Roy Rogers

'Roy Rogers' (qv) (born Leonard Slye) moved to California in 1930, aged 18. He played in such musical groups as The Hollywood Hillbillies, Rocky Mountaineers, Texas Outlaws, and his own group, the International Cowboys. In 1934 he formed a group with 'Bob Nolan' (qv) called 'Sons of the Pioneers' (qv). While in that group he was known as Leonard Slye, then Dick Weston. Their songs included "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds". They first appeared in the western _Rhythm on the Range (1936)_ (qv), starring 'Bing Crosby' (qv) and 'Martha Raye' (qv). In 1936 he appeared as a bandit opposite Gene Autry in "The Old Coral". In 1937 Rogers went solo from "The Sons Of The Pioneeres", and made his first starring film in 1938, _Under Western Stars (1938)_ (qv). He made almost 100 films. The 'Roy Rogers' (qv) Show (1951) ran on NBC from October 1951 through 1957 and on CBS from 1961 to September 1964. In 1955, 67 of his feature films were released to television.::Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>