The Ropin’ Fool is a 1922 silent short film starring (and written by) Will Rogers, in which he shows off many of the rope tricks that made him a vaudeville star with the Ziegfeld Follies from 1916 to 1925. There is a minimal plot, involving a love interest and a rival, but it is only a device to get as many lariat tricks as possible into the 20-minute movie. The rope used was painted bright white to show up well against darker backgrounds. In addition, slow motion (at 1/10th speed) is employed to great effect in many sequences, which show dexterity … Continue reading The Great Will Rogers – “Oklahoma’s Favorite Son”