Happy Trails (A Pictorial Celebration of the Life and Times of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans)

A unique and captivating collection of photographs and memories chronicling the lives of the King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans made their first movie together in 1944, and so began a dazzling partnership with a devoted public following that lasted 52 years. In this charming photographic biography, readers meet the talented young man and woman who would eventually become the royal couple of B-rated Westerns, a reign that would last more than a decade. The dynamic pair, adored by fans for both their acting and their singing abilities, costarred in 29 movies and recorded more than 200 albums together, eventually parlaying their fame to the small screen with a half-hour television hit The Roy Rogers Show, as well as a comic book series and a long list of merchandise (including clothes, boots, and toys), bearing their names. In these pages, rarely seen personal photos and striking publicity shots capture all aspects of Rogers' and Evans' life, including: The rise of their stardom, from the box office to Broadway. The mutual friendship that evolved into a proposal of marriage, delivered from the back of Roy's famous Palomino horse, Trigger. Trigger himself—the “golden boy” of the horse world. The nine children they adored, and the heartbreaking loss of three. Their time spent visiting children in hospitals and orphanages. The strong faith that held them together through the years and the challenges they faced, professionally and personally. With a complete list of filmography for both stars and a look back at the artifacts once visible to the public at the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum, this book transports nostalgic readers back to a time when the good always save the day and lovers ride off together into the sunset to the now-famous tune written by Evans that would become the couple's theme: “Happy Trails.” It is both a classic reminder for aficionados and a beguiling introduction to new fans, demonstrating how even when both career and family are in the limelight, they can still be well-lived.