The King of the Cowboys: A Look at the Life of Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers made a name for himself as one of the most legendary Western movie stars in history. He starred in over 100 films, radio shows, and TV shows. The King of Cowboys had a remarkable career, but it wasn’t all “happy trails.”
Are you ready to dive into this film star’s intriguing life and career? Let’s learn fascinating facts about the life and legacy of Roy Rogers that even the biggest fans might not know! For instance, his name wasn’t always Roy…
His Career Spanned For Five Decades
Roy Rogers enjoyed an illustrious career as one of the most prominent movie stars spanning nearly five decades. From 1935 to 1951, he consistently appeared in a substantial number of films each year, ranging from two to as many as eight. Following his marriage to Dale Evans, Rogers scaled back his acting commitments, yet he remained active in the industry, making occasional appearances in both movies and television until 1984.
It is truly remarkable to find an actor who had such a remarkable longevity in the business, particularly considering his prolific output during the early years of his career.
Three Marriages
In addition to his well-known marriage to Dale Evans, Roy Rogers had two previous marriages. His first marriage in 1933 was to Lucile Ascolese, but the union was short-lived due to fundamental disagreements. His second marriage was to Arline Wilkins, with whom he had two children.
Tragically, Arline passed away in 1946 after giving birth to their son, creating the opportunity for Rogers to eventually marry Dale Evans.
He Was Quite Shy
Contrary to the common notion that successful actors need to be outgoing and extroverted, Roy Rogers defied this stereotype. During his early years as Leonard Slye, he was shy and sensitive, even dropping out of night school due to difficulties with classmates. His fear of speaking led him to miss his initial radio performance.
However, he gradually overcame his internal insecurities, paving the way for his remarkable rise as a major movie star.
Roy’s Passion For Music
Roy Rogers was born Leonard Slye on November 5, 1911, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He grew up on a farm near Lucasville, where he learned the ins and outs of horsemanship at a young age.
The Slye family made their own entertainment and often invited neighbors over for square dances. Young “Len” Slye learned to dance, sing, and play the mandolin.
His Time With The Rocky Mountaineers
By the time he was 19, the Slye family moved out to California. In 1931, Len auditioned for a Los Angeles radio show called “Midnight Frolics” and was invited to join a western group called the Rocky Mountaineers.
The Rocky Mountaineers toured throughout New Mexico and Arizona in the middle of summer, and they struggled to find food on such a small budget.
He Formed A Band With Former Mountaineers
While performing with the Rocky Mountaineers, Len began collaborating with former Mountaineers Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer. In 1933, they formed a group called the Pioneers Trio. They later added a fiddle player named Hugh Farr.
A radio announcer changed their name to the Sons of the Pioneers because of their young age. The group was a hit across the U.S.
He Got A New Name
Len made his first film appearance in 1935 and eventually went on to a large supporting role under Gene Autry. When Autry began demanding more money, the studio started looking for a new singing cowboy.
Leonard Slye made the cut. Republic Pictures changed his name to Roy Rogers, styled after the popular western comic entertainer Will Rogers.
His Trusty Steed
The studio lined up five rented “movie” horses for Rogers to pick from as his sidekick in his first starring role. Rogers chose a yellow-haired palomino stallion named Golden Cloud. He changed the horse’s name to Trigger.
Trigger had previously starred as the mount of Olivia de Havilland’s character in The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Trigger Could Even Do Tricks!
Trigger learned at least 150 trick cues, including sitting in a chair, using a pencil to sign his name “X,” lying down for a nap, and even covering himself with a blanket. It has even been reported that Trigger could walk on his hind legs for at least 50 feet!
Of his abilities, the most impressive was the fact that he was housebroken.
Roy Rogers’ First Two Loves
Outside of his entertainment career, Roy Rogers also found love. In 1933, Rogers married an admirer named Lucile Ascolese but the marriage only lasted for a few years. While touring as a radio singer in 1933, Rogers met Grace Arline Wilkins in Roswell, New Mexico. They married shortly after Rogers’ first divorce in 1936.
Rogers and Wilkins adopted a daughter named Cheryl Darlene before she gave birth to another daughter, Linda Lou in 1943. Three years later, Wilkins gave birth to Roy, Jr. a.k.a. “Dusty.” Sadly, Wilkins died of complications from childbirth in 1946.
Roy Rogers Met Dale Evans On Set
Roy Rogers met Dale Evans in 1944 when they both worked on a movie together. Following Wilkins’ death a couple of years later, it wasn’t long before Rogers and Evans fell in love. For her part, Evans was being groomed as a cowgirl co-star to Rogers at Republic Studios.
Evans previously eloped with a man when she was 14 and had a son the following year. After her first husband left her, Evans pursued a radio career during which time she went through two more husbands. Her first three marriages obviously didn’t work out but luckily, she met Rogers.
