
Rogers was born to Maude and Bert Henry Rogers in Olathe, Kansas. He studied at the University of Kansas where he became an active member of Phi Kappa Psi. In the mid-1920s he began acting professionally in Hollywood films. A talented trombonist skilled on several other musical instruments, Rogers performed with his own jazz band in motion pictures and on radio. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy as a flight training instructor.

According to American Dance Bands On Record and Film (1915–1942), compiled by Richard J. Johnson and Bernard H. Shirley (Rustbooks Publishing, 2010), Rogers was not a bandleader in the normal use of the term. Instead, he was a film actor who fronted a band for publicity purposes. His later bands were organized by Milt Shaw. In 1930, he recorded 2 records for Columbia as a solo singer with a small jazz band accompanying. In 1932, he signed with Victor and recorded 4 sweet dance band records. In 1938, He signed with Vocalion and recorded 6 swing records (see below).

Nicknamed "Buddy", his most remembered performance in film was opposite Clara Bow in the 1927 Academy Award winning Wings, the first film ever honored as Best Picture. In 1968, he appeared as himself in an episode of Petticoat Junction entitled "Wings". (The episode was in direct reference to the silent movie.)
Respected by his peers for his work in film and for his humanitarianism, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored Rogers in 1986 with The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Rogers has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6135 Hollywood Blvd.

A longtime resident and benefactor of California's Coachella Valley, Rogers was honored by having named after him a children's symphony orchestra that he and second wife, Beverley Ricondo, a real estate agent he married in 1981, helped found. A street in Cathedral City, California is named after him as well.
In 1993, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him.
In 1937, Rogers became the third husband of silent film legend Mary Pickford, a woman twelve years his senior. The couple adopted two children—Roxanne (born 1944, adopted in 1944) and Ronald Charles (born 1937, adopted in 1943)—and remained married for 42 years until Pickford's death in 1979.
Rogers died in Rancho Mirage, California, in 1999 at the age of 94 of natural causes, and was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Cathedral City, near Palm Springs.
February 27, 1930 & March 4, 1930(I'd like to be) A Bee in Your Boudoir/My Future Just Passed (Columbia 2193-D)March 4, 1930Any Time's the Time to Fall in Love/(Up on Top of a Rainbow) Sweepin' the Clouds Away (Columbia 2143-D)as Buddy Rogers and His California Cavaliers
April 18, 1932You Fascinate Me/Hello,Gorgeous (Victor 24001)May 11, 1932In My Hideaway/Happy-Go-Lucky You (And Broken-Hearted Me) (Victor 24015)May 18, 1932I Beg Your Pardon, Mademoiselle/With My Sweetie in the Moonlight (Victor 24031)Please Handle with Care/Ask Yourself Who Loves You (Victor 24049)as Buddy Rogers and his Famous Swing Band
(vocals by Buddy Rogers, except Bob Hannon# or Joe Mooney@, or Elizabeth Tilton$)
April 15, 1938Lovelight in the Starlight#/This Time It's Real# (Vocalion 4058)Moonshine over Kentucky (v/BR)/Little Lady Make-Believe# (Vocalion 4071)June 29, 1938Figaro#/Meet the Beat of My Heart# (Vocalion 4227)Happy as a Lark (v/BR)/The Sunny Side of Things@ (Vocalion 4240)September 17, 1938You Can't Be Mine (And Someone Else's Too)$/While A Cigarette Was Burning$ (Vocalion 4408)This Is Madness (to Love Like This)#/Rainbow 'Round the Moon (instrumental) (Vocalion 4422)Actor
1968
Petticoat Junction (TV Series) as
Buddy Rogers
- Wings (1968) - Buddy Rogers (as Buddy Rogers)
1967
The Lucy Show (TV Series) as
Buddy
- Lucy and Carol Burnett: Part 2 (1967) - Buddy (as Buddy Rogers)
1957
The Parson and the Outlaw as
Rev. Jericho Jones (as Buddy Rogers)
1948
An Innocent Affair as
Claude Kimball
1942
Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost as
Dennis Lindsay
1942
Mexican Spitfire at Sea as
