about the author

WAYNE ROGERS is one of those rare people who are able to do a lot of things well at the same time. In his varied stage, screen, and television career, Wayne 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 Wayne is in real life.

Wayne is a founding shareholder in six banks and current owner in four banks; the active managing director and co-owner of Stop-N-Save, a privately held convenience store chain based in Tallahassee, Florida; the Broadway producer of numerous smash hits; the former owner of the Rancho Tierra Rejada vineyard; chairman and co-owner of the legendary Kleinfeld, the largest bridal retailer in the country; and a minor owner of the Oakland Athletics. He also serves on the board of directors of a NYSE semiconductor company, Vishay Intertechnology. Using his unique approach of “ask the consumer first,” Wayne has built successful housing developments in California, Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. He has also developed commercial and residential real estate, as well as hotels, in California, Utah, and Florida. His business expertise evolved into his management of other top Hollywood talents, led to his appearing as an expert witness before the House Banking Committee, and earned him his current spot as a panelist on the Fox Business Channel’s top-rated weekly show Cashin’ In.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Wayne 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 Neigh-borhood Playhouse and with dancer Martha Graham. Wayne 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. 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 M*A*S*H.

Wayne 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 the successful CBS series House Calls and the legendary M*A*S*H. When TV Guide saluted the 50th anniversary of CBS, a national audience poll selected Wayne Rogers and Alan Alda as their favorite comedy duo of all time. A highly truncated list of Wayne’s activities includes starring in the top TV series City of Angels on NBC and the long-running House Calls on CBS, theatrical films such as Rob Reiner’s Oscar-nominated Ghosts of Mississippi and The Killing Time with Kiefer Sutherland, and miniseries including It Happened One Christmas with Marlo Thomas, as well as 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 Simon’s biggest hits, including Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues, and The New Odd Couple.