Rogers And Evans Tied The Knot And Had A Baby
Roy Rogers proposed to Dale Evans at a rodeo at the Chicago Stadium. They tied the knot on New Years’ Eve of 1947 at the same ranch where they had filmed Home in Oklahoma a few months earlier.
Soon, Evans gave birth to their first child together, a daughter named Robin Elizabeth. Robin had Down syndrome and sadly passed away due to complications with the mumps before her second birthday. To honor their daughter, Evans would later write a book titled Angel Unaware. It wouldn’t be the only thing they did to honor their daughter either.
They Were Devoted To Family
Angel Unaware inspired many families in 1953. Evans’ account of her daughter Robin’s life opened up a conversation among Americans and those who have disabilities. People appreciated the way Roy Rogers and Dale Evans stayed committed to their daughter during her life. The Dale Rogers Training Center for children with developmental abilities in Oklahoma was named after her.
As time went on, Rogers and Evans eventually adopted four more children: Mimi, Dodie, Sandy, and Debbie. It only went to show how much love the couple had to share outside of their careers.
More Tragedies Befell The Rogers Family
Even though the Rogers family was full of love, the death of Robin wouldn’t be the only tragedy that they would face. Debbie, who was born in Korea, was only 12 years old when she died in a tragic bus accident. Debbie was one of eight people who was killed when the school bus she was on crashed into seven other cars on the highway.
Another one of their children, John David “Sandy” Rogers, only lived to be 18. Sandy enlisted in the Army and was sent to Germany, where he died in a military hospital in 1965.
Rogers Continued To Become A Huge Star
Amid all the time he spent growing and loving his family, Roy Rogers continued to thrive in his career as well. Outside of his films, Rogers made plenty of public appearances as well but all of the money from those ventures mostly went to Republic Pictures.
In 1940, Rogers initiated a clause in his contract that granted him the rights to his likeness, his voice, and his name for merchandise. Rogers grew into such a big star that he had his own action figures, cowboy adventure novels, playsets, and even a Dell comic strip written about him.
The Roy Rogers Show Became A Hit
Roy Rogers eventually had his own show, The Roy Rogers Show. It debuted on December 30, 1951, and featured Rogers as a ranch owner in Mineral City. Dale Evans portrayed the proprietress of the town cafe and hotel. Pat Brady was cast as Roy’s sidekick. Of course, Trigger was another star of the show, as well as the Rogers’ German Shepherd named Bullet the Wonder Dog.
The show was one of the most popular of its time. It aired on NBC for 100 episodes across six seasons before coming to an end on June 9, 1957.
Roy Rogers Didn’t Stop Working
After his show went off the air, Roy Rogers continued to work in Hollywood. In 1962, he and his wife starred in The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show, a comedy and variety program that unfortunately couldn’t compete with The Jackie Gleason Show that was airing at the same time. Their new show was canceled after just three months.
Still, Rogers continued to make cameo appearances as himself or other cowboy characters in shows like Wonder Woman and The Muppet Show. Rogers’ final motion picture was 1975’s Macintosh and T.J. filmed in Texas.
Growing Up With Roy Rogers
Growing up with famous parents comes with its own perks and pitfalls, but Rogers and Evans made a solid effort to raise their family as far away from Hollywood as possible. His son Dusty told People magazine, “We always moved away from the encroaching population because Dad liked his privacy. He wanted his kids raised on a ranch, where they could have horses and pigs and chickens and cows.”
Of course, things weren’t always perfect. By the time he finished high school, Dusty was in two movies and wanted to pursue acting, but his father wasn’t happy about it.
A Riff Between Father And Son
Instead of acting, Roy Rogers Sr. wanted Dusty to get a good job. Dusty went off and started his own life in Ohio but soon realized just how important Roy Rogers was to the world, outside of being his father.
When he returned to Apple Valley with his family, Dusty reportedly made amends with his dad saying that what worried him was the possibility his father may pass away without Dusty getting the opportunity to tell him how loved he is.
Trigger Passed Away In 1965
Trigger the horse obviously lived a fruitful life with a successful Hollywood career but even that had to end sometime. Trigger sadly passed away in 1965 at the Rogers’ ranch in Apple Valley, California. To let Trigger’s memory live on, Rogers had him preserved and mounted by Bischoff’s Taxidermy.
Two years later, Rogers opened the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Apple Valley. Trigger was put on display there where fans could appreciate and mourn the talented stallion. But many years down the road, Trigger would eventually lose his new home.
The Rogers Family Animals Lived On
Trigger wasn’t the only Rogers’ family animal that lived on display at the museum. Bullet the Wonder Dog passed away in 1957, so Rogers decided to have him preserved and put on display as well. Another family animal that made it to the museum was Evans’ buckskin Quarter Horse named Buttermilk, who passed away in 1972.