Dennis Lindsay
1941
Sing for Your Supper as
Larry Hays
1941
The Mexican Spitfire's Baby as
Dennis Lindsay
1941
Golden Hoofs as
Dean MacArdle
1939
Swing Vacation (Short)(as Charles 'Buddy' Rogers and His Orchestra)
1937
This Way Please as
Brad Morgan
1937
Let's Make a Night of It as
Jack Kent (as Buddy Rogers)
1936
Once in a Million as
Pierre (as Charles Rogers)
1935
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle (Short) as
'Buddy' Rogers (as Charles ['Buddy'] Rogers and his California Cavaliers)
1935
Old Man Rhythm as
Johnny Roberts
1935
Dance Band as
Buddy Milton (as Buddy Rogers)
1933
Take a Chance as
Kenneth Raleigh
1933
Best of Enemies as
Jimmie Hartman (as Buddy Rogers)
1933
Nick Kenny's Radio Thrills No. 2 (Short) as
Singer
1932
Running Hollywood (Short) as
Buddy Rogers
1932
This Reckless Age as
Bradley Ingals
1931
Working Girls as
Boyd Wheeler
1931
The Road to Reno as
Tom Wood
1931
The Lawyer's Secret as
Laurie Roberts (as Charles Rogers)
1931
The Stolen Jools (Short) as
'Buddy' Rogers (as Buddy Rogers)
1930
Along Came Youth as
Larry Brooks
1930
Heads Up as
Jack Mason (as Charles Rogers)
1930
Follow Thru as
Jerry Downes
1930
Safety in Numbers as
William Butler Reynolds
1930
Paramount on Parade as
Buddy Rogers - Episode 'Love Time' (as Buddy Rogers)
1930
Young Eagles as
Lieutenant Robert Banks
1929
Half Way to Heaven as
Ned Lee
1929
Illusion as
Carlee Thorpe
1929
The River of Romance as
Tom Rumford
1928
Red Lips as
Hugh Carver / Buddy (as Charles Rogers)
1928
Someone to Love as
William Shelby
1928
Abie's Irish Rose as
Abie Levy
1927
Get Your Man as
Robert Albin (as Charles Rogers)
1927
My Best Girl as
Joe Grant (as Charles Rogers)
1927
Wings as
Jack Powell (as Charles Rogers)
1926
So's Your Old Man as
Kenneth Murchison
1926
More Pay - Less Work as
Willia Hinchfield (as Charles Rogers)
1926
Fascinating Youth as
Teddy Ward
Producer
1997
Mary Pickford: A Life on Film (Documentary) (executive producer)
1958
Hot Rod Gang (executive producer - as Charles Buddy Rogers)
1958
High School Hellcats (executive producer - as Charles Buddy Rogers)
1957
The Parson and the Outlaw (producer)
1948
Sleep, My Love (producer - as Chas. Buddy Rogers)
1947
Stork Bites Man (producer)
1947
The Adventures of Don Coyote (producer - as Buddy Rogers)
1946
Susie Steps Out (producer)
1946
Little Iodine (producer)
Soundtrack
2014
Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind (performer: "IT'S ONLY A PAPER MOON")
1937
This Way Please (performer: "Is It Love or Infatuation?")
1935
Pirate Party on Catalina Isle (Short) (performer: "12th Street Rag" - uncredited)
1935
Old Man Rhythm (performer: "I Never Saw a Better Night")
1933
New Deal Rhythm (Short) (performer: "New Deal Rhythm" - uncredited)
1933
Take a Chance (performer: "It's Only a Paper Moon", "New Deal Rhythm" - uncredited)
1930
Follow Thru (performer: "A Peach of a Pair", "It Must Be You" - uncredited)
1930
Safety in Numbers ("Do You Play, Madam?", "I'd Like to Be a Bee in Your Boudoir", "You Appeal to Me", uncredited) / (performer: "My Future Just Passed", "Do You Play, Madam?", "I'd Like to Be a Bee in Your Boudoir", "The Pick-Up", "You Appeal to Me" - uncredited)
1930
Paramount on Parade (performer: "Anytime's the Time to Fall in Love")
1929
Close Harmony (performer: "I'm All A-Twitter And All A-Twirl")
Self
1999
Clara Bow: Discovering the It Girl (TV Movie documentary) as
Self - Clara's co-star in 'Wings' (voice, as Buddy Rogers)
1997
Mary Pickford: A Life on Film (Documentary) as
Self / Various Roles
1996
Lights, Camera, Action!: A Century of the Cinema (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Self
- The Sound of Music (1996) - Self (as 'Buddy' Rogers)
1995
Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick (Documentary) as
Self
1992
The 9th Annual American Cinema Awards (TV Special) as
Self
1989
This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Douglas Fairbanks Jr (1989) - Self
1989
The 61st Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Performer
1988
The 60th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Audience Member
