Born on this day in Oklahoma, humorist and Hollywood cowboy Will Rogers (1879–1935) knew all about being successful. A roper, writer, and radio voice of the people, he lassoed laughter and common sense with his trademark welcome: “I never met a man I didn’t like.”

Of Cherokee descent, Rogers bridged frontiers, from the open plains to the glitter of Hollywood, with humor that was always human. “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects,” he reminded us, grounding humor in humility.

In the 1930s, his weekly radio show braided jokes with truth spoken plain. “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there,” he warned, a timeless nudge toward motion and perseverance.

His political humor sparkled with insight: “It takes a great country to stand a thing like an election hitting it every four years.” And his playful jab at government still makes us smile: “The United States of America is the biggest business institution in the world — and they’ve only one vice president, and nobody’s ever found anything for him to do.”

Known as the “cowboy philosopher,” Rogers found wisdom in hope and kindness in humor. “We are here just for a spell and then pass on,” he said. “So get a few laughs and do the best you can. Live your life so that whenever you lose, you are ahead.”

His success was simple, steady, and shining. Just love what you do, and let it love you back. Through his humor and humanity, Will Rogers taught us that joy, when shared, becomes a kind of wisdom.