REVISED 5/2023
ROGER DAVIS
BIOGRAPHY


Roger as a student at Castle Heights Military Academy

THE EARLY YEARS...

Jon Roger Davis was born in Louisville, Kentucky on April 5 to Edwin and Virginia Davis.  Roger and brothers Edwin Jr. and Brent, enjoyed a privileged childhood, spending summer vacations at the family farm in Bowling Green, KY, where Davis had his own Shetland pony, a prize pig, along with hunting woods and a corn and tobacco field where he loved to play 'cowboy.'  Roger attended grade school in Louisville, where his acting abilities surfaced early.  At age 9, he played the Archbishop in Louisville's famed Children's Theater production of Mark Twain's "The Prince and the Pauper."  Davis's high school years were spent in Lebanon, Tennessee, where he attended Castle Heights Military Academy. He was a star on the debating team (winning an eight-state debating championship, as well as the National Forensic League's top award.) Roger lettered in cross-country, track and swimming.  He graduated the school's second-highest ranking cadet, and was one of just six cadets selected to graduate Cum Honore.  His name is permanently engraved in gold leaf on the wall of the academy's alumni association.  Thereafter, Davis was accepted into the Ivy League's Columbia University in New York City.

At Columbia, Roger majored in American and British literature and minored in the fine arts of architecture, and his acting ability got him leading roles in college theatrical productions, including the "Varsity" show (the Columbia players' major production, directed that year by Brian DePalma, a fellow classmate.)  "I love acting and architecture," Davis told Teen Life magazine in 1969.  While at Columbia, Roger studied acting under drama coach Michael Howard in Greenwich Village, and later in Los Angeles with Curt Conway, Eric Morris and Lonnie Chapman.  His acting classmates included Jack Nicholson, Ellen Burstyn, and even Francis Ford Coppola.  "I think it's almost natural to go from an interest in literature to an interest in acting," Davis told Teen Life in 1970.  "When you understand character and motivation and plot, you can naturally move to wanting to create it yourself.  You can either write or interpret what others have written.  I chose to do the interpreting, which is acting."

At the insistence of his father, Edwin, a racehorse owner who doubted Roger's choice of an acting career ("When are you going to give up this foolishness and do something legitimate?" his father would ask him,) Davis was accepted at both Columbia and Harvard law schools, but decided to instead pursue a teaching fellowship opportunity to instruct two classes of freshman English and a short novel course at UCLA, right after graduation.  He made the trip to California by bus with only $13 to his name.  Roger supported himself by pumping gas and waiting tables--occasionally clocking 90 hours a week working the graveyard shift.  While employed at UCLA, he worked on a master's degree in English (specifically, 18th century literature) and wrote his thesis on Robert Frost.

But even with the prospect of stardom, Davis never abandoned his interest in architecture...most recently fueled by courses taken for his minor at Columbia:  Starting in late 1961, as much as his teaching salary would permit, Roger began to invest in real estate, buying and renovating depressed residential properties to resell.  His first project involved gutting, redesigning and rebuilding a home in Benedict Canyon (just north of the UCLA campus.)  It was the beginning of a separate, concurrent career that continues today...one that Davis has grown from quick-turn renovations into the ultimate merger of his creative abilities, expertise, insight and ingenuity...with an eye for developing compelling designs and intricate detail meant to be respected and appreciated through the ages.  Roger admits that he has always loved architecture and could easily spend every minute on a building project:  "Architecture has always been my delight--and the putting up and pulling down my favorite amusement."

Davis never expected to start acting professionally so soon after college.  He credits viewing the 1962 film, "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner" with giving him the impetus to keep up that pursuit...and it wasn't long before an opportunity presented itself that changed the course of his life.  Roger explains:  "A girl in one of the English classes I taught was doing a scene out at Warner Bros.  She asked me if I would play the part of Bo in a scene from the play, 'Bus Stop.'  Now...she's 19 and I'm 21, (but) it was a big deal (to her) because I'm her teacher."  Davis obviously made a good impression on the show's noted director, Robert Altman, and its creator, Roy Huggins: Immediately after finishing graduate school, he was signed to Warner Bros. as a contract player for $850 a week.
 
