Born: November 5th, 1911 (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Died: July 6th, 1988 (heart failure)
Marriage: Lucile Ascolese (1933-1936), Grace Arline Wilkins (1936-1946 Her death), Dale Evans (1947-His death).
Children: With Arline he had two daughters and a son, Linda Lou, Cheryl Rogers (adopted) & Roy Jr. (Dusty). She died as a result of her sons birth. When he married Evans she already had a son named Thomas Frederick Fox Jr from a previous marriage. Evans & Rogers then had a daughter named Robin Elizabeth, who had down syndrome and died of the mumps when she was two. The couple adopted three more children: Harry John David Hardy Rogers (Sandy), Mary Little Doe Rogers (Dodie) & Deborah Lee Rogers from Korea. They also had a foster child named Marion Fleming (Mimi).
Awards: In 1953, he received a Golden Apple as the most cooperative actor. He also received two Golden Boot Awards; One in 1983 and the other in 1996. He has three stars on the Walk of Fame: Radio, Motion Picture & Television. In 1976, he was inducted, along with his wife Evans, into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. With the Sons of the Pioneers he was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1995.
Interesting Fact: Rogers famous white horse "Trigger" was used in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) by Olivia De Havilland.
My Favorite Movie: Pecos Bill (1948) short. This clip can be found in Disney's Melody Time. This was the first time that I was introduced to the cowboys of the past. In the clip we see him singing with his group called "Sons of the Pioneers" and sitting with Disney stars: Bobby Driscoll & Luana Patten.
THE KING OF THE WEST
Roger's life had as much success in it as there was personal tragedy. With the crushing blow of his wife passing shortly after his son's birth, Roy would find love again in Dale Evans. This couple would also not go without heartache as three of their children would die at a young age.
His work in acting began slowly as he formed a singing group called "Sons of the Pioneers." In the late thirties, Rogers would go off on his own and changed his name, for the third time, to Roy Rogers. He had now become popular in westerns, working around legends like Gene Autry. In 1943, he achieved the number one cowboy spot at the box-office. Near the end of the forties he met and married Dale Evans. Her talent as a song writer and singer with his talented voice became a sensational combination and they were always seen together from then on.
From his work at Paramount with Bob Hope and Jane Russell in Son of Paleface (1952), to his successful new show, the stars in the western sky made way for both of them. Their title was the King and Queen of the west and their legend is the most popular of any other Hollywood couple.
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| Roy Rogers and his horse "Trigger." |
