On November 5, 1911, Leonard Franklin Slye was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. The boy who learned to yodel from old recordings would grow up to become Roy Rogers, the “King of the Cowboys,” and one of Hollywood’s best-known singing stars.
Slye’s family later settled on a small farm near Portsmouth, Ohio. His father worked in a shoe factory, while Leonard helped with farm chores and attended school. Music was part of family life. The Slyes sang together, and Leonard learned guitar and mandolin. According to Rogers, his father brought home a cylinder phonograph and recordings by Swiss yodelers. Leonard listened repeatedly and developed a yodeling style of his own.
In 1930, when he was 18, Slye and his family moved to California. They hoped for better work during the Great Depression. He drove a gravel truck and picked fruit before trying out for an amateur radio program. His singing led to work with the Rocky Mountaineers, a western music group. In 1933, he joined Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer to form the Pioneer Trio. The group soon became the Sons of the Pioneers, known for close harmonies, western songs, and yodeling. In 1934, the trio secured a Los Angeles radio program and a recording contract with Decca Records. Songs such as “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” helped make their sound recognizable. They appeared on radio and began singing in films in 1935.
Slye also took small parts in movies, sometimes appearing with the group. His opportunity to become a leading man came in 1938, when Gene Autry left Republic Pictures during a contract dispute. The studio needed a new singing cowboy for a film planned for Autry. Slye auditioned and won the starring role in Under Western Stars. In the film, he plays a cowboy who runs for Congress during a drought crisis. Studio executives gave him the screen name Roy Rogers. “Rogers” was reportedly chosen in tribute to humorist and performer Will Rogers, while “Roy” came from a list of suggested first names.
For the film, Rogers chose a golden palomino named Golden Cloud from a group of rented horses. The horse had appeared earlier in The Adventures of Robin Hood. Singing cowboy Smiley Burnette suggested the name Trigger, inspired by the horse’s quickness. Rogers later bought Trigger, and the pair became a popular screen team. They appeared together in dozens of films, and Trigger learned tricks that made him a featured attraction.
Rogers’s career grew quickly. He starred in more than 80 westerns for Republic and appeared in more than 100 films overall. He became known as the “King of the Cowboys,” a nickname that reflected his popularity with movie audiences. His clean-cut screen persona made him a favorite with children, while his songs and performances also reached adult fans.
Radio and television expanded his audience. The Roy Rogers radio program began in 1944 and ran for nine years. In 1951, The Roy Rogers Show brought him to television, with Rogers as a rancher and Dale Evans as a café owner. The series ran until 1957. Rogers and Evans also became a popular performing and screen partnership. His work across entertainment earned him four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, recognizing his contributions to motion pictures, television, radio, and music.
Rogers was honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame twice: in 1980 as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers and in 1988 for his individual career. His fame rested on more than a cowboy image. He built a long career from singing, radio, film, television, and the enduring partnership with Trigger that helped define his screen persona.
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When I was a youngster in the late 1940’s Roy Rogers movies were shown Saturday mornings in the small movie theater in Upcountry South Carolina. The cost of a ticket was nine cents. He was one of my favorite cowboys. Around 20 years later in the late 1960’s I was on a flight to Dallas, Texas. When we were deplaning, Roy was standing on the right side of the isle in the first class section of the airplane. The man in front of me said to Roy, “I don’t see Trigger.” Roy simply responded, “Nope.” Never the less it was a thrill for me to be so close to my favorite cowboy. – GEH
One thing I like about Roy Rogers was his exemplary character off stage and his dedicated family life. A great guy!
I loved Roy Rogers!
I love this program, its offer so much to young and old collectors.
Thanks for the info on Roy Rogers. I saw a lot of his movies and always thought he was a great actor and singer.
I worked in the 1960s at the Marriott hotel in the Washington DC area where Roy would stay when he came to town on business trips for the then new Roy Rogers restaurants that were backed by the Marriott company. I had a few opportunities to speak to him when he was checking into the hotel, and I often got a nod and a wave from him in the hotel lobby. Happy trails to you, Roy.
Such an interesting article, absent of any mention of Roy Rogers restaurants, there was one in Philadelphia, where I have had lunch.
