Rogers began his career on the 1924 silent film, A Cafe in Cairo, produced by the short-lived Hunt Stromberg Productions.

[1] He went to high school in Boston, before beginning in the film industry in Buffalo, New York, running the Star Theatre.

[13] While at the studio, his production unit would be housed in the historic Mary Pickford bungalow, which would be slated for demolition after his departure.

[15] In January 1935, rumors began to circulate that Carl Laemmle, the president of Universal, was considering offers for the sale of the studio.

[18] By June it was confirmed that there had been several offers made, but they were declined due to Laemmle's insistence that key personnel at the studio be guaranteed to remain in their positions.

[20] On November 2 it was reported that Rogers, in conjunction with Standard Capital, had reached an agreement with Laemmle to provide financing for the studio, which included a three-month option to purchase Universal.

[21] After a 6-week extension was granted on the option at the end of January,[22] and control passed to Standard Capital on March 14, with Rogers being put in charge of production.

[25] Roger's first production for Universal was 1936's My Man Godfrey, starring William Powell and Carole Lombard, which premiered on September 6, 1936, and was received quite favorably.

The success of Godfrey, as well as several management decisions made by Rogers, led to Universal deciding to expand its 1937–38 production schedule to 52 features, including six westerns.

[29][30] Also in January 1937 Rogers went on the record, condemning the Hollywood practice of pigeonholing films into "A" or "B" categories, based solely on their budgets.

[31] The following month, February, Rogers was elected as a vice-president of the Association of Motion Picture Producers, succeeding Joseph Schenck.

[32] Despite his success at changing the failing studio around, rumors began to circulate in early 1937 that Rogers might be replaced at Universal.

[33] In May 1937 Universal's chairman, J. Cheever Cowdin, denied any such move was being contemplated, and praised Rogers for the way he had reorganized the film company.

This was accomplished by replacing studio president Robert H. Cochrane with Nate J. Blumberg, who had been vice-president in charge of RKO theater operations.

[45] From 1943 through 1947 he would produce a film per year for the studio, including 1946's classic Angel on My Shoulder starring Paul Muni, Anne Baxter and Claude Rains.