 

.

ROGER'S ACTING CAREER TAKES OFF...

Roger's professional acting debut came in 1962 on the Warner Bros. TV series, "The Gallant Men," shown on ABC. He played Private Roger Gibson in this World War II drama about the American campaign in Italy; it was initially directed by Davis's mentor at WB, Robert Altman.  "The Gallant Men" ran until mid-1963.

Next, Davis was asked to replace Ryan O'Neal in the retooled and shortened (30-minute) version of NBC-TV's first full-color show, the hour-long western series "Empire," which was renamed "Redigo."  He accepted and stayed with the series until its cancellation in 1964.  Roger had recently appeared in the movie, "PT109" in July, 1963, and in the cult-classic beach flick, "Ride the Wild Surf," starring Fabian, in August, 1964 (Roger first met actor Peter Duel at the movie's auditions; it was the first of many times their careers crossed paths.)  Davis also did guest leads on an episode of "The Twilight Zone" in February, 1964 and on "Bonanza" in November, 1966.

In 1965, Roger was newly signed to Screen Gems (the television division of Columbia Pictures,) where he rejected an offer to star on the upcoming TV program, "Love on a Rooftop," in favor of a TV series pilot based on the classic 1953 movie, "From Here to Eternity."  Screen Gems producer Jerry Davis tried to talk Davis out of the remake.  "He said to me, 'You're turning down a role that's perfect for you, that will make you a star...it will allow this gift for light humor that you have to come through, and you're going to go off and do the Montgomery Clift role in 'From Here to Eternity?'" Roger recalls.  "Jerry continued: 'You'll only be compared, and never favorably, because Montgomery Clift OWNS that role...you're making a big mistake.'  Well, he was right."  Peter Duel was cast instead in "Rooftop."

1966:  ROGER GETS SERIOUS...

After reading the D. H. Lawrence short story, "Things," Davis reevaluated his life, liquidated all his frivolous "things," and returned to New York in 1966 to pursue a serious acting career.  He immediately captured one of the two lead roles in the political satire "MacBird!" as the Bobby Kennedy-patterned character, Robert Ken O'Dunc, at a 'love of the art' salary of $100 per week.  "MacBird!" was a play that poked fun at the Lyndon Johnson/Robert Kennedy powerplay with a Shakespearean approach.  Davis co-starred with Stacy Keach and played before audiences first at the Charles Playhouse in Boston, and later in New York City (replacing departing actor William Devane, who had played the O'Dunc role there.)  The show ran a year off-Broadway.  Critics in Boston raved at Davis' performance:  "Remember the name Roger Davis," they wrote.  "It's one you're going to be hearing about for years to come.  This guy has talent."  Even Bobby Kennedy's wife Ethel attended one of the shows, and told her husband of Roger's wonderful performance...and, at Bobby's insistence, Roger met Mr. Kennedy after the show one evening.  "I hear you play me with a lot of love," he told Davis.  But tragedy struck just a few months later when Bobby was assassinated in LA, just as "MacBird!" was preparing for its Broadway debut.  The play was put on indefinite hold, and Roger began searching for his next role.

After the production ended, Roger was referred to his first voiceover job by someone familiar with his "MacBird!" character, who thought a Bobby Kennedy imitation would be the perfect way to sell Anacin.  Davis first voiced the spot with his well-honed, Kennedy-esque dialect, but the producers got cold feet over the prospect of being sued over such an impersonation.  They asked Roger to read it again in his own voice.  They were awed with his natural Henry Fonda-sounding vocals, and Roger's career as a voiceover professional took off thereafter.

"DARK SHADOWS," COMMERCIALS AND JACLYN SMITH...

