Roy Rogers
b. Leonard Franklin Slye, 5 November 1911, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Rogers worked on the west coast picking fruit and, after several singing jobs, he formed the Sons Of The Pioneers in 1933. They performed in many western films, and, as a result of Republic's dispute with Gene Autry, Rogers received his first starring role, playing a singing congressman in the 1938 film, Under Western Skies. When he and John Wayne jumped off a cliff in Dark Command, Hollywood's treatment of horses was severely questioned, which led to the formation of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In 1946 his wife died shortly after giving birth to their son, Roy Jnr. On 31 December 1947 he married an actress from his film, The Cowboy And The Senorita, Dale Evans. His films include King Of The Cowboys, Son Of Paleface with Bob Hope and Jane Russell, and Hollywood Canteen, in which he sang Don't Fence Me In. Rogers’ four-legged friend, Trigger (‘the smartest horse in the movies’) had been ridden by Olivia de Havilland in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD and cost Rogers $2,500. His films and television series (100 shows between 1951 and 1957) also featured a lovable, toothless and fearless old-timer George Gabby Hayes. They contained no sex and little violence (he'd wing the baddies in black hats), and his wholesome image found favour when he toured UK theatres in the '50s. High prices are now paid for Roy Rogers memorabilia, be it cut-out dolls, thermos flasks or holster sets. Rogers' records include Blue Shadows On The Trail, These Are The Good Old Days, a tribute to the past, Hoppy, Gene And Me and Ride, Concrete Cowboy, Ride from the film SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT 2. His palomino Trigger died in 1965 at the age of 33 and was stuffed and mounted, as referred to in Jimmy Webb's song P.F. * Sloan. Rogers became a successful businessman with a chain of restaurants, and he and Evans confined their appearances to religious ones. He made his first film in 16 years in 1975, MACKINTOSH AND T.J., while his son, Roy Rogers Jnr., made an album DUSTY in 1983. Don McLean recorded Rogers' famous signature tune Happy Trails and Rogers revived it with Randy Travisin 1990. San Francisco rock band the Quicksilver Messenger Service used Rogers' HAPPY TRAILS as the title of their album in 1968 as well as recording the song as the closing track. He returned to the US country chart with his album, TRIBUTE, in 1991, which included guest appearances from contemporary country performers. Clint Black helped to revitalize his career, the first time Rogers had accepted help from a man in a black hat.