The upkeep of these preserved animals was just as laborious as when they were alive. Caretakers had to consistently brush the animals’ hides and clean the glass eyes. But that didn’t last long when the museum was forced to shut down.
The Museum Relocated To Missouri
The Rogers family moved their museum from its original location in Apple Valley to the nearby city of Victorville, California in 1976. For many years, the museum in Victorville attracted many visitors who loved to revel in the nostalgia of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Westerns they grew up with on the big and small screens.
But in 2003, the museum was relocated to Branson, Missouri. After Rogers and Evans passed away, the IRS levied a high tax on their estate. Their children were forced to move the museum to a more “touristy” area, hoping that a more steady profit would keep its doors open.
The Museum Was Forced To Shut Its Doors
Unfortunately, the move to Missouri wasn’t a smart one. There were plenty of honky tonks and other tourist attractions in Branson that The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum failed to keep up with and eventually, the Rogers children decided it was time to shut it down.
“This situation is one I have not wanted to happen. The decision to close the museum has come after two years of steady decline in visitors. We cannot continue to accumulate debt to keep the doors open,” Roy “Dusty” Rogers, Jr. said in a statement as reported in the DailyNews.
He Has A Restaurant Chain Named After Him
There’s a Roy Rogers restaurant chain that’s been serving up fried chicken, burgers, and roast beef sandwiches since 1968. Rogers has no affiliation with the chain, but he did license his moniker for the fast-food franchise.
The iconic actor also has a drink named after him but you won’t be finding any alcohol in it. It’s a mocktail that has Coca-Cola and grenadine syrup and is finished off with a maraschino cherry.
He Had Some Surprising Cameos
Roy Rogers was obviously best known for his appearances in basically every Western movie of the 50s, 60s, and 70s. But, he did make some surprising cameos and appeared in Wonder Woman, The Muppet Show, and The Fall Guy.
In 1990, he even became a modern country music video star when he appeared in the Randy Travis video “Heroes and Friends.” The video shows Rogers and Evans’ TV heyday, and Rogers makes a surprise appearance at the end of the clip.
Roy Was A Huge Advocate For Adoption
We’ve talked about Rogers and Evans’ kids, but a lot of people don’t know that they were huge advocates for adoption. In fact, they adopted four children of their own and had a total of nine children in their blended family.
They were also the founders and operators of several children’s charities. Their big charity is the Happy Trails Children’s Foundation which was set up to combat child abuse which Roy and Dale have said is an epidemic.
The Happy Trails Foundation Is Doing God’s Work
The Happy Trails Foundation has a partnership with Trinity Youth Services and it operates two cottages with a total of 44 beds for kids between the ages of 10 and 16. The boys have all been victims of abuse and have been removed from their homes by child protective services.
They stay in the cottages for about a year and go through some intensive treatments and therapy. They get a healthy dose of outdoor activities and athletics.
The Kids End Up Staying Out Of The System
Upon graduation from the program, the kids have some consultations with professionals about their progress. Some of the kids are able to return to their homes while others go to a foster home or live with grandparents, aunts, uncles, or siblings.
The Happy Trails Foundation is proud to say that their charity is working well because the youth they work with don’t end up coming back into the system. It’s exactly how Roy and Dale envisioned it.
Rogers Was Inducted Into The Country Music Hall Of Fame
Rogers was twice elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, first as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers in 1980 and then again as a soloist. It’s a big deal considering most people wouldn’t immediately say that Roy Rogers was a musician before an actor.
As of July 2013, he was the only person elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame twice. In 2001, a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to him and his wife Dale.
Trigger’s Movie Career Began Without Roy
We’d love to say that Trigger’s talent was only found by Roy and Roy alone, but that’s not the case. As we mentioned earlier, Trigger began life as “Golden Cloud” and actually first started in the 1938 film, The Adventures of Robin Hood.
He was ridden by actress Olivia de Havilland, who played Maid Marian. It was only after Golden Cloud’s performance in that movie that he was offered as Roy’s movie mount. Trigger would go onto star alongside Roy in almost ninety movies.
His Box Office Rankings Are Quite Stunning
Let’s take this year by year, and go from 1942. During that time he was the second most popular Western star following Gene Autry. By 1943 he ranked number one in the box office ranking.
In 1944, he maintained his fame in the Western community and shot up to the 24th most popular star in the U.S. By 1946 he became the 10th most popular star in the U.S., which was his highest ranking. By 1952 he was still the most popular Western star for the tenth year in a row.
A Deeper Dive Into His Music
We’ve talked about his music career a little bit, but let’s dive into the numbers more thoroughly. His first hit was “A Little White Cross on the Hill” which charted at number seven in U.S. Country.
His second single, “My Chickashay Gal” was his most popular song which charted at number four on the U.S. Country charts. His first song to be a success in another country was “Lovenworth” in 1971 which charted at number 12 on the U.S. charts and number 33 in Canada.
