Dale Evans-Roy Rogers

Kurt L Moore

It’s sunset and time for the cowboy to ride into the sunset, strumming on his guitar as his steed takes him onward into another tale of adventure that will be coming same time, same station next week.

Roy (Dusty) Rogers Jr., grew up watching his dad ride into the sunset each and every week, onward and upward to another great adventure that captivated audiences of kids from coast to coast and border to border. Dusty thought that it was natural for his dad to do that because he had never known any other life than that of the Roger’s household. It wasn’t until later in his life that he realized there actually were a butcher, baker and candlestick maker.

Dale Evans-Rogers was his mother, one of the most famous women of her time and was quite possibly the most admired woman of that era. The era we are talking of was the Saturday morning line-up of westerns that most baby boomers and WWII babies, such as myself, cut our teeth on.

The Saturday morning line-up had Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette, Hopalong Cassidy and his trusted horse Topper. From the flourishing pen of O. Henry came the classic “Cisco Kid,” starring Duncan Renaldo as the Cisco Kid and Leo Carrillo as his ever present, English munching sidekick Pancho. Others on the line-up included a new kind of cowboy, Sky King. Kirby Grant Hoon, a concert violinist and WWII aviator, as Sky King, scoured the western skies in his 1946 Cessena T-50 Bobcat, named the Song Bird, searching high and low for all the bad guys.

Then, of course there was Roy, Dale, Trigger, Buttermilk, Bullet the dog, Nellybelle the Jeep and an assortment of sidekicks; Gabby Hayes, Smiley Burnette and Pat Brady. Smiley was in the first two Rogers’ films and Pat Brady was in more than 100 episodes. An interesting side-note is that once during the first two films that Rogers was in, Smiley Burnette, after watching Roy’s horse perform said that the horse was quick as a trigger. Voila,’ Trigger was born for all the ages to enjoy.

For many years in the fifties, (1951-1957), and years of reruns, Roy and his trusty crew kept the streets of Mineral City clean of the robbers and bad guys that plagued the west. Kids all across America approved, the sponsors approved and moms and dads everywhere knew their kids were in good hands on Saturday mornings with the Saturday morning western TV lineup.

Of course over time Roy would become more noted and more famous than all the others in the lineup. He was eventually to become known as the “King of the Cowboys” and as such was Grand Marshall in many a parade and was noted throughout his lifetime as a spokesperson and hero of children’s causes, family life, a champion of the second amendment and a great patriot for our country.

Roy, Dale and the rest of the original gang are gone now. Lost to the ages and to us, but fortunately we have Dusty Rogers, Roy and Dale’s son, right here in Branson, telling us what life was like in the Rogers’ household and what it was like to grow up in one of the most famous homes of their time.

When you go to the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum, you will want to visit the Museum, the gift shop and attend one of two daily performances of the Happy Trails Theater.

The museum will teach you all about Roy, Dale, Trigger, Bullet, Buttermilk, Nellybelle and the life and times of Roy and Dale and their family as shown in displays, photos and such. The gift shop will let you take home a piece of nostalgia in the form of something unique that you cannot get anywhere else. For example, I collect unusual Christmas ornaments and I managed to pick up a couple of unusual cowboy ornaments that adds a lot to an already special tree. Incidentally, my tree is up and lit with chili lights year round. Christmas every day of the year in my home. That’s a special story for another time.

Then just when you think you have seen it all through the museum and gift shop, you will enter yet another world. The world of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans as seen through the eyes of the one person who knew them best, Dusty Rogers.

Dusty tells the story of Roy and Dale in story and song along with his band, the Highriders. The nostalgia is multi-layered as he tells of growing up with Roy, Dale and his siblings of which there were eight of differing nationalities.

Over a year ago, I did a series of articles and interviews with Dusty as he was bringing the museum to Branson. My first thought before the interview began was that he was probably some spoiled Hollywood kid, turned adult, who was simply riding on the fame of his parents. Wrong! All wrong! I found him to be very centered, with both boots planted firmly on the ground. He had an astoundingly high regard for his parents and was humbled by their lifetime accomplishments.

Dusty is about as comfortable to be around as an old shoe. He is articulate, talented, in his own right, personable and extremely intelligent. He puts all of his assets into a show that will widen the eyes and nudge the memories of the kid that is in all of us. Mike Radford, when he had his show, “Remember When,” had well used boxes of Kleenex on the end of each tier of seating. Dusty should be doing the same thing, especially when he performs “King of the Cowboys.” It’s a story of the life of Roy Rogers as told in song. It is a throat-lumping tribute to his dad that has the least of us and even the most cynical of us misty eyed.

There are quite a few interesting footnotes to the Roy Rogers, Dale Evans saga. One of those notes has to do with “Under Western Stars.” Actually that was pretty much the start of the Roy Rogers we all grew to know and admire. It seems that Gene Autry was having problems with the studio where he was under contract and one day did not show up for filming. The studio grabbed this young movie bit player and singer from the Sons of the Pioneers, Leonard Slye, turned Dick Weston and finally Roy Rogers, and put him into the film in Autry’s place. “Under Western Stars” was the name of the movie and it propelled Rogers to instant fame.

Another movie worth mentioning is in the opening title to this story. Rogers was later making a movie, “The Cowboy and the Senorita.” That is when Dale Evans joined Roy for the making of that movie and for the rest of his life. Together they went on to make 28 movies, raised a Christian family, did television appearances, wrote books and created one of the most popular western series of it’s time.

Roy and Dale were known for their integrity, honesty, faith, moral courage and the principles they lived by. Roy and Dale were known around the world and loved by all. We will always miss them.

Roy and Dale, I am sure, are quite proud of their son Dusty. Dusty was raised with the moral conviction of his parents and has their other attributes as well. Dusty has a fine family of his own and takes pride in them, the museum and the show he produces.
For an afternoon of nostalgia and a ride down life’s trail with Roy, Dale and other voices of the past, you need to go to the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum and Happy Trails Theater.

The following was written in about 20 minutes by Dale Evans in response to the need for a theme song for Roy. The Gettysburg Address and this Dale Evans song were both scribbled on the back of envelopes. We know both of these inspirational works well.

OK Buckaroos and Buckarettes, lets all sing together now:

Some trails are happy ones,
Others are blue.
It’s the way you ride the trail that counts,
Here’s a happy one for you.

Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin’ until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you ‘till we meet again.

{Music and lyrics by Dale Evans-Rogers}

We are certain that Roy and Dale have met again and are now riding Happy Trails.

For show times, reservations and information, call: (417) 339-1900.
Editor’s note: I have asked several kids around town if they knew who Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were. To a kid, not one of them knew. Where have all our heroes gone?