Roy Rogers
"King of the Cowboys"

Roy Rogers, born Richard Slye in 1911 in Cincinnati, spent his entire boyhood in the state. At age 18, he moved with his family to California to help earn a living as a migrant worker.

In the early '30s he formed the now-famous western singing group, "The Sons of the Pioneers." Rogers parlayed this popularity into a contract with Republic Pictures in 1935 at $75 a week.

Roy's first movie (in a bit part) was "Tumbling Tumbleweeds"--filmed with legend Gene Autry. He got his first real break in 1938 when Autry walked off the set in a contract dispute. As a result, Rogers snagged the lead in "Under Western Stars", as a singing cowpoke turned Washington Congressman.

Rogers married Dale Evans, whom he'd met on a set, in 1947. They continued working together on screen making more than 20 films together, with their well-known equine companions "Trigger" (Roy) and "Buttermilk", which Dale rode.

The foursome made their way to television in 1951 and the rest, they say, is history.

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