1968 was a pivotal year for Roger; he signed with Universal Studios and was offered the romantic lead as lawyer Peter Bradford in ABC's afternoon gothic soap "Dark Shadows." Davis would go on to play eight different roles on "Dark Shadows" between January 11, 1968 and March 11, 1970, including Peter Bradford (1968-69, 1970,) Jeff Clark (1968-69,) Ghost of Peter Bradford (1968-69,) Ned Stuart (1969,) Dirk Wilkins (1969,) and Charles Delaware Tate (1969-70;) he appeared in 129 episodes and in the movie, "House of Dark Shadows."  "Getting a part on 'Dark Shadows' was one of the best things that ever happened to me," Roger told Teen Life magazine in 1970, "But I feel strongly that I can't rest on that alone.  I want to do more things."

Also, Roger met his future wife, Ellen "Jaclyn" Smith, on an elevator in New York City that July (they had both just gone on a commercial audition, and Roger, who kept his own car in the city, gave Ellen a ride back uptown to her parents' hotel, and was introduced to who would soon be his father- and mother-in-law.)  After two dates and a short courtship, Roger and Jaclyn were married at Bethany Methodist Church, in her hometown of Houston, on November 29, 1968.  Smith had only recently moved to NYC to pursue an education in ballet, and was about to take on her first modeling job when she met Davis.  Later, at Roger's suggestion, Jaclyn was to audition for the part of Victoria Winters (Roger's on-screen wife) on "Dark Shadows" when Alexandria Moltke departed the show because of pregnancy, but Jaclyn decided not to...and producers were not very excited anyway about the idea of Roger's character being married to his leading lady, both on AND off screen!  Jaclyn later became the popular "Breck Girl" in shampoo commercials, and on to "Charlie's Angels" in 1976.

..
Roger, plugging Brut 33 cologne in the early 1970s:  "The thing today is to express your own self," he advised viewers, "Men don't have
to worry anymore if our hair is a little bit too long, or about putting something that smells good and feels good on your face...and body."
Watch the commercial here

Roger's career as a voiceover announcer was booming as well; he and Jaclyn appeared as announcer and actress in commercials for "Close-Up" toothpaste and for Dial soap in the early 1970s.  Davis earned a $250,000 salary in 1971 for his voice work, including spots for Canada Dry that netted him $100,000 alone!  (And a far cry from the $3 total he admitted to making for the year 1966.)  Roger appeared on-camera for Brut 33, and with actress Lauren Hutton on some Canada Dry ads as well.  He also did commercial voiceovers for McDonalds, American Express, Nationwide Insurance, Plymouth, Salem Cigarettes (as actor and announcer,) Norelco, Gold Medal Flour, Philco refrigerators, Dad's Root Beer, The Red Cross, Equitable Life Insurance, Heinz Ketchup, Mrs. Paul's Yams, Armour Star Bacon, Glad Bags, Kawasaki, Quiet World, and even Forest Lawn Cemeteries in Los Angeles!  Roger also wrote, directed and voiced commercial spots for his father's business, Modern Hi-Cap Tire Company, in Louisville (which he purchased the balance of 100% of the stock from his brothers upon his father's death; Roger continues to own it today.)  Davis was honored by both the New York Advertising Board and the National Board of Advertisers for his voiceover work.

In what appeared to be his big break into movies, Davis won the lead role in the avant-garde motion picture, "Parachute to Paradise."  He took a break from "Dark Shadows" during mid-1968 to film it, but a post-production fallout between writer and producer permanently relegated the film to the vaults.  Then, in 1970, Roger starred in an ABC-TV "Movie of the Week" presentation, "The Young Country" (with his friend Peter Duel; producer Roy Huggins knew Davis from the "Bus Stop" audition mentioned earlier, and had recently seen him on a Canada Dry spot...and offered him the job; Davis left "Dark Shadows" for good in March, 1970, to film "The Young Country.")  This was followed by "River of Gold" in 1971, another ABC made-for-TV movie; both motion pictures were considered pilots, but neither was picked up as a series.  Davis also did guest leads on "The Bold Ones," "The Most Deadly Game" (produced by Aaron Spelling,) and "The Big Valley" during this period.  And, despite Roger's acting roles and voiceover assignments being based mostly in LA, he and Jaclyn chose to remain in New York and commuted to the West Coast when needed.  The couple kept homes in both places.