1988
Talking Pictures (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- The Coming of Sound (1988) - Self
1986
All-Star Party for Clint Eastwood (TV Special) as
Self
1986
Hour Magazine (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 21 November 1986 (1986) - Self
1986
The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults (TV Special documentary) as
Self (as Buddy Rogers)
1985
All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan (TV Special) as
Self (uncredited)
1978
AFI Life Achievement Award (TV Series) as
Self / Self - Audience Member (uncredit) / Self - Audience Member
- AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Lillian Gish (1984) - Self (uncredited)
- AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Fred Astaire (1981) - Self - Audience Member (uncredit)
- AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Henry Fonda (1978) - Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
1980
Tomorrow Coast to Coast (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode dated 15 April 1980 (1980) - Self
1980
Hollywood (TV Mini Series documentary) as
Self
- End of an Era (1980) - Self
- Star Treatment (1980) - Self
- Hollywood Goes to War (1980) - Self (as Charles Buddy Rogers)
1976
The 48th Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - In Audience
1975
Gallery (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Whatever Became of Hollywood? (1975) - Self
1974
The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #13.181 (1974) - Self
1971
The David Frost Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #4.26 (1971) - Self
1969
The Merv Griffin Show (TV Series) as
Self - Guest / Self
- A Special Salute to the Silent Screen with guests Richard Arlen, Buddy Rogers, Jackie Coogan, Babe London, Chester Conklin, Ken Maynard, Neil Hamilton and many other silent screen stars. (1971) - Self - Guest
- Albert King, Dorothy Loudon, Jackie Mason, Buddy Rogers, Leonard Spigelgass (1969) - Self
1970
Johnny Carson Presents the Sun City Scandals '70 (TV Movie) as
Self
1949
The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) as
Self - Audience Bow / Self - Actor / Audience Bow / ...
- Episode #22.20 (1969) - Self - Audience Bow
- Episode #2.49 (1949) - Self - Actor / Audience Bow
- Episode #2.46 (1949) - Self - Singer
1969
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) as
Self - Guest
- (From Los Angeles) Don Adams, Richard Harris, Buddy Rogers, Kaye Ballard (1969) - Self - Guest
1967
Gypsy (TV Series) as
Self - singer / actor
- Marie Windsor, Buddy Rogers, Messanie Wilkins (1967) - Self - singer / actor
1963
Delta Kappa Alpha Silver Anniversary Banquet (TV Movie documentary) as
Self
1957
This Is Your Life (TV Series) as
Self
- Richard Arlen (1961) - Self
- Jesse L. Lasky (1957) - Self
1955
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Plays Golf (Short) as
Self
1952
Songs for Sale (TV Series) as
Self
- Episode #3.47 (1952) - Self
1950
Cavalcade of Bands (TV Series) as
Self - Host / Self / Self - Emcee
- Final Show (1951) - Self - Host
- Sammy Kaye (1951) - Self - Host
- Morey Amsterdam, Rosemary Clooney, Freddy Martin (1951) - Self - Host
- Peggy Lee, Joey Bishop (1951) - Self - Host
- Freddy Martin, Ginny Simms, Jimmy Nelson (1951) - Self - Host
- Charlie Spivak (1951) - Self - Host
- Peggy Lee, Marsha Van Dyke, Claude Thornhill, Billy Vine (1951) - Self - Host
1951
The Ken Murray Show (TV Series) as
Self
- Ginger Rogers/Robert Young/Buddy Rogers/Charles Coburn/Morton Downey/William Gargan/Susan Peters/Vice President Alben Barkley (1951) - Self
1951
The Buddy Rogers Show (TV Series) as
Self - Host
- Special evening audition with guest W.C. Handy (1951) - Self - Host
- Cab Calloway, Frank Yankovic, Red Ingle, Phil Ohman (1951) - Self - Host
- Patricia Morison, the Charlie Barnet Orchestra (1951) - Self - Host
- Connie Haines, Tex Ritter (1951) - Self - Host
- Nat King Cole, Jimmy McHugh, The Weavers (1951) - Self - Host
- Peggy Lee, Dave Barbour, Miguelito Valdes (1951) - Self - Host
