Roy and Dale - Cowboy Royalty

Estelita Rodriguez, Roy Rogers, Pat Brady, Dale Evens

Signed by Roy and Dale

When Andy Slye was told of a shoe factory hiring in Los Angeles and asked his son Leonard (the future Roy Rogers) to join him in applying there for work, Leonard, having seen the joy that his guitar and singing had brought to the destitute around the campfire, hesitatingly told his father that he was going to pursue a living in music. And the rest, as they say is history!

Leonard moved to California to become a singer. After four years of little success, he formed the Sons of the Pioneers with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer. A lucky break occurred in 1938, when Gene Autry temporarily walked out on his movie contract, and Leonard was suddenly renamed "Roy Rogers" and assigned the lead in Under Western Stars.

Roy first met Dale in 1944, and by 1947 they were married at the Flying  L Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma.

With money from not only his films, but from his public appearances going to Republic Pictures, Roy brought a clause into a 1940 contract with the studio where he would have the right to his likeness, voice and name for merchandising. There were Roy Rogers action figures, guns and play sets,

 This, of course led to the Popular Saturday afternoon TV series, The Roy Rogers Show.

Roy and Dale were well known as advocates for adoption and as founders and operators of children's charities. They, themselves adopted several children. In Apple Valley, where they made their home, numerous streets and highways, as well as civic buildings have been named after them in recognition of their efforts on behalf of homeless and handicapped children.

Roy left us in July 8, 1998, and Dale followed, less than three years later, on February 7, 2001. Thanks Roy and Dale! You will be missed. It is so good that the movies live on!

Tommy Nolan

Autographed Photo of Tommy Nolan, Star of "Buckskin" *

Since this is a blog about the Autographs of both Child Stars and Western Stars, I thought I would start off with a Star who was both!

Tommy Nolan, who was a real favorite of mine when I was a young boy, was born on January 15, 1948 in Montreal, Canada. His given name was Bernard Girouard, and he was born to French and Irish Parents.

Title For the TV Series; Buckskin

At the age of ten, Tommy was cast as Jody O'Connell in the NBC Western series, Buckskin, which ran for thirty-nine episodes from July 3, 1958 to September 14, 1959. It started as a summer replacement for The Ford Show, starring Tennessee Ernie Ford, and was held over after a months hiatus in October 1958. It was repeated in the Summers of 1959, and 1965.

Sally Brophy played Jody's widowed mother, Annie O'Connell, who ran the boarding house in the fictitious town of Buckskin, Montana. Mike Reed played the marshal, Tom Sellers. The program was unique in that it was a nonviolent Western seen from a Child's perspective, with Tommy narrating each episode while sitting on his corral fence and playing his harmonica. 

Tommy Nolan and Sally Brophy in Buckskin

After Buckskin, (which continued in repeats on an irregular basis until 1965) Tommy also appeared in other Western series, such as CBS's Rawhide and Gunsmoke, ABC's The Rifleman and Wagon Train (NBC, and ABC)

Tommy Nolan 

* I acquired the Autographed Photo, which is a 5x7,  in 2009, from a dealer. It is a photo from the Show Buckskin, and was signed at the time of the series.