29 Notables Throughout History Who Were Proud to be Shriners

Shriners International has a rich and storied history stretching back to 1872, when a group of Freemasons gathered in New York City with a vision for something new – a brotherhood that paired the timeless principles of Masonry with a spirit of fun, fellowship and service. From those early meetings grew one of the most recognized fraternal organizations in the world.

Over the past 154 years, Shriners International has counted some of the most remarkable men in history among its nobles – presidents (five!) and prime ministers, Hollywood legends, sports icons and cultural trailblazers – who found a brotherhood in Shriners that transcended fame, wealth and status. From Harry Truman to Brad Paisley and John Wayne to Arnold Palmer, these are the notable men throughout history who wore the fez with pride.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The 32nd president of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt became a noble of Cyprus Shriners in Albany, New York, in 1930 while serving as governor, having first been raised as a Master Mason at Holland Lodge No. 8 in New York City nearly two decades earlier. He was so proud of the brotherhood that he personally initiated two of his own sons into Masonry.

Brad Paisley

Country star Brad Paisley carries on a family tradition as a noble of Al Menah Shriners in Nashville and a member of Hiram Lodge No. 7 in Franklin, Tennessee. A 32nd-degree Scottish Rite Mason inducted in 2006, Paisley has supported Shriners Children’s alongside his father, Doug, and the two are recognized together as Legacy members of Shriners International.

John Wayne

The Duke joined Al Malaikah Shriners in Los Angeles after being raised as a Master Mason at Marion McDaniel Lodge No. 56 in Tucson, Arizona, in 1970. A 32nd-degree Scottish Rite Mason and former member of the Order of DeMolay, the actor famously found in Shriners International a brotherhood where his stardom didn't set him apart.

Harry Houdini

The world's greatest escape artist, Harry Houdini joined Mecca Shriners in New York in October 1926, just weeks before his untimely death on Halloween of that same year. He was so fond of the fraternity that he once filled the 4,000-seat Scottish Rite Cathedral in New York for a benefit performance, and his final rites were concluded with traditional Masonic ceremony.

Harry Truman

Before he became the 33rd U.S. president, Harry Truman was already a noble, hailing from Ararat Shriners in Blue Springs, Missouri. An enthusiastic member of the fraternity, he made regular appearances at Shrine events until his Senate campaign in 1934 drew him away, though his loyalty to the organization never wavered.

Mel Blanc

The man behind the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and dozens of other beloved characters brought those same gifts to kids at Shriners Children’s as a noble of Al Malaikah Shriners. Blanc was also a member of Mid-Day Lodge No. 188 in Portland, Oregon, a fraternal home he kept for nearly 60 years.

J. Edgar Hoover

The first director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover was a devoted noble of Almas Shriners in Washington, D.C., and a 33rd-degree Scottish Rite Mason. His involvement in Freemasonry spanned more than 50 years, a commitment that lasted until his death in 1972.

Warren G. Harding

Warren G. Harding holds a unique distinction as the first sitting U.S. president to become a Shriner, as a proud member of the Aladdin Shriners in Grove City, Ohio. He welcomed some 25,000 nobles to the White House and watched their grand parade from a viewing box on Pennsylvania Avenue during the 1923 Imperial Session in Washington, D.C., an event that took place just months before his death.

Ernest Borgnine

Oscar-winning actor Ernest Borgnine was a noble of Al Malaikah Shriners and wore his fez with unmistakable pride, often speaking publicly about what the fraternity meant to him. He earned the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite and was named ambassador at large for the temple in 1964.

Roy Rogers

The King of the Cowboys was equally devoted in the lodge room as a member of Al Malaikah Shriners and a 33rd-degree Scottish Rite Mason affiliated with Hollywood Lodge No. 355. Raised as a Master Mason in 1946, Rogers was later honored with a 50-year membership award for his decades of faithful service.

Gerald Ford

The 38th U.S. president, Gerald Ford was a steadfast supporter of the fraternity and its philanthropy, having joined Saladin Shriners in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1959. But his connection to the Shrine goes back even further: He played in the East-West Shrine Bowl in 1935 and, decades later, made history as the last U.S. president to wear the fez thus far.

Will Rogers

America's beloved Cowboy Philosopher, Will Rogers was a Freemason and Shriner raised at Claremore Lodge No. 53 in his hometown of Claremore, Oklahoma. In 1914, he joined Akdar Shriners in Tulsa. Known for his wit, warmth and his declaration that he never met a man he didn't like, Rogers brought that spirit of fellowship to the fraternity.

Buzz Aldrin

The second man to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin brought a Masonic flag to the moon on the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. A noble of Arabia Shriners in Houston, Texas, and a 33rd-degree Scottish Rite Mason, Aldrin remains one of the most out-of-this-world Shriners in history.

Clark Gable

King of Hollywood Clark Gable was a proud Freemason and Shriner, holding membership at Beverly Hills Lodge No. 528 in California. Known for commanding the silver screen in films like Gone with the Wind, Gable was another Hollywood Shriner.

