William Wayne McMillan Rogers III was an American actor whose 55-year career produced one of the most diverse and illustrious filmographies in history. He is particularly well-known for his portrayal of Captain “Trapper” John McIntyre on the CBS television series ‘M*A*S*H’. Rogers, the son of a Rhodes Scholar, was a student at Princeton University where he was a member of the Triangle Club. After graduating from college, he chose to enlist in the United States Navy instead of pursuing an acting career. During his military service, however, he began to develop a passion for acting, and after his discharge he made his screen debut in the 1959 television series ‘Search for Tomorrow’ In the same year, he debuted on the big screen as a soldier in “Odds Against Tomorrow.” Before getting hired for ‘M*A*S*H,’ Rogers was cast in a number of tiny and supporting roles in both films and television shows. In the years that followed, he portrayed civil rights pioneer Morris Dees in “Ghosts of Mississippi,” co-starred with Barbara Eden in “I Dream of Jeannie… Fifteen Years Later,” and anchored CBS’ “High Risk.” His final film performance was the 2003 comedy “Nobody Knows Anything!” Rogers was also a successful investor and frequent panelist on the Fox show ‘Cashin’ In’.
Youth and Early Life
Wayne Rogers was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 7, 1933, to parents Lydia Eustis Rogers and William Wayne McMillan Rogers Jr.
After graduating from Birmingham’s Ramsay High School, he attended the Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.
Later, he enrolled at Princeton University, where he earned a degree in history in 1954. During his time at the prestigious college, he frequented the Tiger Inn and Triangle Club, both of which are well-known eateries.
Even back then, he had acting ambitions, but they were put on hold when he joined the navy. He served as a navigator on the USS Denebola, a supply ship that delivered supplies to ports across the world.
While in Red Hook, Brooklyn, in 1955, he attended a Broadway rehearsal. The incident left him with a lasting impression. After completing his naval service, he abandoned his plans to attend Harvard Law School in order to pursue acting. In 1957, he requested and was granted permission to resign from his commission.
He supported himself for a few years by working as a waiter, lifeguard, and taxi driver, among other odd jobs. He enrolled in acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater under the direction of seasoned acting instructor Sanford Meisner and choreographer Martha Graham.
Wayne Rogers’s Career
Wayne Rogers began his acting career portraying Slim Davis on the soap opera “Search for Tomorrow.” Additionally, he appeared in “Odds Against Tomorrow,” a film nominated for a Golden Globe.
In 1960, he played Luke Perry in the western drama ‘Stagecoach West, which was his first notable role. In the same year, he appeared in the western Johnny Ringo as a guest star. In addition, he reprised the character of deputy Billy Lordan in ‘Law of the Plainsman’ (1959-60).
Rogers’s first half of the 1960s was largely uneventful. He appeared in small roles in projects such as ‘The Dick Powell Theatre’ (1962), ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1962), ‘The Great Adventures’ (1963), ‘And Dr. Sex’ (1964), ‘Gunsmoke'(1959-65), and ‘The Fugitive’ (1966). He became a producer for the 1968 horror film The Astro Zombies, which turned his $47,000 investment into enormous profits.
Rogers appeared in seven episodes of the crime drama ‘The FBI’ as seven different characters. In the 1972 film Pocket Money, he acted alongside Paul Newman and Lee Marvin.
In 1975, he participated in the two-part CBS television film ‘Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan,’ which was a fictionalized account of the 1964 disappearance and murder of three Mississippi Civil Rights activists. Rogers was cast as Don Foster, FBI Special Agent (based on real-life FBI agent John Proctor).
He also had important parts in the short-lived historical detective series ‘City of Angels’ (1976) and the sitcom House Calls’ (1979–1982), for which he and co-star Lynn Redgrave were nominated for Golden Globes.
He had a recurring role in ‘Murder, She Wrote with Angela Lansbury. He replaced Larry Hagman in the 1985 reunion film “I Dream of Jeannie… Fifteen Years Later” as astronaut Tony Nelson. In 1988, he hosted ‘High Risk’ on CBS, a critically panned program featuring “high-risk” stunts and occupations such as cave exploration, car repossession, and border patrol.
Rogers’ depiction of Morris Dees in the biographical courtroom drama ‘Ghosts of Mississippi’ was highly praised by critics. After retiring from performing following the publication of “Nobody Knows Anything!,” he stayed busy as a producer for many years. Jamesy Boy, a 2014 crime drama, was one of his final films as a producer.
Because of his financial acumen, he was dubbed “The Wizard.” During his tenure on ‘M*A*S*H,’ he began to acquire an interest in real estate and the stock market, eventually becoming a successful investor and money manager. Between 2012 and 2015, he appeared frequently as an expert panelist on the Fox Business Network’s ‘Cashin’ In’ investment/stocks news show.
Wayne Rogers’s Major Opera
In NBC’s situational comedy ‘M*A*S*H,’ Wayne Rogers as Captain “Trapper” John McIntyre, an impulsive and optimistic thoracic surgeon who is the perfect counterpart for the jaded and pragmatic chief surgeon Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) (short for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital).
The series was influenced by the 1970 American satirical black comedy ‘Mash,’ which was adapted from Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel’MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors’ and told the story of the staff of an army hospital during the Korean War attempting to find humor despite their dire circumstances.
Rogers had originally intended to audition for Pierce but ultimately determined that the character was too cynical. He was instead invited to screen test for McIntyre, who had a more optimistic view. Assuring him that both personas would have equal significance, he accepted the role.
Even though the show was a critical and economic success and had a remarkable 11-season run (1972-1983), he quit in 1975 because he believed the writers were giving Alda the finest lines and dramatic moments.
Rogers responded to the producers’ breach of contract lawsuit by filing a countersuit. After a year of court processes, the dispute was ultimately resolved.
Awards & Achievements
Wayne Rogers received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7018 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on December 13, 2005.
Personal Life and Heritage
Wayne Rogers had been married twice. In New York in the late 1950s, he met his first wife, the actress Mitzi McWhorter. They were married in 1960. McWhorter gave birth to his children, William Rogers IV, and Laura Rogers. Although they divorced formally in 1983, they had already been living apart for four years.
He married Amy Hirsh in 1988. In addition, he supposedly had a 1986-born son named Luigi Calabrese with actress Melinda Naud.
Rogers passed away in Los Angeles, California on December 31, 2015, at the age of 82, owing to complications from a severe attack of pneumonia. His spouse, three children, and four grandchildren survive him.
Estimated Net Worth
The net worth of the American actor and investor Wayne Rogers was $75 million. Wayne Rogers, who was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1933, obtained a degree in history from Princeton University in New Jersey in 1954. After completing his service in the United States Navy, he launched a career in acting.
Trivia
Rogers owned three residences: one in Los Angeles, one in Destin, and one in Deer Valley, Utah.