Roy Rogers

Had it not been for the time I was blessed to spend researching the life and career of Roy Rogers my association with the name “Roy” would not be good. I was married to a “Roy” once. I thought he loved me. I’ve gotten that wrong more than once. Anyway, Roy Rogers was an extraordinary man. I traveled to Victorville in Southern California in 2004 to begin the research. I spent several days at the Rogers/Evans museum. The family gave me the opportunity to go through several boxes of Roy’s personal items. Among his things was a 1949 edition of Modern Screen magazine. Roy had written an article about working with his wife, Dale Evans that appeared in the periodical. I found it very romantic. “I am writing this in my portable dressing room at Republic Studios, where we are shooting Susanna Pass,” the article began. “Right next door is the dressing room of the girl who is playing opposite me in the picture and – what do you know? – once more she’s Dale Evans. It’s just like old time.” Rogers was referring to Republic Studios and the fact that they had relented on the decision to separate Roy and Dale as a romantic team in the King of Cowboys Western series. He continued: “It fits right into the plan of life we’d talked about when we were married – the plan the studio busted all to bits when it decided that a married couple made a poor romantic team on the screen. And, in addition to Dale and myself, there are three other members of our family who are plumb delighted: Cheryl, our oldest, who’s eight, Linda Lou, who’s five; and Roy Jr., who’s 27 months old and whom we call “Dusty” on account of he generally is. All five of us are deeply grateful to the thousands of fans who wrote us at Republic and convinced the studio that it was wrong about separating us. That plan Dale and I made when were married a year ago was centered around our home. We decided we’d guide our careers so we could spend as much time as possible together – as a family. Yes, sir, it’s just like old times – and I’m sure thankful to the fans, to Modern Screen, and to everyone who brought my Dale back to me. Just think – three and a half years, up to the time of our marriage, we made 24 pictures together! I don’t have to tell you that we got so we could sail through a scene, no matter how tough it was, because we were comfortable with each other, knew just how the other worked. And then, just because we moved even closer together in our personal lives, we had to split up professionally! But that’s all over now. I’m a happy man again. Dale is right next to me – and all I have to do is look through the window to see Old Trigger tied to a post. There was a postscript from Dale: “I knew it!” she wrote. “I knew he’d have to get his Old Trigger into this somewhere.”