Remember Roy & Dale

Airpark

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Friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

Reminisce for a minute or two, and be sure to read the statement near the end of this article

END OF AN ERA !!!!

THE END OF AN ERA.......
The Roy Rogers Museum in Branson , MO has closed its doors forever.
The contents of the museum were sold at a public auction.
Roy Rogers told his son, if the museum ever operates at a loss,
close it And sell the contents. He complied.

Note the follow-on article truly the end of an era.
Here is a partial listing of some of the items that were sold at auction...

Roy 's 1964 Bonneville sold for $254,500, it was estimated to Sell between 100 and 150 thousand dollars.


His script book from the January 14,1953 episode of This Is Your Life sold for $10,000 (EST. $800-$1,000).

A collection of signed baseballs ( Pete Rose, Duke Snyder and
other greats) sold for $3,750.

A collection of signed bats (Yogi Berra, Enos Slaughter, Bob Feller, and others) sold for $2,750.

Trigger 's saddle and bridle sold for $386,500 (EST. 100-150 K).

One of many of Roy 's shirts sold for $16,250 and one of his many cowboy hats sold for $17,500.


One set of boot spurs sold for $10,625.

(He never used a set of spurs on Trigger).

A life size shooting gallery sold for $27,500.
Various chandeliers sold from $6,875 to $20,000.
Very unique and artistic in their western style.

A signed photograph by Don Larsen taken during his perfect game in the world series against The Dodgers on Oct. 8, 1953, along with a signed baseball to Roy from Don, sold for $2,500.


Two fabulous limited edition BB guns in their original boxes with Numerous photos of Roy, Dale, Gabby, and Pat sold for $3,750.

A collection of memorabilia from his shows entertaining the troops in Vietnam sold for $938.
I never knew he was there. His flight jacket sold for $7,500.


His set of dinner ware plates and silverware sold for $11,875.
The Bible they used at the dinner table every night sold for $8,750.
One of several of his guitars sold for $27,500.
Nellybelle sold for $116,500.

A fabulous painting of Roy , Dale, Pat , Buttermilk, Trigger, and Bullet sold for $10,625.
One of several sets of movie posters sold for $18,750.
A black and white photograph of Gene Autry with a touching inscription From Gene to Roy sold for $17,500.
A Republic Productions Poster bearing many autographs of the People that played in Roy 's movies sold for $11,875.
Dale 's horse, Buttermilk (whose history is very interesting) sold
below The presale estimate for $25,000. (EST. 30-40 K).


Bullet sold for $35,000 (EST. 10-15 K). He was their real pet.
Dale 's parade saddle, estimated to sell between 20-30 K, sold for $104,500.

One of many pairs of Roy 's boots sold for $21,250.
Trigger sold for $266,500.


Do you remember the 1938 movie The Adventures of Robinhood, With Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland?
Well Olivia rode Trigger in that movie.

Trigger was bred on a farm co-owned by Bing Crosby. Roy bought Trigger on a time payment plan for $2,500.
Roy and Trigger made 188 movies together.
Trigger even out did Bob Hope by winning an Oscar in the movie
Son of Paleface in 1953.

It is extremely sad to see this era lost forever. Despite the fact that
Gene and Roy 's movies, As well as those of other great characters,
can be bought or rented for viewing, today 's kids would rather
spend their time playing video games.

Today it takes a very special pair of parents to raise their kids with the right values and morals.

These were the great heroes of our childhood, and they did teach
us right from Wrong, and how to have and show respect for each
other and the animals that share this earth.

You and I were born at the right time.

We were able to grow up with these great people even if we
never met them. In their own way they taught us patriotism and honor,
we learned that lying and Cheating were bad, and sex wasn't as important as love. We learned how to suffer through disappointment and failure and work through it. Our lives were drug free.

So it 's good-bye to Roy and Dale, Gene and Hoppy,
The Lone Ranger and Tonto.
Farewell to Sky King and Superman and Sgt. Friday.
Thanks to Capt..Kangaroo, Mr. Rogers and Capt. Noah
and all those people whose lives touched ours, and made them better.


