Wayne Rogers

In Wayne Rogers’ varied stage, screen and television career (“M*A*S*H,” “House Calls” and dozens of major film, mini-series and MOWs,) he has on occasion been cast as a powerful mover in the world of finance and commerce. But none of these characters was as successful and influential an entrepreneur or financier as Rogers is in real life. Even though he has resumed his celebrated acting career, Rogers is also the exceedingly active Managing Director of Stop-N-Save, a privately held convenience store chain based in Tallahassee, Florida, the Broadway producer of numerous smash hits, bank owner, a ‘mover and shaker’ in the burgeoning bridal business -- as Chairman of the legendary Kleinfeld, the largest bridal retailer in the country -- top financier and economic guru to other top artists and business men. Wayne’s business savvy has earned him a spot as a regular contributor for the Fox News Channel’s business shows, including their top rated weekly Saturday morning program “Cashin’ In.”

Having taken a hiatus from acting and film-making for several years to pursue his demanding business interests, Wayne Rogers has occasionally returned to acting and producing over the past half decade. He earned rave reviews for his recent starring performance at Los Angeles’ Geffen Playhouse in the John Robin Baitz comedy, “Mizlansky/Zilinsky” and starred in the independent “Gaslight”-genre thriller, “Frozen With Fear,” a rare shot at screen villainy for the actor, but the period has been devoted primarily to the management of major firms and dispensing his economic and financial wisdom.

Rob Reiner's Oscar-nominated film, “Ghosts of Mississippi” was his most recent major acting endeavor, and he was both host and producer (with wife Amy Hirsh Rogers) of the


weekly entertainment news magazine show, "AMC's Hollywood Reports" on the American Movie Classics cable channel. He and his wife also produced Emmy and ACE Award-winning TV movies through their Stargazer Entertainment Inc. production company, with films starring Brian Dennehy, Roy Scheider, Sonia Braga and Hume Cronyn.

Wayne Rogers is one of those rare people who are able to do a lot of things well at the same time. His highly hyphenated activities have included starring in top series, theatrical films and MOWs and producing such theatrical films as "Once In Paris" and "The Gig," the award-winning HBO films "Age-Old Friends" and "Perfect Witness" and, on Broadway, many of Neil Simons' biggest hits. His business and economic expertise has evolved into his business management of other top Hollywood talents, running banks, heading major investment firms, and appearing as expert witness before the House Banking Committee.

Rogers became one of Hollywood's most popular stars (as measured by TVQ ratings as well as media pulse-takers) by portraying immensely affable leads in such programs as " House Calls " and “ M*A*S*H." When TV Guide saluted the 50th anniversary of CBS-TV with a national survey, an American audience poll selected Wayne Rogers and Alan Alda as their favorite comedy duo of all time. But Rogers has always been an inveterate risk-taker and has never shied from a good “bad guy” role. Always relying on his certainty that no man is a villain to himself, he created one of TV's most memorable villains when he portrayed a dangerously immoral child molester in the critically honored "One Terrific Guy." His portrayal made


headlines when it prompted a young California girl to confront a molester whose abuse she had feared to expose. The man was convicted and sent to prison. Also powerful were his depiction of an insensitive but redeemable auto-dealer-cum-jazz musician in "The Gig," a corrupt politician in the mini-series "Bluegrass" and a wife-rapist in "The Killing Time" with Kiefer Sutherland.

He is partnered with his wife, Amy, in Stargazer Entertainment, Inc. Amy, formerly producer of "Good Morning America," and Rogers met, ironically, when Rogers took over as host of GMA for a week and it climb to its highest ratings of the year. The couple returned to TV news magazine production with "AMC's Hollywood Reports," which brought him back to the interviewer game. "Reports" had the distinction of interviewing stars of previous decades whose work had attracted a passionate audience of new fans through their rediscovery on cable TV.

Wayne Rogers was born in Birmingham, Alabama. He graduated from Princeton University with a degree in history. He had dabbled in dramatics in college, performing in Princeton's Triangle show, but it was during naval service as a navigator that it first occurred to him to become a professional actor.

After being discharged from the Navy as a lieutenant, he studied at Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse and with dancer Martha Graham, working as a waiter and lifeguard to pay the bills, sharing an apartment with Peter Falk. Rogers landed a part in the road company of "No Time For Sergeants" and "Teahouse Of The August Moon," and earned television credits on Armstrong's Circle Theater, Studio One, Kraft Playhouse and Camera Three.

In 1959, Rogers appeared on the Dick Powell Theater, then became a regular on “Stagecoach West" and made his motion picture debut in Robert Wise's "Odds Against Tomorrow" with Robert Ryan, Harry Belafonte, Ed Begley and Shelley Winters. After guest appearances in such television shows as "The Fugitive," "Gunsmoke," and "The FBI," and roles in such motion pictures as "Cool Hand Luke," "Pocket Money" and "WUSA," all three directed by Stuart Rosenberg and starring Paul Newman, he was given the coveted role of "Trapper John" on the "M*A*S*H*" series.

His television exposure has included such TV movies and mini-series as "It Happened One Christmas" with Marlo Thomas, "Lady From Yesterday" and the highly-rated "Chiefs." He also starred in two series, "City Of Angels," for NBC and the long running "House Calls" for CBS.

Rogers' record as a co-producer of award -winning Broadway plays includes "Brighton Beach Memoirs," "Biloxi Blues" and "The New Odd Couple." Theater-trained as an actor, he has returned to the boards to star in productions as diverse as Chekov's "Uncle Vanya" and Joe Orton's "What the Butler Saw."

In addition to his acting, producing and business ventures, Wayne Rogers manages to play tennis and golf for fun and in tournaments whenever his schedule permits.


CONTACT: RONA MENASHE, 310/246-4600