.
TV Guide reports on the death of Pete Duel
and the hiring of Roger for Pete's role

ROGER BECOMES AN ON-SCREEN COWBOY...

After good reviews for "The Young Country" in 1971, Roger was offered the lead role in the movie, "The Day of the Jackal," by "From Here to Eternity" director Fred Zinnemann, but Davis turned it down...setting his sights on a new western series from Aaron Spelling Productions, entitled  "Alias Smith and Jones" (Davis had just worked for Spelling on an episode of "The Most Deadly Game.")  It featured Roger's friend and co-star from "The Young Country," Peter Duel, plus producer Roy Huggins.  (Some accounts say that Roger auditioned for Ben Murphy's eventual role.)  Davis was instead hired as the show's narrator, and also guest-starred on an October, 1971 episode (where Roger's character had the distinction of being the only man killed by character Kid Curry in the course of the show!)

Sadly, the show's co-star Peter Duel lived a troubled and depressed existence.  When he committed suicide early in the morning of December 31, 1971, Davis was tapped to replace Duel in the role of Hannibal Heyes/Joshua Smith (being quickly chosen over actor George Peppard.)  Roger had just wrapped up a voice work project in Denver the morning Peter died, doing a marathon 48 radio spots, including 35 for Ponderosa Steakhouses.  Davis was en route to nearby Aspen for some skiing when he was detained at the airport by officials sent to locate him.  He was hired for Duel's role by producer Roy Huggins over the phone, and returned immediately to California, where production on the show hastily resumed the day after Peter was buried!  Davis had to recreate Duel's scenes for the "Biggest Game in the West" episode that Duel had already partially filmed.  "They even gave me Pete's dressing room," Roger explains, "His clothes, his personal belongings, even his cigarettes were still in there."  The first day of filming was well documented as tense and somber for the cast and crew, and none were in any mood to tape a lighthearted program.  Films of Duel's performance in that episode were viewed over and over that day so Roger could duplicate Peter's actions...casting even more of a pall over the production.  And Davis confirms an long-standing suspicion by "Alias" fans that an existing clip of Duel remained in the episode:  "That's Pete...it's the back of Pete (as) he walks into a hotel."

While expecting apprehension from the show's stars and writers, Davis was eventually welcomed into the fold, and the show ran another year, until January, 1973.  ("Alias" was first up against NBC's popular "Flip Wilson Show" on Thursdays, then opposite the CBS powerhouse "All in the Family" on Saturdays during its last season, where it quickly faltered...Roger said, "Even my own parents watched 'All in the Family' first, then tuned in to the last half-hour of 'Smith and Jones!'")  The BBC took an interest in the show upon its cancellation, and discussed plans with Universal Studios to bring Roger and co-star Ben Murphy to Spain to film new episodes...but it never came to pass.

Davis's on-screen role on "Alias" was not without incident.  On two occasions while filming episodes for the 1972-73 season, Roger suffered injuries:  The first, when he took 19 stitches in his forehead when a lighting standard fell on him in July, 1972; and the following month, on August 15, when the cinch broke on the horse he was riding, causing Davis to fall to the ground and get trampled by the horse.

Davis concurrently guest starred on the TV shows "Medical Center," "Night Gallery" and again on "Bonanza" during his "Alias" run; but a production Roger adapted for the screen entitled, "Between Dallas and Fort Worth There's a Town Called Arlington," was back-burnered.

ROGER CONTINUES SECOND CAREER AS REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER AND RENOVATOR...

