User Reviews

Time may have blurred my memory of this, but I got up early on weekend mornings to watch this with my younger brother. Several things appealed to me: the fact that it was live and unpredictable and spontaneous and also that they marched kids past the camera and asked "the posse" to pick out which of the kids were featured on wanted posters. We seldom guessed it correctly. In 1964 or 1965, Boomtown made a personal visit as they often did to the amusement park Pleasure Island. Rex had this car that could drive through water because it was sealed up underneath and also had a propeller in the rear of the car. Growing up in Massachusetts, this was one of my favorite shows, along with Uncle Gus, Major Mudd, Clubhouse 4 and Bob Glover (who replaced Bunker Hill). There was a lot to watch because none of the stations were owned by the networks and we had two or three independent UHF stations and WMUR-TV 9 from Manchester, along with PBS, which was known as NET, National Educational Television back then. I think TV was more interesting then because it was unscripted.

Howdy Rex!

Rex Trailer's "Boomtown" was a Cowboy children's television show broadcast from 1956 to 1976 mostly on the local NBC affiliate Channel 4 (now CBS). Attended by children from the Boston area, this show was full of games, stories, animals on "Critter Corner," local music like the "Bunker Hillbillys!", cartoons, and a cast of characters played by local talent. This show ran so long that the original child audience from the 50's could have their children go to it in the 70's!

Each program started in the Bunkhouse where Rex and his trusty Mexican companion Pablo (played by Dick Kilbride who tragically passed away from illness in 1968) would discuss what would be on the show that day thus keeping the kiddies watching at home interested through out the morning. Then Rex would ride his horse "Goldrush" into the studio with it's audience of kids.

Starting right after the test pattern, the National Anthem, and a "Big Picture" Armed Forces short, this show ruled Saturday AM for up to fours hours per episode (depending on sponsors and the time of year), kids could be waiting a long time to see what they had heard about in the Bunkhouse. There was also a Sunday edition as well. Other characters that appeared were Cactus Pete and Sgt. Billy. Sgt. Billy replaced Kilbride and was with the show until the end and still works with Rex on occasion.

Most of the shows were live, took place out doors in the summer(weather permitting) in a western town set behind the TV studio. It featured the usual western fair spiced with references to modern goings on. At the time I was watching the show JFK was President and their was a lot of references to the space race. Rex was and is a flying cowboy and worked that into the show as well. Rex still is an avid aviator.

There was also the usual western cowboy gun play until the assassination of JFK. After that Rex discontinued wearing his six guns and toned down that part of the show.

It's most noted episode was when a live Tiger appearing on the show went out of control pinning it's owner to the floor. As the trainer pleaded to "Get him off! Get him off!", Rex had to coax the tiger away in front of a studio of children who thought it was all part of the act. It has been said by Rex that the smell of the horse in the studio and a tiger do not mix. No one was hurt but a normal "Critter Corner" this was not.

Rex sponsored travel trips to Universal Studios and Disneyland where planes would be chartered for several hundred fans. Rex made more than 1,000 episodes, spanning three decades. He ran a Television training school and taught at Emerson College.

Rex currently still appears at parades and other events in the Boston area and currently has a web page where he hawks merchandise about his show. Rex was originally a singing cowboy and his old LP albums are still available via E bay.

I too remember when Rex came to a little water park in Mendon Mass,and drove that same car into the lake. He along with Sgt.Billy, or perhaps it could have even been Cactis Pete, my brother and I were there to see Rex. I can remember that little show Rex did up on his travel trailer,and I can still hear the crack of that whip as Rex snagged a cigarette from someone lips. We were so happy to have met Rex,and we also had the joy of patting "Gold Rush" What ever happened to the simple times and all that fun? Rex if you have the chance to read this, I just wanna say "Thank You" for being who you were, and giving us as kids all that fun,my younger brother and I never missed a single show. God bless you in your golden years,and "Happy Trails"

If you were a local Mass.native it was a show that lasted for so many years it did make every young kids Saturday & Sunday Mornings alike.Starting off as 3 hours on each of those days and on the weekends and sadly even when the original Boomtown on WBZ-TV 4 still had kids waiting on back up for 2 years it had to be canceled after 18 years to make way for network television.But the "Howdy there folks we're glad to meet you" theme song is/was very catchy as well as enjoyable.Along with the Hoofbeats song of which was sung by Rex with the footage of which would bridge the gap from the bunkhouse to Where he'd meet the kids.

The Latter day version of Boomtown seen on WXNE-Ch.25 however didn't have the same flare as a prerecorded show that the original WBZ-TV 4 version did as a live TV-Show.

Pick up a copy of both versions of Rex Trailer's Boomtown:The Movie a.k.a. Rex Trailer's Gold DVD then you'll not only see me in it but get a real feel for the Nostalgia too.Also pick up a copy of the book of Rex Trailer:The Boomtown Years.

Truthfully,Stephen "Steve" G. Baer a.k.a."Ste"of Framingham,Ma.USA. P.S.

When I got to see Rex on June 21,1998 for the first time in 21 Years since The Ca.Trip which I went on with him from February 19-26 in 1977.I mentioned this to him there at The Joe Val Blue Grass Festival and he said to me "Yes I thought you looked familiar."Upon asking to sign my Rex Trailer:The Boomtown Years Book he asked after seeing my Check how I wanted him to sign it to Stephen or Steve? Then I said to him "Ste,S-t- e and how my older brother Kevin came up with it being a year older than me and unable to say the whole thing at the time and of which is why I couldn't be brought up to prefer Stephen."

I was on the show way back when I was a Cub Scout. (My pack was part of his "on camera" audience one Saturday sometime around 1958 or so.) I don't remember much except that his assistant was the one who kept everyone in line. Dressed in a Mexican Serape and sombrero, (if memory serves) while Rex did all of his fun "kid" things, his assistant would glower and stop anyone in the audience from doing anything except EXACTLY what Rex wanted at that moment.

It was actually a little terrifying for the kids and probably the reason no one went on it a second time!!! Even smiling was done "on command". After that experience, I lost all interest in watching the show and it probably tainted my appreciation for anything "Hollywood" to this day.