. Day of death: 26.06.1992 (at the age of 71) Cause of death: Herzinfarkt. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. After leaving the Texas territory for Columbus, Ohio, Rogers bleached his hair, and was given the moniker "Natural Guy" by promoter Jack Pfefer. Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Actor. Rogers was a co-holder of the NWA United States Tag Team Championship with tag team partner "Handsome" Johnny Barend. Rogers would get his first title during his tenure there, winning the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship four times, once from Lou Thesz, beginning a long feud between them both in and out of the ring. Rogers was hesitant about dropping the title, so promoter Sam Muchnick put three safeguards in place to guarantee Rogers's cooperation. In 1987, when ''Wings'' was shown at a Library of Congress screening of the first 10 films to be selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as best pictures of the year, Mr. Rogers was in the audience. Former champion wrestler Buddy Rogers dies ( 0 ) FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Buddy Rogers, one of the great headline acts in professional wrestling, has … Nine days later, Mary Pickford and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers were wed. That same night, both couples left aboard the liner Lurline to honeymoon in Honolulu. Miss Pickford, who had been married since 1920 to her second husband, Douglas Fairbanks, captured Mr. Rogers's heart off-screen as well, although they were not married until 1937, after Miss Pickford and Mr. Fairbanks were divorced. Find the obituary of Charles Buddy Rogers (1931 - 2020) from Henderson, NV. However, Rogers was not well liked during his prime years because he had a habit of taking advantage of opponents in the ring. He was pitted against Lou Thesz as a draw. Rogers was born in Olathe, Kansas. Updated February 23, 2019. Movie Actor. He participated in a few tag team matches with partner Handsome Johnny Barend where he spent almost the entire match in his corner on the ring apron while Barend did the wrestling. He was … Later in the year, Rogers was weakened by a severe broken arm and suffered three strokes, two on the same day. Death Records for Buddy G Rogers Profile; Phone; Address; Email; Birthday; We found 10 people that match in the United States. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. During the 1950s, Rogers's main tag team partner was The Great Scott. Rogers was formally recognized as the first ever WWWF World Heavyweight Champion on April 11, 1963 when promoter and first WWWF President Willie Gilzenberg handed Rogers the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship belt on Washington D.C. In 1932 he and his orchestra made their Broadway debut in Ziegfeld's ''Hot-Cha!,'' and throughout the years, he appeared in vaudeville and on radio and television and on the stage, and he produced films as well. They won the championship on July 5, 1962 from Johnny Valentine and “Cowboy” Bob Ellis on Capitol Wrestling's regular Thursday night Washington, D.C. television show. In later years, Mr. Rogers, who was 11 years younger than Miss Pickford, was fond of recalling that Clark Gable ''once told Mary, when we got married, that it wouldn't last six months.'' He was popular during the 1920s and 1930s. Professional wrestlers might talk and converse with interviewers, but Rogers bragged and boasted about how great he was and how pathetic his opponents were. He was also very skilled at drawing heat during interviews, with a smug "to a nicer guy, it couldn't have happened" being his catchphrase of sorts whenever he was victorious. He had that indefinable something fans responded to, and he was sharp enough to build upon what he had, paying attention to what got a reaction from the fans. Buddy Rogers passed away on February 20, 2019 at the age of 83 in Wilson, North Carolina. On January 24, 1963, the match took place in Toronto. Rogers visited the offices of professional wrestling promoters Ray and Frank Hanley, who gave him his first match on July 4, 1939 against Moe Brazen, which he won. During World War II, he served as a flight training instructor in the Navy. Six feet tall, slim and with brown eyes and black hair, Mr. Rogers was a versatile musician whose almost inadvertent screen career catapulted him to immediate stardom. Born: 13-Aug-1904 Birthplace: Olathe, KS Died: 21-Apr-1999 Location of death: Rancho Mirage, CA Cause of death: unspecified Remains: Buried, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Cathedral City, CA. [5] With the advent of television, Rogers's flashy look, great physique and bombastic personality instantly caught the ire of audiences. Nationality: United States