Arnold Palmer

Legendary golfer Arnold Palmer was as devoted to the fraternity as he was to the fairway, serving as a Master Mason at Loyalhanna Lodge No. 275 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and achieving the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite in 1997. The Shriner was also honored with the Gourgas Medal in 2010, Freemasonry's highest distinction.

Ty Cobb

Baseball Hall of Famer Ty Cobb was initiated into Masonry in 1907 and became a 32nd-degree Scottish Rite Mason by 1912, eventually joining Moslem Shriners in Detroit. His devotion to the fraternity was so well known that a 1955 Shriners ceremonial in Trenton, New Jersey, was christened The Ty Cobb Class in his honor.

Gene Autry

America's Favorite Cowboy was also a devoted Freemason and Shriner, having been raised at Catoosa Lodge No. 185 in Catoosa, Oklahoma, in 1927, and later joining Al Malaikah Shriners. Autry's dedication to the fraternity lasted a lifetime: His gravestone is inscribed with "33rd Degree Mason" alongside "Movie Star," "Philanthropist" and "American Hero."

John Diefenbaker

Canada's 13th prime minister, John Diefenbaker was a Freemason and Shriner, belonging to Tunis Shriners in Ottawa. He carried the values of the fraternity throughout his years in public service, including his tenure leading the country from 1957 to 1963. Diefenbaker is remembered as part of a distinguished line of Canadian prime ministers connected to the fraternal order, alongside John A. Macdonald and Robert Borden.

Colonel Sanders

Long before he became the face of fried chicken, Colonel Harland Sanders was a devoted noble of Oleika Shriners in Lexington, Kentucky, with more than 30 years of Masonic involvement. His commitment to the fraternity was so central to his identity that both the Mason and Shriners logos are displayed at his gravesite.

Earl Warren

Before he became chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Earl Warren was already one of the Shrine's most dedicated leaders, serving as Past Potentate of Aahmes Shriners in Oakland, California, in 1933 and rising to Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of California. A 33rd-degree Scottish Rite Mason, Warren also brought his unwavering commitment to justice into his fraternal life.

Red Skelton

Beloved comedian Red Skelton entered Masonry in 1939 as a member of Vincennes Lodge No. 1 in Indiana and later became a Shriner. He became one of the most recognizable champions of Shriners Children’s, and his famous clown paintings made him a natural hero among Shrine clowns, who widely celebrate his dedication to the fraternity's philanthropic mission.

Harold Lloyd

Silent film comedian Harold Lloyd didn't just wear the fez – he led the entire fraternity, serving as Imperial Potentate of Shriners International for the 1949–1950 term, the first actor ever elected to the organization's highest position. A noble of Al Malaikah Shriners, Lloyd later became president and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Shriners Children’s in the 1960s, devoting the final decades of his life to the cause.

Barry Goldwater

Senator Barry Goldwater was an active noble of El Zaribah Shriners in Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the Scottsdale Shrine Club, frequently photographed wearing his fez at public events. A 33rd-degree Scottish Rite Mason, Goldwater's Masonic involvement was integral to his civic identity.

Dave Thomas

Wendy's founder Dave Thomas shared more than a mentorship with Colonel Sanders. The two were both devoted Shriners and Freemasons. Thomas was initiated into Masonry in 1959 at Sol. D. Bayless Lodge No. 359 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and was honored with the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite in 1995, the fraternity's highest honorary distinction.

Danny Thomas

Actor and television star Danny Thomas, beloved for Make Room for Daddy, was a devoted noble of Al Malaikah Shriners, and his passion for helping children made him a natural fit for the fraternity's philanthropy, Shriners Children’s. Thomas summed up his reason for joining simply: "Masons care for those who cannot care for themselves."

Jack Dempsey

World heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey was a noble of Medinah Shriners in Chicago, bringing the same loyalty to the lodge room that made him one of the most celebrated athletes of the 20th century. Known as the Manassa Mauler, Dempsey wore the fez with pride.

John Philip Sousa

The March King himself, composer John Philip Sousa was a proud noble of Almas Shriners, which is fitting, given that his stirring military marches became the unofficial soundtrack of Shrine parades across the country. His connection to the fraternity ran so deep that he even served as the judge who crowned the best Shrine band at a national competition.

Jack Warner

Hollywood titan Jack Warner, co-founder of Warner Bros. Studios, was a noble of Egypt Shriners in Tampa, Florida, whose fraternal membership ran alongside one of the most storied careers in the history of American cinema. The studio he helped build would go on to feature many famous Shrine nobles on screen.

Bud Abbott

The “straight” man of one of Hollywood's greatest comedy duos, Bud Abbott of Abbott and Costello was a noble of Al Malaikah Shriners. As devoted to his brothers in the fraternity as he was to his comedic partner Lou Costello, Abbott carried the values of the Shrine throughout his decades at the top of American entertainment.