Press Release
October 10, 2019
Contact: Pat Reeder
Will Rogers Memorial Museums, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 918-343-8129
pr@willrogers.com
www.willrogers.com
Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival Scheduled for October 30–November 2 in Claremore
CLAREMORE, Okla. — The Will Rogers Memorial Museum will celebrate the 140th birthday of Oklahoma’s Favorite Son with the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival October 30–November 2, four days of activities to honor the memory of the Cherokee cowboy philosopher and movie actor. The festival concludes a year of observing Rogers’s contribution to the movie industry. He had starred in 50 silent movies and 21 talkies at the time of his death on August 15, 1935, in an Alaska airplane crash.
Beginning October 30, the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival will feature up-and-coming filmmakers exhibiting their work at venues throughout Claremore, culminating in the Dog-Iron Awards Ceremony on November 2. Headlining the event and hosting the Dog-Iron Awards are Ariel Tweto, C. Thomas Howell, Barry Corbin and Terrence Julien.
Tweto is the star of the Discovery Channel show “Flying Wild Alaska” and the co-host of FNX’s “Native Shorts.” She will speak at 8 a.m. on Friday, November 1, at the Claremore Museum of History.
Howell came to Oklahoma fame as Ponyboy in the film “The Outsiders” (1983), filmed in Tulsa. He will attend the Red Sash Reception preceding the Dog-Iron Awards.
Corbin, who has visited the Will Rogers Memorial and Birthplace Ranch, received an Emmy nomination for his work on television’s “Northern Exposure,” and appeared in “Any Which Way You Can” (1980) and “Lonesome Dove” (1989). He will speak about his short film, “Trail End,” at noon on Friday, November 1, at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum.
Julien is a professional stuntman who has worked on such films as “Black Panther” (2018) and “Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice” (2016). He will give a talk about his life as a stuntman on some of the biggest films in Hollywood at noon on Saturday, November 2, at Northeast Career Tech.
Also included in the festival will be showings of films featuring Will Rogers, an interview with Jennifer Rogers-Etcheverry and Wyatt McCrea at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, as well as many other speakers and film showings.
On Saturday, November 2, the day will begin with the Cherokee Nation Wings Race, a 1K fun run or 5K race in the Rogers State University Nature Preserve. At 10 a.m., the Pocahontas Club will perform its traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the grave of Will Rogers, followed by a reception and film screening. Also beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing until 10 p.m., the 23rd annual Native American Festival at Rogers State University’s Centennial Center will feature Native music and dancing, Cherokee storytelling and make-and-take arts and crafts activities. This event is free and open to the public.
For more detailed information on the Will Rogers Motion Picture Festival, please visit dogirons.com/program or call 918-341-0719. The Will Rogers Memorial Museum is located at 1720 W. Will Rogers Blvd. in Claremore.
The Will Rogers Memorial Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.
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