Finally, Ellis and Barend collided in the corner and knocked each other out. [6] In addition, the $148,000 gate in ticket sales was a professional wrestling record for almost twenty years. According to Meltzer, Buddy "suffered three strokes over two weeks prior to his death. [10] WWE.com currently cites April 25, 1963 as the beginning of Rogers's reign. The referee was distracted by Valentine trying to get into the ring as Rogers grabbed an unconscious Barend by his hair and back of his trunks and threw him on top of Ellis for the victory. When Buddy Rogers saw the attendance, he wanted to get out of there, and he told the doctor he felt a funny pain on his chest. In an emergency title switch, Rogers put over Bruno Sammartino in a quick 48 second match on May 17, 1963 in Madison Square Garden. If the saying "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery" is true, then the "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers must have been very flattered while he was alive. Just when it looked like Valentine was going to succumb to the vicious attack of the heels the crowd erupted. It was a nickname that he did not favor, but when he became a producer he used it to avoid confusion with another producer with the same name. television. Gender: male. Rogers was not highly decorated like Lou Thesz, but Buddy has had an impact on the sport of professional wresting in many ways other than winning a great deal of titles. Stroke. On one such occasion, speaking of his wife and making a little joke about their first film, Mr. Rogers said, ''She was 'My Best Girl' in 1927, and she's still my best girl. Uncle Bud was a world-class drummer extraordinaire, the king of catfish, a courageous boat captain, excellent farmer, loving husband, and most awesome dad, granddad, and friend to everyone he met. His most notable moment during his run in the Carolinas was his feud with the new "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, before Rogers put over Flair on July 9, 1978. He later worked at a shipyard, and became a police officer. Recipient of The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1986, he is well remembered for his performance in the very first Academy Award winning film for Best Picture, Wings. For years, through Miss Pickford's marriages to Mr. Fairbanks and Mr. Rogers, the home was the unofficial capital of Hollywood's brightest stars, a place where Chaplin and Keaton and Crawford were guests, where Pavlova danced and Maurice Chevalier sang. In 1979, Rogers returned to wrestling as a fan favorite in Florida, although he was in his late 50s. Joe Rogers. 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From the Archives: Buddy Rogers, Star of Silent Era, Husband of Mary Pickford, Dies Buddy Rogers, left, Clara Bow, and Richard Arlen in “Wings.” (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Actor: Wings. Cheryl Rolan . He later moved up to Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in the Carolinas as a villain manager managing professional wrestlers like Jimmy Snuka, Ken Patera, Gene Anderson, Dewey Robertson and Big John Studd. After winning the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from Pat O'Connor in Chicago in 1961, Rogers accepted the title belt and then took the microphone and shouted, "To a nicer guy it couldn't happen!". Rogers defeated Hans "The Great" Mortier in less than a minute with the figure-four leglock in Madison Square Garden and teamed with Handsome Johnny Barend to take two out of three falls via pin from Sammartino and Bobo Brazil, with Rogers pinning Sammartino for the final fall. Joanne Rogers, an an accomplished concert pianist who celebrated and protected the legacy of her husband, the beloved children’s TV host Mister Rogers, has died in Pittsburgh. '', See the article in its original context from. Charles Rogers was born on Aug. 13, 1904, on a farm in Olathe, Kan., one of three children of Maude and Bert H. Rogers, who was a newspaperman and later a probate judge in Johnson County. In the end, Muchnick's promotion was powerful enough with Rogers as its main star that the two promotions merged. And with Miss Pickford, he presided over their legendary home, Pickfair, an estate named for Miss Pickford and Mr. Fairbanks and perched on a mountaintop overlooking Los Angeles. Rogers also excelled in football, boxing, track and swimming, winning the YMCA's three-mile swimming championship in 1937. He was set to wrestle yet another "Nature Boy", this time Buddy Landel, in a comeback match for the Tri-State Wrestling Alliance (TWA, a predecessor of Extreme Championship Wrestling – ECW) in early 1992, but the promotion went out of business and the match never occurred. When the film ended, he wiped away a tear and