By - Vinuri Randula Silva
Roy Rogers & his Horse Trigger
Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebranded Rogers then became one of the most popular Western stars of his era. Known as the "King of the Cowboys", he appeared in over 100 films and numerous radio and television episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. In many of his films and television episodes, he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans; his Golden Palomino, Trigger; and his German Shepherd, Bullet. His show was broadcast on radio for nine years and then on television from 1951 through 1957. His early roles were uncredited parts in films by fellow cowboy singing star Gene Autry and his, productions usually featured a sidekick, often Pat Brady, Andy Devine, George "Gabby" Hayes or Smiley Burnette. In his later years, he lent his name to the franchise chain of Roy Rogers Restaurants.
Rogers was born Leonard Franklin Slye, the son of Mattie (née
Womack) and Andrew "Andy" Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio. The family lived
in a tenement on 2nd Street, where Riverfront Stadium was later
constructed (Rogers later joked that he was born at second
base). Dissatisfied with his job and city life, Andy and his brother Will
built a 12-by-50-foot (3.7 m × 15.2 m) houseboat from salvage
lumber, and in July 1912 the Slye family traveled down the Scioto River towards Portsmouth.[3] Desiring
a more stable existence in Portsmouth, they purchased land on which to build a
house, but the Great Flood of 1913 allowed
them to move the houseboat to their property and continue living in it on dry
land
Film career
Lynne
Roberts and Rogers in Billy the Kid Returns,
1938 From his first film appearance in 1935, Len worked steadily in Western films, including a
large supporting role as a singing cowboy while still billed as Leonard Slye in
a Gene Autry movie.
In 1938, Autry demanded more money for his work, and there was a competition
for a new singing cowboy. Many singers sought the job, including Willie Phelps of the Phelps
brothers, who appeared in early Western movies. Len ended up winning the
contest and was given the stage name Roy Rogers by Republic Pictures,
suggesting the western-sounding name Roy and combining it with the surname of
the popular western comic entertainer Will Rogers.
He was assigned the leading role in Under Western Stars. He became a
matinee idol, a competitor with Autry as the nation's favorite singing cowboy. In addition to his own
movies, he played a supporting role in the John Wayne classic Dark Command (1940), which also
featured one of his future sidekicks, George "Gabby" Hayes.
He became a major box-office attraction. Unlike other stars, the vast majority
of his leading roles allowed him to play a character with his own name, in the
manner of Autry.
In 1932, a palomino colt foaled in California was named
"Golden Cloud"; when Rogers acquired him, he renamed him Trigger. In 1932, Rogers met an
admirer named Lucile Ascolese. They were married in 1933 by a justice of the
peace in Los Angeles; the marriage failed, and the couple divorced in
1936. Rogers then went on tour with the O-Bar-O Cowboys and in June 1933
met Grace Arline Wilkins at a Roswell, New Mexico radio station. They were
married in Roswell on June 11, 1936, having corresponded since their first
meeting. In 1941, the couple adopted a daughter, Cheryl Darlene. Two years
later, Grace gave birth to daughter Linda Lou. A son, Roy, Jr.
("Dusty"), was born in 1946; Grace died of complications from the
birth a few days later, on November 3.
Rogers met Dale Evans in 1944 when they were cast in a film together.
They fell in love soon after Grace's death, and Rogers proposed to her during a
rodeo at Chicago Stadium. They married on New Year's Eve in 1947 at the Flying L
Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma, where they had filmed Home in Oklahoma a
few months earlier. Together they had five children: Robin Elizabeth, who
had Down syndrome and died of complications with mumps shortly before her second birthday; three adopted
daughters, Mimi, Dodie, and Debbie; and one adopted son, Sandy. Evans
wrote about the loss of their daughter Robin in her book Angel Unaware.
Rogers and Evans remained married until his death.
In 1955, Rogers and Evans purchased a 168-acre (68 ha)
ranch near Chatsworth, California, complete with a
hilltop ranch house, expanding it to 300 acres (121 ha). After
their daughter Debbie was killed in a church bus accident in 1964, they moved
to the 67-acre (27 ha) Double R Bar Ranch in Apple Valley, California,
living in the nearby town.
Rogers was a Freemason and a member of Hollywood (California)
Lodge No. 355, the Scottish Rite Valley of Los Angeles, and Al Malaikah
Shrine Temple. He was also a pilot and the owner of a Cessna Bobcat. Rogers supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election
In 1932, a palomino colt foaled in California was named "Golden Cloud"; when Rogers acquired him, he renamed him Trigger. In 1932, Rogers met an admirer named Lucile Ascolese. They were married in 1933 by a justice of the peace in Los Angeles; the marriage failed, and the couple divorced in 1936. Rogers then went on tour with the O-Bar-O Cowboys and in June 1933 met Grace Arline Wilkins at a Roswell, New Mexico radio station. They were married in Roswell on June 11, 1936, having corresponded since their first meeting. In 1941, the couple adopted a daughter, Cheryl Darlene. Two years later, Grace gave birth to daughter Linda Lou. A son, Roy, Jr. ("Dusty"), was born in 1946; Grace died of complications from the birth a few days later, on November 3.
Rogers met Dale Evans in 1944 when they were cast in a film together. They fell in love soon after Grace's death, and Rogers proposed to her during a rodeo at Chicago Stadium. They married on New Year's Eve in 1947 at the Flying L Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma, where they had filmed Home in Oklahoma a few months earlier. Together they had five children: Robin Elizabeth, who had Down syndrome and died of complications with mumps shortly before her second birthday; three adopted daughters, Mimi, Dodie, and Debbie; and one adopted son, Sandy. Evans wrote about the loss of their daughter Robin in her book Angel Unaware. Rogers and Evans remained married until his death.
In 1955, Rogers and Evans purchased a 168-acre (68 ha)
ranch near Chatsworth, California, complete with a
hilltop ranch house, expanding it to 300 acres (121 ha). After
their daughter Debbie was killed in a church bus accident in 1964, they moved
to the 67-acre (27 ha) Double R Bar Ranch in Apple Valley, California,
living in the nearby town.
Rogers was a Freemason and a member of Hollywood (California) Lodge No. 355, the Scottish Rite Valley of Los Angeles, and Al Malaikah Shrine Temple. He was also a pilot and the owner of a Cessna Bobcat.Rogers supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 United States presidential election.
Rogers died of congestive heart failure on July 6, 1998, in
Apple Valley, California. He was buried at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Apple
Valley, as was his wife Dale Evans three years later.
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