It was a great ride through childhood.

HAPPY TRAILS MY FRIENDS


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Back in 82, I was on vacation and stopped in Victorville--where the Museum had been, and actually met him in person. Roy had made it a habit to meet people when he could--we got lucky that day.
 
Happy trails to you, until we meet again.
Happy trails to you, keep smilin' until then.
Who cares about the clouds when we're together?
Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather.
Happy trails to you, 'till we meet again.

He Was My Hero !!!
 
It's sad the museum closed. As a kid I spent many Sat. afternoons
watching Roy, Dale and all the others riding the range and fighting
the bad guys. Also remember his TV show. When I was a kid
playing cowboys was a big part of my day. I rode a many a mile
on a stick horse. In my mind I was riding through mountains and
fields on the best horse ever. I could shoot anything and never
missed or lost a fight. Then of course I had to grow up, Roy and
Dale and the rest had to grow old but the memories are there
forever.
 
Yep I can still remember seeing Roy at the Mid South Fair in 1961. Can remember the rhinestone studded outfit he was wearing and that he always preached about God, country and doing the right thing. Try to find someone doing that these days.

May I correct one thing you wrote. Don Larsen's perfect game occured on October 8, 1956 not 1953. I have the famous picture of Yogi Berra jumping on Larsen after the last out signed by both. Larsen signed his name and wrote, 10-8-56 under it.
 
Four boys rode from their homes to a tiny country school out in the middle of a pasture between the ranches.
At recess, they each portrayed their cowboy hero. Roy, Hopalong, Gene, and the Lone Ranger rode tall and proud those days. We cleaned out all of the bandits in SE Wyoming during our 4 years at that school.

My folks took me out of school one day and took me to town to meet the Lone Ranger.
SilverBullet.jpg

I've still got the slightly worn silver bullet he gave me that day.
 
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We ate lunch today at what used to be Roy Rogers Roast Beef. Its still there and serving pretty much the same food as when they were going great guns. The owner said they lost the franchise back in January, but they can continue by just calling themselves Rooney's. And they've still got all the decorations from the past.

Yes, its a long drive for lunch, 16.2 miles. But I'm retired and have the time. When momma complains I'll just leave her at home. She knows it so she just shuts up. Its one of her favorite places to eat. She'll drive that far to go shopping, but for a restaurant its a problem. Well, there's a gas station on the way that has fuel about 15 cents a gallon cheaper than here at home. They've got great fries if they'd salt them, and the crushed ice in the drinks is really good, too.
 
It's so sad when our good role models disappear. The best we can do is not let them go out of our memories and try to pass those memories on to younger generations who will listen. They can be seen on videos, on YouTube and elsewhere on the net. We don't have to let them truly die if we don't want to. Their messages still are valid and ring true.
 
Before the museum was in victorville it was on the west edge of apple valley. That probley was about a dozzen miles from the victorville location. There was a ranch he used to own many years ago about 15 or 20 miles west of palmdale near lake hughs. It was kind of a remote area with a steep windy climb to get to but was in a pretty area for that part of the country. One of the guys I worked with claimed to be a close friend of his and claimed to have stuff roy gave him. I knew he was a neighbor of him when he lived in apple valley. They were a very good example to a big generation of kids.
 
I have Happy Trails on my iPod. I remember many Sunday afternoons watching Roy and Dale sing under wide open skies and endless prairie.
 
This post made me sad. I still have my Roy Rogers cowboy shirt.

The sleeves are a little frayed and the color somewhat faded.

Yet the memories of those times are fresh, alas, if somewhat dated.

The wife and I stopped into the Victorville museum a short time before it closed.

Besides Trigger and all the movie and marketing items Roy was quite the big game hunter.

OTOH we can now can enjoy all the old shows, characters and drama as never before. This ability to see and hear the past instantly has to be the greatest innovation of our time.

Bruce
 
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