said, ''I'm only crying because I saw so many of my pals I'll never see again. The deposit was held by the NWA for the duration of the champion's reign. He spent time on television talking with his former manager Bobby Davis. The New Jersey native was a staff musician there for nine years, until his death in 1964. According to Thesz, Rogers, although admittedly an excellent professional wrestler and a superb showman, was a manipulative schemer behind the scenes and was fond of saying in private: "Screw your friends and be nice to your enemies, so your enemies will become your friends, and then you can screw them too". He was 71 years old. Buddy Rogers, Star of 'Wings' And Band Leader, Dies at 94. Upon his return, the NWA voted to switch the title back over to Lou Thesz, who publicly disliked Rogers. Keith Rohrs. Edward Rogers. In 1966–1967, Rogers wrestled in 18 short matches in Canada. The third safeguard was Thesz, who could "take" the title if necessary. A decade later, Rogers would try to make a legitimate comeback. Although he was viewed as a villain in most areas during most of his career, Rogers was always a fan favorite in cities throughout Ohio. The situation is the same regarding Rogers's reign with the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship. What evolved over several years was the 'Nature Boy', the prototype of the cocky, strutting, sneering, arrogant peroxide blond villain that is almost a tired wrestling cliché today. For his portrayal of the young airman, Paramount Pictures paid Mr. Rogers $65 a week and gave him three suits of clothes as a gift. He also wrestled in the Al Haft promotion out of Columbus, Ohio in the 1950s and through 1963. Rogers, was a judge who also owned a weekly newspaper in Olathe, Kansas. In 1969, Rogers appeared in 19 quick matches in an Ohio-based promotion called Wrestling Show Classics before he realized his health was not getting better to the point where he could wrestle. The center called her “a joyful and tender-hearted spirit, whose heart and wisdom have guided our work in service of Fred’s enduring legacy.” Life and career Early years. (February 20, 1921 – June 26, 1992), better known by the ring name Buddy Rogers, was an American professional wrestler. In the summer of 1925, his father, on a visit to Kansas City, heard from a friend in the film business about a nationwide search for candidates for Paramount's training school. Rogers died of congestive heart failure in his Apple Valley home near Victorville, with his wife and co-star Dale Evans and other family members at … While he appeared in bit parts in many films his main ability was in writing and directing. Rose Marie played Sally Rogers, a notorious “husband hunter” whose antics tended to scare men away more than attract them. One of the biggest professional wrestling stars in the beginning of the television era, his performances inspired future professional wrestlers, including "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who used Rogers's nickname, as well as his look, attitude and finishing hold, the figure-four leglock.[2]. Thesz continued, "He was also one of the first guys to rely a lot on what we called 'flying' moves in the ring – body slams, dropkicks, piledrivers, ricochets off the ropes into his opponent, action moves that are commonplace today. Buddy Rogers and Mary Pickford remained one of Hollywood's longest married couples, a successful union complicated in later years by health issues and Pickford's alcohol dependence. After his time in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (MACW), he moved back into WWF where he was a fan favorite manager and part-time professional wrestler who also hosted the interview segment "Rogers' Corner" until 1983. Charley was a long time friend of Stan Laurel and both worked on the Music Hall stages of England and Scotland before moving to America. His ability to write comedy took him to the Hal Roach Studios in 1928. Lou Thesz, Rogers's long-time colleague and frequent opponent, described Rogers's early impact in his memoir, Hooker: "Rogers is remembered by fans and performers alike as one of the top all-time stars in the business, but it's probably not common knowledge just how influential he was... he broke into the business somewhere around 1941 as a hero-type personality, with little more going for him than a good body and natural charisma in the ring – which is actually a pretty good beginning – and he was a hit almost from the start. As a boy, Buddy delivered newspapers and movie posters and was given a free pass to the local movie theatre. Rogers and Barend split briefly and feuded, but they reunited that summer to defeat Bobo Brazil and Bruno Sammartino in a best two out of three falls tag team match. Their