Destruction of Will Rogers' ranch house creates 'sense of urgency' for 'Will to Win' movie
January 24, 2025
By Jimmie Tramel
Will Rogers’ ranch house and other buildings at Will Rogers State Historic Park in California were destroyed by the Palisades fire.
What’s gone is gone. But one thing that can still be preserved is Rogers’ legacy.
Before the fire, wheels had long been in motion for a film project that would reintroduce moviegoers to Rogers, a favorite son of Oklahoma who once was among the world’s most famous entertainers.
What’s the status of that project?
Here’s a refresher on the basics:
The film’s title is “Will to Win.” It will be shot in the Tulsa area. If things go as planned, production will begin in 2025.
Based on a book by Tulsa author Jim Stovall, “Will To Win” is a modern sports drama about Native American high school softball star Skylar Forest, who, after losing her parents, is sent to live with her traditional Cherokee grandmother. Forest’s new school doesn’t have a softball team, so she joins the boys’ baseball team. She seeks advice from Native icon Will Rogers, who she sees in her imagination, as she navigates the challenges of living in a boys’ world and encounters forces seeking her removal from the team.
Russ Kirkpatrick and Andy Kinslow of Tulsa-based Kirkpatrick & Kinslow Productions are the lead producers on “Will to Win.” It was announced in June of 2024 that Sean McNamara would be the film’s director.
“When that script first came to me, it was like, ‘Wow, this is really cool,’” McNamara said in a 2024 interview.
“Near my house in the Pacific Palisades is a park called Will Rogers State Park, and his house is there. I guess he was born in Oklahoma, but then he moved around, and then he finally had moved to California, so we even hope to shoot some scenes there, but I take walks with my dogs at that park. It’s one of the coolest places in the world.”
Will Rogers’ Palisades home burns
Rogers’ roots are in Oologah and Claremore, where visitors can tour the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch and the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, respectively.
Initially a trick roper and vaudeville performer, Rogers ascended to fame as a columnist, humorist, radio personality and movie star. He seemed to be universally beloved.
In the 1920s, Rogers purchased land in California and built a ranch. He owned hundreds of acres in an area now known as the Pacific Palisades. At the time of his death in a 1935 plane crash, the ranch, according to information supplied by California State Parks, consisted of a 31-room ranch house with neighboring guest housing, a stable, corrals, a golf course and riding trails. In 1944, the ranch was donated to California State Parks by Rogers’ widow, Betty.
In advance of the fire, horses and some cultural and historical artifacts from the park were rescued, according to a Jan. 8 news release from California State Parks.
In an NPR interview, Barbara Tejada, supervisor of the park’s Cultural Resources Program, said she and others hurried there and packed up what they could.
“And at one point, I came out, and I literally saw the smoke plume start to churn,” Tejada said. “And that was the clue. Like, I realized, ‘OK, guys, whatever you have in your hands, that’s it.’”
Asked during the interview about returning to see the charred remains of the park, Tejada said, “I was taking deep breaths to not have a panic attack. And I was just — it’s gone. I can’t believe it’s gone.”
Update on ‘Will to Win’
Post-fire, when the Tulsa World contacted Kinslow and Kirkpatrick for a “Will to Win” update, the producers consented to an interview and wrote a thorough statement, shared here in entirety:
“As producers of the ‘Will to Win’ movie, our primary focus remains on the well being of those affected by the devastating Los Angeles area fires: the families who lost loved ones, the individuals displaced from their homes, and the communities facing the daunting task of rebuilding, even as the fires are still burning. Our hearts go out to everyone grieving these losses, including the memories tied to this tragedy.
In response to media inquiries about the progress of ‘Will to Win,’ a Will Rogers-centric movie, we first want to address the profound impact of the fires, including the heartbreaking loss of the Will Rogers State Historic Park and irreplaceable heirlooms and artifacts. What is now the state park property was Will’s home at the time of his death in 1935.