- The Paige Cavanaugh Trio, Red Nichols & His Pennies, Jon & Sondra Steele, the Starlighters (1951) - Self - Host
- Carl Ravazza, the George Shearing Quintet, The Weavers (1951) - Self - Host
- Count Basie, Toni Arden (1951) - Self - Host
- Tex Ritter, Merle Travis, Wesley Tuttle (1951) - Self - Host
- Miquelito Valdes, Cab Calloway, Frank Yankovic (1951) - Self - Host
- Mel Torme, Lionel Hampton, The King Sisters, Alvino Rey (1951) - Self - Host
- Gale Storm, Felix Adler, The Robinsons Skaters, The Ike Carpenter Orchestra (1951) - Self - Host
- Nat King Cole, Patricia Morison, Susan Raye, The Charlie Barnet Orchestra (1951) - Self - Host
1949
Maggi's Private Wire (TV Series) as
Self - Announcer
- Buddy Lester (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Sammy White (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Gloria DeHaven (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Gypsy Rose Lee and Betty Betz (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Faye Emerson and Garry Moore (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Joey Adams (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Anita Colby (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Earl Wilson (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Roberta Alda, Lee Bowman (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Premiere on CBS - guests: Jack Carson and Lola Albright (1950) - Self - Announcer
- Bill Talbert, Osa Johnson (1949) - Self - Announcer
- Donald Richards (1949) - Self - Announcer
- Lawrence Tibbett, Carol Stone (1949) - Self - Announcer
- John Carradine, Henry Scott (1949) - Self - Announcer
- Meg Mundy and Richard Hart (1949) - Self - Announcer
- Lee Tracy (1949) - Self - Announcer
1949
20 Questions (TV Series) as
Self
- Buddy Rogers (1949) - Self
1949
We, the People (TV Series) as
Self - Actor
- Buddy Rogers, Frank Buck, Fritzi Scheff (1949) - Self - Actor
1946
Rough But Hopeful (Short) as
Self
1943
Screen Snapshots Series 23, No. 1: Hollywood in Uniform (Documentary short) as
Self
1942
Twelfth Street Rag (Short) as
Self
1941
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2 (Documentary short) as
Self - at Motion Picture Home Dedication (uncredited)
1941
Polo with the Stars (Short) as
Self - Polo Player (uncredited)
1940
Meet the Stars #1: Chinese Garden Festival (Documentary short) as
Self
1937
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 2 (Documentary short) as
Self
1933
New Deal Rhythm (Short) as
Self
1933
Rambling 'Round Radio Row #6 (Short) as
Self (as Buddy Rogers)
1930
Screen Snapshots Series 9, No. 13 (Short) as
Self
1927
A Trip Through the Paramount Studio (Documentary short) as
Self
Archive Footage
2017
The Best of Hollywood (TV Series documentary) as
Self - Interviewee
- Episode dated 27 October 2017 (2017) - Self - Interviewee
2017
The Fabulous Allan Carr (Documentary) as
Self
2012
Clara Bow: Hollywood's Lost Screen Goddess (TV Movie documentary) as
Jack Powell
2011
Fascination: An Unauthorized Tribute to Marilyn Monroe (Documentary) as
Self (as Buddy Rogers)
2008
Mary Pickford: The Muse of the Movies (Documentary) as
Self (as Buddy Rogers)
2007
Burn Hollywood Burn (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Mervyn K. Griffths (2007) - Self
2007
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk (Video documentary) as
Self - Actor
2005
American Experience (TV Series documentary) as
Self
- Mary Pickford (2005) - Self (as Buddy Rogers)
2005
The Great Man: W.C. Fields (Video documentary) as
Self
2000
The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) as
Self - Memorial Tribute
1982
Showbiz Ballyhoo (Documentary) as
Self
1980
Talking Film (TV Series) as
Self (1974)
- Horray for Hollywood (1980) - Self (1974) (as Buddy Rogers)
1965
Hollywood My Home Town (Documentary) as
Self
1964
Highlight: The Singing Cinema
1963
Hollywood Without Make-Up (Documentary) as
Self
1937
Screen Snapshots Series 17, No. 1 (Documentary short) as
Self
1937
Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 11 (Documentary short) as
Self
1931
The House That Shadows Built (Documentary)