marriage ended only with Miss Pickford's death at 86 in 1979. He was known as "America's Boy Friend". After putting over Sammartino, his health problems forced Rogers to wrestle in only a limited number of short singles matches that lasted a minute or two. The first time the child made eye contact with his dad was to say, "Let's go to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe," and from there he learned to read and speak. Ellis jumped into the ring, applied multiple bulldog headlocks and pinned Barend to win the second fall for his team. Rogers was the first to use flying moves in quantity, staying off the mat, and the style was so popular with the fans that other wrestlers, including me, followed his lead".[13]. They defended the championship until March 7, 1963 when they lost to Killer Buddy Austin and The Great Scott on Capitol Wrestling's regular Thursday night television broadcast. During his prime years, he was known as much for his distinctive peacock-like strut as for his wrestling performance. Charles “Buddy” Rogers, the affable actor in the first best picture Oscar winner “Wings,” along with many musical comedies, died Wednesday at age 94. These changing stories and the official manner of death weren’t known publicly until 2013, ... according to his then on-screen manager/real-life babysitter Buddy Rogers, also had a massive cocaine problem. Rogers invented the character, and I believe he did it better than anyone". ROGERS, Buddy - "Uncle Bud" - Age 73, died peacefully on May 30, 2012 . Buddy Rogers Deceased Also known as Dutch Rogers, Dutch Rohde, Herman Rohde, Punk, Wally Ward ... Ratings; Comments; Personal Data. ROGERS, Buddy - "Uncle Bud" - Age 73, died peacefully on May 30, 2012 . [3] Rogers soon became a top professional wrestler using his real name around his hometown, where he gained his first major win over Ed "Strangler" Lewis. Clifton Rogers. According to one extremely grateful father, Rogers' show was the reason his son with severe autism uttered his first words: "X the Owl." Kevin Rogers. [14] With age, however, Rogers mellowed and became a very respected veteran and spokesman for professional wrestling. Rogers joined the Dale Brothers Circus as a wrestler at age 17. Another Rogers contribution to modern professional wrestling was his bombastic interviewing style. In 1961, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) voted him into an NWA World Heavyweight Championship match. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s he was publicized as "America's Boy Friend". After seeing him in ''Wings,'' Miss Pickford, one of film's foremost and wealthiest stars, asked that he be cast in her next film, 'My Best Girl.'' Buddy Rogers: singles (3 falls) NWA World Heavyweight Title: To show more matches, change the … In the early 1950s, Lillian Ellison (under the moniker Slave Girl Moolah) worked as his valet. Desiree Bernadette Rogers . Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (August 13, 1904 – April 21, 1999) was an American actor and jazz musician. In 1994, he was posthumously inducted into the World Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame class of 1994. Profession. Vince McMahon, Sr. and Toots Mondt were in a panic and hid Rogers's medical problems. The third fall featured everyone fighting inside and outside the ring. The first sign of Rogers's impact was his involvement in Sam Muchnick's opposition promotion in St. Louis, Missouri, a major professional wrestling market at the time. All of those moves were in use before Rogers came along, but they were used sparingly; most of the wrestling prior to Rogers's emergence was done on the mat. Mr. Rogers did not confine his show-business career to films. Anthony Galento was born in Orange, N.J., on March 12, 1910, one of four children of Italian immigrants. But in some 35 films between 1926 and 1957 -- vehicles with titles like ''Fascinating Youth,'' ''So's Your Old Man,'' ''My Best Girl,'' ''Abie's Irish Rose,'' ''Varsity,'' ''Dance Band,'' ''Golden Hoofs'' and ''Mexican Spitfire's Baby'' -- he never impressed critics as more than a pleasant performer. [5] Ellison claims that the partnership ended after Rogers pushed for a sexual relationship, which Ellison refused. Almost like a tag team of pseudo-arrogance, Davis would incredulously say of Roger's opponents that they did not even deserve to be in the same ring as Rogers, bemoaning the fact that "this is a sport of kings!". Michael Wayne Rogers . His show was replaced by "Victory Corner", which would later be replaced by "Piper's Pit". He was athletic, and took up wrestling at age nine at the local YMCA, joining the Camden YMCA Wrestling League and winning its heavyweight championship. [6] The contest, which was a two out