Arline Wilkins, his second wife, died a few days after giving birth to their son, Roy Rogers Jr. (Dusty). She had complications from the cesarean--a blood clot formed, traveled to her brain and killed her. Dale Evans, his third wife, became his children's mom when Dusty was 15 months old. He and Arline had three children: two girls and Dusty.
Besides his most famous role as Roy Rogers himself, "King of the Cowboys", Roy may be one of the few actors, if not the most famous one, to have played three of the West's greatest legends: Wild Bill Hickok, William F. Cody (aka Buffalo Bill) and Jesse James. Also, in Billy the Kid Returns (1938), he played the slain gunslinger as well.
Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 522-525. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Childhood home was on real estate that later included second base in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium.
Elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1980 as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers and elected again in 1988 as Roy Rogers.
Godfather of Robbie Lee.
He and wife Dale Evans adopted four children, one of whom--Cheryl Rogers--later became an actress. One of his and Dale's daughters died in a bus wreck in Aug. 1964. One adopted son choked to death in Nov. 1965.
He had two children and 1 adopted daughter with Arlene Wilkins.
He was awarded 3 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Pictures at 1752 Vine Street; for Radio at 1733 Vine Street; and for Television at 1620 Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
His adopted daughter is Little Doe Rogers.
His guest appearance on "The New Adventures of Wonder Woman" (1975) in 1977 reflected his real life, as the character he played was a western man who had adopted several children. Roy's conservative side showed through, though, when he insisted to the show's producers that, in order for him to agree to do the episode, series star Lynda Carter needed to wear more clothing than the "bathing suit" type of costume she normally wore. Rogers won out and Carter wore a sleeved solid red top and white chino pants.
Inducted (as a member of the Sons of the Pioneers) into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1995.
Inducted (with his wife Dale Evans) into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1976.
Nicknames: Roy Rogers "King of the Cowboys", Dale Evans "Queen of the West", Trigger "Smartest Horse in the Movies"
Once lived next door to actor Val Kilmer (when Val was a child). When Roy moved, the Kilmers later moved into to his old ranch. Then, in 1999, Val led a Trigger lookalike on stage at the 1999 Academy Awards in honor of Roy Rogers.
Once received 78,852 fan letters in a single month.
Profiled in "Back in the Saddle: Essays on Western Film and Television Actors", Gary Yoggy, ed. (McFarland, 1998).
Rogers was asked to run for Congress on the Republican ticket at one time. He replied, "I have both Democrat and Republican fans and I can't afford to lose any of them!".
Roy got his horse Trigger in 1938 and rode him in every one of his films and TV shows after that. He had appeared in one earlier movie, ridden by Olivia de Havilland in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). Trigger died in 1965 at age 33.