By 1973, Roger and wife Jaclyn had permanently relocated from New York City to Los Angeles.  Early in the year, he tested for and won the starring role in the "The Way We Were" (early on, he unwittingly suggested to the producers that Robert Redford would be his own choice for the role.  Unfortunately, they agreed.)  Davis, who had been periodically buying, remodeling and reselling houses in New York and LA since his time at UCLA, started an acquisition company, "Thoroughbred Properties," and began an intense effort of purchasing, developing and renovating several apartment complexes and homes in Beverly Hills. (Roger counts composer John Williams and actors Bill Cosby and Barry Newman among his early renters; one of Davis's complexes was bought from actor Arthur O'Connell, consummated while O'Connell was guesting on "Alias Smith and Jones" in May, 1972!)  One of the projects was a 40-unit apartment complex in the Hancock Park district of L.A.  Jaclyn learned about the construction industry from Roger, and, as a hobby, began buying, refurbishing and reselling houses herself in LA.  As a result, she was already in prime financial condition long before "Charlie's Angels" and her later business ventures.

In 1973-74, Davis was hitting the big and small screens once again, appearing in "The Killer Bees" and narrating "This is the West That Was," along with guest roles in the NBC shows "Faraday and Company," "Ironside," "McCloud" and the premiere episode of "The Rockford Files."  His voice work continued with radio spots for Gabbert's Furniture, Albertsons and Dad's Root Beer, among many others.


Roger and Tricia Sembera in a publicity
photo for "Flash and the Firecat"

A DIVORCE, AND ROGER SIDELINED BY NEAR-FATAL ILLNESS...

Despite his on-screen success, Roger's marriage was failing.  A separation from Jaclyn was followed by a divorce in January, 1975.  Davis said, "The root of our problem was simply (that) we were separated for long periods of time on different projects, and I was too immature to realize how much Ellen (Jaclyn) was my soulmate."  Jaclyn blamed herself: "I was too much an innocent.  I was too much living [just] for him, and I lost sight of myself."  They had no children together.  Jaclyn would soon enjoy tremendous success as one of  "Charlie's Angels."  She was briefly married to actor Dennis Cole thereafter (whom she met in late 1976 while filming his guest appearance on "Angels,") then to cinematographer Tony Richmond from 1981-89, and to Dr. Bradley Allen from 1997 to present.

Undeterred, 1975-76 brought starring roles for Roger in the theatrical releases "Nashville Girl" and "Flash and the Firecat" (which also featured his younger brother, Brent,) but he was stopped abruptly by a major health dilemma:  On December 10, 1975, Davis nearly died from an undiagnosed ruptured appendix.  He had just completed the pilot of "The Bionic Woman" as the romantic interest of Lindsay Wagner (whom he knew from actor James Best's acting class in the mid-1960s; Best was later the "Dukes of Hazzard" sheriff.)  After five months in the hospital and surviving seven operations for peritonitis, the usually strapping and healthy Roger weighed a mere 91 lbs.

While recuperating at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel after his release from the hospital, Davis met with noted horror movie director Curtis Harrington.  It was Harrington who had directed Roger in 1974's "The Killer Bees;" he asked Roger to star in the thriller movie "Ruby," with Piper Laurie and Stuart Whitman.  Davis joined the cast in October, 1976.


Roger appears with Lynda Carter in "Wonder Woman"

THE SHOW MUST GO ON...

With his health problems finally resolved, Davis continued his acting career in 1977 with the NBC-TV miniseries, "Aspen," in the fall.  He also did lead guest roles on "Wonder Woman," "Quincy M.E." and "The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries."

.

Davis was on the small screen again in March, 1979, touting the new Chevrolet Citation in an advertising blitz to introduce the "First Chevy of the 80s" (see one of the commercials here.)  He also guest starred on the short-lived sequel to ABC-TV's "Battlestar: Galactica" entitled, "Galactica 1980."


Roger stands in the lobby of the Seelbach

GOING HOME: THE SEELBACH, MARRIAGE AND FATHERHOOD...