of three falls match, was billed as the "Match of the Century", during which both men had gained a pinfall. Dax Roginett. Click on the View Details button for more information. She was 92. [4] The moniker later evolved to "Nature Boy". Here is all you want to know, and more! The death of these two great men, who had brought hope and lightheartedness during the dark days of the Great Depression, was a shocking loss to the nation. Rogers would become the first man to hold the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the WWWF World Heavyweight Championship. He was not put on life support (as per request)[12] and died a short time afterward on June 26, 1992. [6] At the time, Rogers was working at two different jobs in Chicago, but he never walked into work again according to his autobiography. Rogers with The Twin Stars radio program, 1937. This was probably due to his appearances for many years with the Al Haft Promotion who had their offices in Columbus. Clarence Rogers . In the 1950s, Rogers expanded into Vince McMahon, Sr.'s Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC). '', He and Miss Pickford were active in philanthropy, contributing to charities like the Motion Picture and Television Fund, of which Miss Pickford was a founder; at the Academy Award ceremony in 1986, Mr. Rogers was given the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his ''philanthropic commitment.''. Cause of Death. In 1981, Mr. Rogers married Beverly Ricono, a Los Angeles real estate agent, who survives him. Charles (Buddy) Rogers, handsome leading man and band leader who starred in Wings (1927), first film to win an Academy Award, and who later married Mary Pickford, dies at … He also played the trumpet for numerous songs by Louis Armstrong. Charles was known as Buddy from childhood. The match had to be kept short for fear of Rogers having a major heart attack and dying in the ring. Funeral Home Services for Buddy are being provided by … Even using Rogers's own signature move, the figure-four leglock, as his own, Flair even went as far as doing his own variation of the Rogers strut as well. [6] However, when O'Connor missed a dropkick and hit his head, Rogers pinned him to win the match and being recognized as the new NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Laurie Jean Rogerson. Rogers died Thursday, according to the Fred Rogers Center. No cause of death was given. Buddy Rogers Death – Stroke 1921-1992 (Age 71) Police officer turned wrestler Buddy Rogers achieved national renown as “Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers, the top-drawing heel during his run. Many promoters felt that Rogers favored northeastern promoters over other territories. After Thesz defeated Rogers for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Northeast promoters Toots Mondt and Vince McMahon, Sr. withdrew their membership from the NWA and formed the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF, now WWE). AKA Charles Rogers. The second safeguard was his threat to give Rogers's bond away to charity, rather than returning the deposit to the dethroned Rogers. There's no shortage of amazing anecdotes about Mister Rogers. Charles (Buddy) Rogers, the handsome leading man and band leader who starred in ''Wings'' (1927), the first film to win an Academy Award, and who later married Mary Pickford, ''America's Sweetheart,'' died on Wednesday at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Mr. Rogers was 94. She Knew She’d Marry Him. He continued his career in Houston, where he assumed the name Buddy Rogers. Promoters and noted shooters Bill Miller and Karl Gotch confronted Rogers in Columbus and broke his hand. Their respective cabins were adjacent, and Raymond and Rogers seem to have already been quite well acquainted. George Rogers . The television cameras swung from a view of the ring to "Cowboy" Bob Ellis running down the aisle in street clothes and carrying a travel suitcase. His father, B.H. Clayton James Rogers. Rogers was instrumental in helping turn Jimmy Snuka into a fan favorite, leading to Rogers managing Snuka for his feud with Lou Albano and Ray Stevens. Jeanette MacDonald and Gene Raymond were married June 16, 1937. After grammar and high school in Olathe, Mr. Rogers went off to the University of Kansas, where, eager to augment what was already a generous allowance, he formed an orchestra that earned him money by performing at dances. Rogers was a thirteen-time world champion, notably holding the top championship in both the NWA and the WWWF, today known as WWE (he was the inaugural WWWF World Heavyweight Champion). Rogers continued control of the Midwest as a booker and professional wrestler, most notably in Chicago, frequently selling out the 11,000-seat arena.