SWEET IN THE SADDLE

They rose from the depths of the Great Depression, both of them, in their teenage years. Their early family lives were transitional, and somewhat traumatic with both suffering losses due either to divorce and/or death. Including the joining of their union on New Year’s Eve 1947 at the Flying L Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma, they had tallied a total of seven marriages between them – but this one, this treasure, would endure. And with it, theirs would become an example of solidarity to western culture, matrimonial partnership and family – a tribute to the King and Queen of the western movie. Their lives, their partnership, their animals and their family have become national treasures of heritage. You know them as Roy Rogers and Dale Evans.

By DEBBIE MACRAE

He was born Leonard Franklin Slye, November 5, 1911. His father worked at a shoe factory and one day after pay day, brought home a horse, upon which Len would experience equine love and the basics of horsemanship. Len attended high school until his second year, at which time he realized his family needed his financial help. He went to work with his father and for some time, tried to attend school and work at the factory – but the candle doesn’t burn well at both ends, and Len was derided for falling asleep in class. He quit and never went back.

Working in the shoe factory, driving gravel truck and picking peaches in California, for Len (then aged 19), the realities and economics of the depression kick-started a new direction. At the urging of his sister, Mary, he struggled to overcome his shyness and auditioned for the Midnight Frolic radio program that aired in Inglewood, California, outside of Los Angeles. In a new western shirt, sewn for him by his sister, he sang and played his guitar – singing and yodelling as he had done on the farm with his mother. A few days later he joined the Rocky Mountaineer in August of 1931, performing at dances and small local theatres.

Working under his original name, Len Sly (without the “e”), he would go on to join the O-Bar-O Cowboys, The Pioneer Trio (who would become the memorable “Sons of the Pioneers” when a radio announcer remarked they were too young to be Pioneers), and Jack LeFevre and His Texas Outlaws.

Then in 1938, working in a Gene Autry movie, Len won a contest for a singing cowboy – and was rebranded with the more western sounding name, “Roy”, and referencing an established western entertainer “Will Rogers.” Roy Rogers was assigned a leading role Under Western Stars, and his career rocketed into major box-office competition with Gene Autry.

Although most B Westerns were in black and white, Rogers’ films were in TruColor. He became a children’s idol, as did his horse Trigger, who developed his own dedicated fan following.

In 1940, with uncanny marketing savvy, Rogers introduced a contract clause which gave him the exclusive rights to his name, likeness, and his voice for purposes of merchandising. From that evolved a series of comic books, action figures, toys, novels, children’s apparel and a chain of restaurants. Roy Rogers had established a sequence of marketing successes second only to Walt Disney, in the number of items carrying his name.

His personal life, however, was not as stellar. He acquired a palomino colt which he would call Trigger, in California in 1932. In 1933, he married Lucile Ascolese, however, their marriage ended in divorce in 1936. In 1933, while performing in Roswell, New Mexico, a lady caller to the radio station offered to bake him a pie if he sang, “The Swiss Yodel.” They continued their correspondence and were married after his divorce in 1936.

After adopting a daughter, Cheryl, the couple had two more children, Linda Lou, and Roy, Jr. (Dusty), however, second wife, Grace “Arlene” died suddenly of an embolism from birthing complications several days later in November of 1946.