Roger left Beverly Hills in late 1978 to return to his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.  Earlier that year, he began buying up restorable properties in town, and moved back to Kentucky to oversee his projects on a fulltime basis.  He expressed his affection for 18th century architecture by designing and building the 20-story Georgian-style luxury condominium building known as "1400 Willow."  It is a four-acre site in Louisville's prime historic district overlooking Cherokee Park (a park created by Frederick Law Olmstead, best known for designing Central Park in New York City.)  The building was completed in 1980.

Davis and a business partner also purchased the ritzy, yet alledgedly haunted Seelbach Hotel in town.  It is located on the "100% Corner" of the city, and is lovingly referred to in F. Scott Fitzgerald's book, "The Great Gatsby."  The Seelbach is a 1905 structure that Roger gutted, completely restored, redesigned and reopened in 1982 (it had been closed since 1975.)  Unfortunately, he lost over $30 million on the investments (although a CNN report estimated the loss at $7 million, city records confirm that Roger spent $26 million on the Seelbach restoration and over $20 million on 1400 Willow; Roger's credo is, "When it comes down to making a decision based on doing it well, or based on dollars, I will always opt for doing it well.")  Undaunted by the costs, Davis persevered and completed both projects.  Roger opened the Seelbach's doors to "Dark Shadows" fans in 1987 and 1988 to host the "Dark Shadows Fellowship Fair," and later sold the property to the Hilton chain (the hotel was featured prominently in the 1999 film, "The Insider," starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe.)

Roger also renovated buildings in the Highlands area of Louisville, as well as the city's ritzy Commodore and Dartmouth-Willow Terrace luxury high-rise apartments.  A Louisville historian, R. C. Reible, said of Davis, "He's really an architectural historian with a reverence for preservation; he has been able to use this knowledge and desire to create new concepts from the past, with an eye to the future."

.
Roger's beautiful daughter Margaret appears in an April, 2006 episode of David Spade's "Showbiz Show" on Comedy Central

Davis bought and took residence in the 18th century, Federal-style mansion and sprawling property known as "Spring Station" (Louisville's oldest home.)  On May 19, 1979, he married Suzanne Irwin, philanthropist and part of a pioneering Ohio family.  In 1981, Suzanne and Roger became first-time parents to a daughter, Margaret ("She's a cross between Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn," Roger proudly says today, "She's really something!")  Margaret moved to southern California later and graduated from USC; she is now a budding entrepreneur.

But a long-term marriage was not in the cards for Davis this time; he and Suzanne were divorced on March 8, 1983.  On June 15, 1985, Roger married Louisville realtor Alice LeGette; they divorced on June 7, 1988.

.
(L) Label from Roger's line of clothing, (R) One of several cutting-edge homes in Roger's Hollywood Hills development

BACK TO HOLLYWOOD:  ACTING, APPAREL, AND CARVING HILLS INTO HOMESITES...

Despite being consumed with his architectural projects, Roger found time to appear in a theatrical movie, "The Act," in 1982.  He was back on TV again in the late 1980s, appearing in a January, 1988, episode of "The Highwayman" and in a May, 1989, episode of NBC's "Matlock," where he was murdered in the first 10 minutes of the show!  He also acted in the 1989 NBC-TV movie/pilot, "Chameleons," which was not picked up as a series.

Also in 1989, with both of his (Kentucky-based) parents recently deceased and with new opportunities calling, Davis relocated once again to Los Angeles and began re-creating business as a real estate developer and designer.  That same year, he also opened an apparel manufacturing business, "Packing Crate Classics," in Santa Monica, CA.  Roger's shirts and accessories were sold at J.C. Penney and other upscale retailers.  One series of shirts called "Baseball Forever" even made the cover of Time Magazine once, worn by Senator John Kerry!

Roger's most-intense real estate project took him to the Hollywood Hills, where he developed land and, along with cutting-edge architect Angelo Caciola, designed bold, contemporary homes worth over $5 million each!  "I credit Angelo for his spectacular work," Roger said in 2005, "and for the fact that he was open to me designing the finishes and details that make a big project like this very special."  See Roger's feature article in a 2008 edition of The Robb Report here.