Will Rogers’ legacy has suffered a significant blow with the destruction of the structures and memorabilia tied to his life and work. As producers of a film born from a deep admiration for Will Rogers — conceived to reintroduce him to current and future generations — we feel an even greater sense of urgency to ensure this movie is made. Now more than ever, it is vital to preserve and celebrate the values, humor, and humanity that made Will Rogers an enduring icon.
While the majority of filming is slated to take place in Oklahoma, near where Will Rogers was born and raised, our production plans originally included a second unit to capture key scenes at the California ranch.
The fires have altered these plans, and we are currently reassessing how best to proceed while honoring Will’s story and legacy.
In response to media inquiries about the progress of ‘Will to Win,’ a Will Rogers-centric movie, we first want to address the profound impact of the fires, including the heartbreaking loss of the Will Rogers State Historic Park and irreplaceable heirlooms and artifacts. What is now the state park property was Will’s home at the time of his death in 1935.
Will Rogers’ legacy has suffered a significant blow with the destruction of the structures and memorabilia tied to his life and work. As producers of a film born from a deep admiration for Will Rogers — conceived to reintroduce him to current and future generations — we feel an even greater sense of urgency to ensure this movie is made. Now more than ever, it is vital to preserve and celebrate the values, humor, and humanity that made Will Rogers an enduring icon.
While the majority of filming is slated to take place in Oklahoma, near where Will Rogers was born and raised, our production plans originally included a second unit to capture key scenes at the California ranch.
The fires have altered these plans, and we are currently reassessing how best to proceed while honoring Will’s story and legacy.”
Though the statement said cast members have been identified, cast members have yet to be publicly announced.
‘Extremely numb’ from fires
“Will to Win” is the first movie project of this type to be endorsed by Rogers’ family. As the statement mentioned, Rogers-Etcheverry, a Cherokee Nation citizen and Will Rogers’ great-granddaughter, is a consulting producer. Rogers-Etcheverry joined Kirkpatrick for a joint interview Wednesday to talk about the impact of the fire and the outlook for the film. Kirkpatrick reiterated that their thoughts are with all the people affected by the fire.
Rogers-Etcheverry, who has been spending an increasing amount of time in Claremore promoting her great-grandfather’s legacy, said the fire left her “extremely numb.”
“You’re still living in a fog and a dream, because I haven’t been to the site yet to see it,” she said. “I’ll be going out there in February. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like, but the pictures alone — it’s like a dream, you know? It’s just like it didn’t happen.”
The Will Rogers Ranch Foundation is raising money to rebuild the lives of Will Rogers State Historic Park workers and docents displaced by the fire. For information, go to willrogersranchfoundation.org.
Rogers-Etcheverry also said “we’ve really got to pick up the pieces here in Claremore” because people are going to need a place to visit and learn about Will Rogers.
Asked about the “Will to Win” timetable, Kirkpatrick said there’s so much pain going on related to the fire, “but if you’re looking at this through the lens of making sure that the world knows about Will Rogers, especially when a piece of him — a piece of his memory, a part of his memory — has been erased from the earth, it’s really more incumbent now than ever that we get this film made. There are some things that need to come into line, but we definitely want to see this film in production in 2025 and into the world pretty quickly thereafter.”
For more information on the film, go to willtowinmovie.com.
Rogers-Etcheverry, citing an outpouring of worldwide support, indicated the timing is more important than ever for a Will Rogers movie. She said she didn’t really know about the magnitude of his legacy until the tragedy — and this is about more than a house that went away. She said people are reaching out for comfort and that it’s time to bring “Will to Win” to the screen to provide comfort and hope.
“The world is hungry for him, and for anybody that wants to be a part of this project, now’s the time to jump on board, because we want to get the ball rolling and get this thing in production this year,” she said. “I would encourage people, if they want to be part of the film, to reach out because there’s a million different ways to be a part of that.”
