"The Roy Rogers Show" aired on the NBC television network from December, 1951 to June, 1957. I caught the program as a kid on Saturday mornings just about the time the series had completed it's run, but how would I know any better. Between his TV shows and movies, Roy became my favorite Western cowboy hero and he pretty much holds that same regard today, even if the programs weren't very sophisticated and appear somewhat outmoded by today's standards. Over the last few weeks I've caught a couple dozen of the old shows on the Xumo Western channel and it was cool to see Roy with Dale Evans and Pat Brady once again, along with their animal pals, Trigger, Buttermilk and Bullet. And of course, who can forget old Nellybelle, Pat's uncooperative Jeep that caused him more than it's share of frustration. Interestingly though, Pat had his own horse as well, rarely seen, but if you caught the episode 'Death Medicine', you'll hear Pat call him by the name of Phineas.
"The Roy Rogers Show" was a contemporary Western that took place in the fictional town of Mineral City, so it wasn't unusual to see modern vehicles and appliances in use while the cowboy action took place as if it was the 1880's. Roy owned the Double R-Bar Ranch nearby, and if you caught enough episodes, you would know the surrounding area where the show took place was called Paradise Valley. The relationship between Roy and Dale, even though they were married at the time, was kept somewhat ambiguous. But in the episode 'The Big Chance', Roy asks Dale to stop by his ranch to get something for him, so it left the impression they really weren't a couple so to speak. Dale for her part owned and operated the Eureka Cafe in Mineral City, employing Pat Brady as a cook. You could get a steak dinner at Dale's diner for a dollar!
The only other regular player in the show during the first few seasons was Harry Harvey, Sr. Portraying the Mineral City sheriff. His character's name seemed to change over time, as I've heard him referred to as Hank Potter as well as Sheriff Blodgett. Otherwise, the series relied on a returning cast of actors who made multiple appearances in the show as different characters, guys like Don Harvey, Tom London, John Doucette, Chief Yowlachie, and even former Our Gang member, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer. I think even a kid watching the shows in order would have recognized Harry Lauter, Dub Taylor and Rusty Westcoatt appearing as outlaws with different names only two weeks apart during the series original run. One of my favorite episodes would have to be that in which Charles Bronson made an early screen appearance, portraying a boxer in an episode titled 'The Knockout'. But if you catch the closing credits of that show, you'll see him listed under his real name of Chas Buchinsky!
Something I learned only recently in a book written by one of the principals who organized the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, (I think it was Michael Lang), was that Roy was considered to be a closing act for that ultimate hippie fest that took place in August of 1969. Roy's manager quickly put the idea to rest by refusing the offer, but I have to wonder if a few hundred thousand fans who grew up watching the program might not have been thrilled to see and hear their cowboy hero sing 'Happy Trails' to send everyone off on their way. It would certainly have been a surreal moment, but I like to think that it would have been a cool one if it actually happened.
Watching the show today through an adult's eyes you may find it rather corny with some of the contrived situations and the way Roy wins out over the bad guys. There's a fist fight in almost every episode, and it didn't take much for gunfights to break out at the drop of a hat. But more often than not, Roy and Dale would offer sage advice to teach youngsters right from wrong, either directly or by their interaction with other characters. It wasn't unusual for individual shows to end with some outlaw seeing the error of his ways and promise to walk the straight and narrow from then on. After that, it was "Happy Trails, until we meet again".
"The Roy Rogers Show" was a contemporary Western that took place in the fictional town of Mineral City, so it wasn't unusual to see modern vehicles and appliances in use while the cowboy action took place as if it was the 1880's. Roy owned the Double R-Bar Ranch nearby, and if you caught enough episodes, you would know the surrounding area where the show took place was called Paradise Valley. The relationship between Roy and Dale, even though they were married at the time, was kept somewhat ambiguous. But in the episode 'The Big Chance', Roy asks Dale to stop by his ranch to get something for him, so it left the impression they really weren't a couple so to speak. Dale for her part owned and operated the Eureka Cafe in Mineral City, employing Pat Brady as a cook. You could get a steak dinner at Dale's diner for a dollar!
The only other regular player in the show during the first few seasons was Harry Harvey, Sr. Portraying the Mineral City sheriff. His character's name seemed to change over time, as I've heard him referred to as Hank Potter as well as Sheriff Blodgett. Otherwise, the series relied on a returning cast of actors who made multiple appearances in the show as different characters, guys like Don Harvey, Tom London, John Doucette, Chief Yowlachie, and even former Our Gang member, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer. I think even a kid watching the shows in order would have recognized Harry Lauter, Dub Taylor and Rusty Westcoatt appearing as outlaws with different names only two weeks apart during the series original run. One of my favorite episodes would have to be that in which Charles Bronson made an early screen appearance, portraying a boxer in an episode titled 'The Knockout'. But if you catch the closing credits of that show, you'll see him listed under his real name of Chas Buchinsky!
Something I learned only recently in a book written by one of the principals who organized the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, (I think it was Michael Lang), was that Roy was considered to be a closing act for that ultimate hippie fest that took place in August of 1969. Roy's manager quickly put the idea to rest by refusing the offer, but I have to wonder if a few hundred thousand fans who grew up watching the program might not have been thrilled to see and hear their cowboy hero sing 'Happy Trails' to send everyone off on their way. It would certainly have been a surreal moment, but I like to think that it would have been a cool one if it actually happened.
Watching the show today through an adult's eyes you may find it rather corny with some of the contrived situations and the way Roy wins out over the bad guys. There's a fist fight in almost every episode, and it didn't take much for gunfights to break out at the drop of a hat. But more often than not, Roy and Dale would offer sage advice to teach youngsters right from wrong, either directly or by their interaction with other characters. It wasn't unusual for individual shows to end with some outlaw seeing the error of his ways and promise to walk the straight and narrow from then on. After that, it was "Happy Trails, until we meet again".