Davis's final marriage was to Los Angeles attorney Donna Jenis.  They met in 1990 at the World Trade Center in Boston, while Roger was visiting the east coast on business.  After a long-distance courtship of nearly two years--Roger in LA, Donna in Boston--the two married in November, 1991.  But Roger's celebrity status was unknown to Donna when they met.  Davis said, "She watched 'Dark Shadows' as a child, but didn't remember me in the show...only the vampires!"  Their relationship ended amicably in 2017.

NEVER FAR FROM THE BIG SCREEN...

Roger's most recent acting roles were in the 1997 TV series, "Night Man," and the independent theatrical movie, "Beyond the Pale" (shot in the US and Ireland, it won the Houston Worldfest 2000 Film Festival's bronze award for independent productions, and was a finalist in Arizona's 2000 Saguara Film Festival International.)  In November, 1999, Davis appeared on the E! cable network's "Mysteries and Scandals: Peter Duel" documentary, and in 2004, he was interviewed for the "Beyond the Pale: A Look Back" retrospective.  Roger was involved in the production end of the industry as well, as a partner with producer Tony Eldridge in Lonetree Entertainment, a movie production company based in Malibu, CA.  They brought the 1980s TV series, "The Equalizer," to the big screen in 2014, starring Denzel Washington.  Other feature movies once in the works include "Just Desserts," "The War Magician" (to star Tom Cruise) and "The Naked Truth" (to have starred the late Leslie Nielsen.)

Most recently, Roger was featured in the 2019 documentary, "Master of Dark Shadows."  Davis periodically attends "Dark Shadows" conventions and participates in related audiobooks and special events, such as the 2020 Halloween "Dark Shadows" reunion via Zoom.  Since selling the sprawling work-of-art that was his longtime residence in Malibu, Roger moved back to suburban Los Angeles in 2020.  Still very busy with home design projects and first-class renovations, Davis is also writing his autobiography.

..
(L) Roger Davis, in recent years.  (C) Roger as a finalist in the Ride-and-Shoot competition at the 2007 National Festival of the West in Phoenix (photos courtesy of Renelle.)
(R) Lobby of Roger's Seelbach Hotel, upon reopening in 1982

KUDOS FOR A JOB WELL DONE...

A recent front-page article in Louisville, KY's Pulitzer Prize-winning Courier-Journal applauded Davis for having created properties (the venerable 1400 Willow and the classic Seelbach Hotel) that the succeeding decades have proved out as the state's most prestigious.  The article was headlined that today, "Recovered from Losses, Davis Pursues His Muse."  Still movie star good-looking and youthfully exuberant, Roger continues to create new projects that may, in retrospect, prove legendary.


GO TO:
Photo Gallery - Acting
Photo Gallery - Real Estate and Design Projects
Filmography
Six Degrees of Roger Davis


TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE

This website and its contents are copyright 1999-2023. Images are copyright of their respective owners. If you feel your copyright is being infringed upon by its appearance in this website, please contact the webmaster and the offending image or text will be removed or credited properly.  Not responsible for errors, omissions, incomplete information, misrepresentations or dead links.  Information was gleaned from newspapers, magazines, personal recollection, recollections of others, personal records, interviews with Roger Davis, contributions from Roger's fans, publicly-available information and the like.  No responsibility is claimed for the accuracy or completeness of any information shown.  Copying, lifting, modifying or making a translation of any or all information or images for use on other websites, in print or for other purposes, is prohibited without permission.  Links are provided for the user's convenience; no responsibility is claimed for the contents, accuracy or relevance of other sites that may be linked to from this site.  This entire website is considered a not-for-profit "fan site," to be enjoyed for entertainment and informational purposes only.  Usage of this site and/or any sites, sub-sites or pages or images contained within, however accessed, constitutes your agreement to these Terms and Conditions of Use.  If you do not agree to these Terms and Conditions of Use, click here and you will be taken elsewhere.