Keep up the good history
Roy Rogers was always a favorite with my family growing up. Thanks for this backround info on him. Dale Evans, his wife, was a favorite, as well. A great couple example for us all. I enjoyed reading her books about their family. “Happy trails to you…”
Wonderful memories. Roy Rogers brought many positive aspects into life. Thank you.
I though Roy Rogers was his real name.
childhood memory’s of Saturday afternoon at the movies .. ten cents for a cartoon and a movie .
Stuart, you must be about my age – 77. Our Saturday movies were in the morning and the cost was 9 cents. You and I grew up in the best of times. – Glenn
Roy Rogers was my adopted Father. That is I adopted him in my mind. I was raised in the Charleston Orphanage and since I didn’t have a male figure I chose Roy. Just before the Museum closed in Branson, Mo. our daughter paid for my wife and me to go to Branson to see the Mounted Trigger, Buttermilk (Dale’s horse), Bullet, the dog and Trigger Jr. We got to meet Roy Jr. and Roy the 3Rd. It was a great trip filled with memories I shall never forget. I starred at Trigger for the longest time, and had a great time talking to Roy Jr. Our grandson went with us and was picked out of the crown as one of the last fans of the “King of the Cowboys”.
And I reckon I’ve seen every one of his movies, too! A great actor.
Roy Rogers & the Sons of the Pioneers(RCA Label)
A wonderful This Day in History, Mystic. Roy Rogers was a hero to me and I loved watching his movies and TV shows. Thanks for this great trip down memory lane. “Happy trails to you, until we meet again…”
Gene Autry was always my favorite, but after you data for Roy… Aw heck I always loved Roy and Dale too. What about Tom Mix? Does he have a stamp? Love those cowboys!!!
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very good info; thank you
Roy Rogers was the epitome of how life was back in the fifties. Loving. caring, peaceful etc..
How did things change so drastically to the mess we are in now?
Hopefully we will learn to control our “advancements” and return to saner days!!!
I loved Roy and Dale growing up. I have read just about everything written about them. I lived in CA as a teenager about an hour from the museum there and never got to visit it. But, I made the trip to Branson three times to visit that one. In fact, I was there just about two weeks before it closed. I have a complete gallery of pictures I took. I also got to meet Dusty and Roy, 3rd generation. I had my picture taken with them. I will also treasure the memories of his movies and songs.. It is sad that the next generations won’t have the chance to visit that Museum and get to know a true legend. RIP Roy and Dale and thank you for the examples you led for us as we were children and adults.
As a child I went to see Roy at the old Crosley Field in Cinti, Ohio. My Mother was his 2nd cousin, so we were led to his dressing room, when he came down the steps I was in awe, as he was all decked out in his stage outfit. . He let me sit on Trigger and play with Bullet, while he and Mom talked. I found out later in life that Dale Evans had written a book about the daughter who had passed called Angels Unaware. I thought it was one of the best books I had ever read, I cried while reading it as it was so touching. These are wonderful memories for me to treasure for the rest of my life.
When I was a kid growing up in the late ’40s, there were six cowboy stars who had their own radio shows: Red Ryder, the Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Tom Mix, and Hopalong Cassidy. Oops, make that seven–almost forgot the Cisco Kid! They were mostly on in the afternoon, for half an hour, sometimes three in a row. We would listen to them on the big radio in someone’s living room (we didn’t have TV until late 1949), then go outside and play them until it got dark.
They all had sidekicks, too–Red Ryder had Little Beaver; the Lone Ranger, Tonto; Roy Rogers had Gabby Hayes; Gene Autry had Pat Buttram; not sure who Tom Mix had; and Hoppy had Lucky and California. And Cisco had Pancho! I remember Gabby Hayes’ favorite saying, without his false teeth, “Ding bust it, Roy, we let them varmints get away!”
Our Saturday matinees in SoCal were about 15¢, but we got about 8 cartoons, 2 short subjects (Laurel & Hardy, Charley Chase, Buster Keaton, etc.), plus a feature-length western. The matinees had long disappeared by the time my boys were that age–they just sat and watched cowboys & cartoons on TV.
Roy could ride a horse like nobody else – I can always picture him doing that!