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Gene McFall

TAHLEQUAH, OK - Actor Gene McFall adds color and commentary as Oklahoma's favorite son, Will Rogers in the Cherokee Heritage Center's Trail of Tears Drama. The Trail of Tears Drama opened in July and will run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. through Labor Day Weekend, with a special closing performance planned for Sunday, September 2. For ticket information, call 918-456-6007 or visit the website.

The drama begins with Will Rogers performing at the Ziegfeld Follies, when a technical problem occurs and Rogers begins to tell the story about his ancestors on The Trail Where They Cried.

Gene McFall has performed as Will Rogers in 43 states since 1982. He toured as James Whitmore's understudy in Will Rogers' USA, and was the first person other than Whitmore to tour that show.

In 1989, Mr. McFall spent hundreds of hours in research, drew upon his seven year performance experience as Rogers, and compiled his own show: The Witty World of Will Rogers. It is a show he feels suits him best as an actor and effectively presents Rogers' humor and philosophy.

Mr. McFall is a native Kentuckian, former basketball coach and has been a professional actor since 1966. He has been in notion pictures and on television in such programs as All in the Family, Benson, and Archie Bunker's Place.

McFall portrayed Will Rogers from ages 27 to 55 in Oklahoma Educational Television's highly acclaimed centennial mini-series, Oklahoma Passage. Other performances of note include the Energy Centennial with President George Bush, National Governor's Conference, Award Dinner for Jean Kirkpatrick, Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating's Inaugural Ball, and a dinner for Supreme Court Justice Byron White.