Roy Rogers Show, The

Show Information compiled from John Dunning's book Tune In Yesterday

The Roy Rogers Show came to radio November 21, 1944. Never in all his 80-odd Republic Pictures did Rogers face an owlhoot as frightening as that first Mutual microphone.

Just before his first broadcast, Rogers had a severe case of mike fright. Although he became a veteran of hundreds of radio shows between 1944 and 1955, he never quite lost the fear of the microphone.

Actually, his mike career began in 1931. But in those days his voice was part of a blend, when he sang on the air as a member of Uncle Tom Murray's Hollywood Hillbillies. He spent several of his early years organizing cowboy bands, worked for a time on a New Mexico ranch, and traveled with Okies through depression-era California. It wasn't until 1937 that he got his first big movie break, taking over as in-house star at Republic after former star Gene Autry, had had a spat with the boss.

Soon Rogers was competing with Autry as the nation's top cowboy of the screen. His radio career, like his film career, followed Autry's by a few years, and the early shows followed the pattern set by Autry's Melody Ranch. Sponsored by Goodyear Tires, Rogers' show featured Roy and the Sons of the Pioneers in such fine Western favorites as "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," "Cool Waters," and "Don't Fence Me In." Much of the show was campfire banter and song, with Roy and songstress Pat Friday doing vocal solos, Perry Botkin leading the Goodyear orchestra and Verne Smith announcing. Dramatic skits were offered, but leaned to lighter material than what the show used in later years. Ultimately, it became primarily a Western thriller show.

The Sons of the Pioneers had strong personal ties to Rogers, and remained with him until 1948. Each member of the singing group claimed ancestry among the earliest pioneers, and Rogers had originally been part of the group. Then he was just Leonard
Slye, a Cincinnati-born kid; they traveled to small-town engagements, sang on the radio, and shared hard times. Gradually their songs came into favor. Their famed recording."The Last Roundup," pushed them into demand for small singing roles in Republic Pictures, and when Rogers heard that the studio was looking for a new Western star, he donned his white hat and auditioned for the part. The Sons went with him into films, and Tim Spenser, Bob Nolan, Hugh Farr, and Ken Dawson of the original group sang on his first radio show.

Rogers' wife Arlene died in 1946. By then he and Dale Evans had teamed up as king and queen of the Old West; they were married on December 31, 1947. Dale also figured prominently on Rogers' radio show, playing the same girl friend-constant companion part she had had in the films. In 1946, the show went to NBC as a Saturday-night feature for Miles Laboratories; it returned in 1948 to Mutual on Sundays for Quaker Oaks. Back it went to NBC for General Foods on Fridays in 1951. It moves to Thursday in 1952. In its final season, The Roy Rogers Show was a Thursday-night NBC offering for Dodge.

Foy Willing and the Riders of the Purple Sage replaced the Sons of the Pioneers in 1948. Gabby Hayes was a regular then, and major musical numbers were done by Frank Worth's orchestra. Later Pat Brady (a froggy-voiced mixup with Autry's Pat Buttram) was Roy's sidekick. By the 1950's, the thriller element, featuring Roy, Dale, Pat, horse Trigger, and dog Bullet, was the backbone of the show. It closed in 1955, a memorable piece of juvenile radio, to the now-famous Rogers theme;

Happy trails to you

Until we meet again….

Series Information compiled by Roger Hohenbrink