Gil Rogers (born John Veach Rogers Jr.; February 4, 1934 – March 2, 2021) was an American actor.

Early life

Rogers was born on February 4, 1934 in Lexington, Kentucky, where he was raised, as John Veach Rogers Jr.

Education

Rogers graduated from

Henry Clay High School Henry Clay High School is an American public high school in Lexington, Kentucky. Opened on Main Street in 1928, it was named in honor of the Kentuckian and United States statesman, Henry Clay. The Main Street location now houses the main offices ...

and then attended

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of high ...

majoring in chemistry, but later after deciding he wanted to pursue a career as an actor, transferred to

Transylvania University Transylvania University is a private university in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the Southern ...

because it had a drama department; he would later graduate from there.

Career

Rogers began acting as a child in Lexington Children's Theatre. Rogers received his equity card in 1955 while working in local theater in Lexington. He would go on to perform in hundreds of plays in summer stock and regional theater. His most notable theater roles include Broadway productions of ''

The Great White Hope ''The Great White Hope'' is a 1967 play written by Howard Sackler, later adapted in 1970 for a film of the same name. The play was first produced by Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. and debuted on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in October 1 ...

'', ''

The Corn is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...

'' and for 2 1/2 years played Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd in ''

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas'' is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grang ...

''. He is perhaps best known for his roles on several daytime dramas, most notably as Ray Gardner on '' All My Children'' and Hawk Shayne on '' Guiding Light''. He also starred in a series of

Grape-Nuts Grape-Nuts is a brand of breakfast cereal made from flour, salt and dried yeast, developed in 1897 by C. W. Post, a former patient and later competitor of the 19th-century breakfast food innovator Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. Post's original product ...

cereal commercials that ran on television for 5 years. His film roles include '' Eddie Macon's Run'', '' W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings'' and the cult horror film '' The Children''.

Personal life

Rogers married actress Juliet Ribet in 1964, and they divorced in 1969. He married actress Margaret Hall in 1970, and they remained wed until her death in 2015. They had a daughter, actress Amanda Hall Rogers.

Death

Rogers died in his sleep at his daughter's residence in Encinitas, California, on March 2, 2021, at the age of 87.

Filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rogers, Gil 1934 births 2021 deaths Male actors from Kentucky American male film actors American male soap opera actors American male television actors American male stage actors People from Lexington, Kentucky