The name Roy Rogers seemed to be magical! Dad worked all the time. From 4/20/38 when “Under Western Stars” was released, when he wasn’t starring in his own Western series of films, he was doing cameos and parts in other’s films.
Dad signed his pictures “Happy Trails”
almost from the very beginning of his career.
Dad (Roy Rogers) worked on “A Feud There Was” (a Merrie Melodies cartoon) which was released on 9/4/38; he worked with The Weavers in their Republic film “Jeepers Creepers” that was released 10/26/39.
Then he got to work with an all-star cast on John Wayne’s “Dark Command” which was released on 4/15/40. This is a really good film that co-starred Walter Pidgeon, Claire Trevor and George “Gabby” Hayes. Dad plays Claire’s younger brother but he looks more like a smaller, younger version of John Wayne.
Dad was a guest in the MGM short, “Rodeo Dough” released on 11/9/40.
Next was “Meet Roy Rogers,” a Republic short that was to introduce Roy Rogers to Hollywood and the rest of the world. The short was released on 6/24/41. I made my film debut in this short (I was about 9 or 10 months of age)! This is also the only piece of film that I know of where my Mommy (Arline Wilkins Rogers) was included.
Dad again appeared in a Republic film that starred The Weavers, “Arkansas Judge” which was released on 7/16/41. He was one of several stars featured in an RKO short, “Picture PeopleNo. 2: Hollywood Sports” that was released on 10/10/41.
Dad next made a cameo appearance in one of Tito Guizar’s Republic films (Tito appeared in a couple of Dad’s features too), “Brazil,” which was released on 10/20/44. Tito was Mexico’s Roy Rogers.
Dad and Trigger performed the song, “Don’t Fence Me In,” in Warner Bros. USO film, “Hollywood Canteen” which featured just about every actor in Hollywood at the time and was released during the holidays in 1944. Republic later starred Dad in a film entitled “Don’t Fence Me In.” That’s just about my favorite of all of Dad’s films because the story is built around Gabby. You see this film quite often on TV. Republic released another film during the holidays that year, “Lake Placid Serenade” which starred Herbert Yates’ wife, Vera Hruba Ralston. Dad sang “Winter Wonderland” in that film.
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That is an excellent baby picture! Trigger looks so serene. Thank you so much for all this info, it is so helpful for putting together a collection of all Roy’s films.
Hi Cheryl, would you know how to get a hold of the “Meet Roy Rogers”? I would like to see it even on You tube.
I really enjoy your blogs or writings. Haven’t heard much about Dusty lately is he still performing with his band? I used to be a “friend” on facebook but not anymore. Thanks again for you writings about your Dad.
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We saw “Meet Roy Rogers” on YouTube.
I don’t know what Dusty is doing now. You might ask our sister, Dodie Rogers Patterson. She’s on Facebook.
The first time Little Trigger appeared on camera was in the movie In Song of Texas (1943). Roy Rogers, a rodeo star, visited the Texas Springs Hospital and took Little Trigger into a children’s ward to perform. Roy got the horse two years earlier in 1941 and that’s when Glenn Randall started working with him. So in the above photo, the palomino wasn’t quite ready for his debut. This is great early shot of “the smartest horse in the movies.”