King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Ray and Pat Browne Book) [Paperback]

Raymond E. White (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ray and Pat Browne Book | Publication Date: July 17, 2006

    For more than sixty years, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans personified the romantic, mythic West that America cherished well into the modern age. Blazing a trail through every branch of the entertainment industry—radio, film, recordings, television, and even comic books—the couple capitalized on their attractive personas and appealed to the nation's belief in family values, an independent spirit, community.
    King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West presents these two celebrities in the most comprehensive and inclusive account to date. Part narrative, part reference, this impeccably researched, highly accessible survey spans the entire scope of Rogers's and Evans's careers, illuminating and celebrating their place in twentieth-century American popular culture. Following the pair through each stage of their professional and personal trajectories, author Raymond E. White explores the unique alchemy of the singing cowboy and his free-spirited yet feminine partner. In a dual biography, he shows how Rogers and Evans carefully husbanded their public image and—of particular note—incorporated their Christian faith into their performances. And in a series of exhaustive appendixes, he documents their contributions to each medium they worked in. Testifying to both the breadth and the longevity of their careers, the book includes radio logs, discographies, filmographies, and comicographies that will delight historians and collectors alike. With its engaging tone and meticulous research, King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West is bound to become the definitive source on the lives of these two great American icons.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"White presents a wealth of new, carefully organized, and highly readable information—the largest source I have seen yet on the professional careers of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. A detailed narrative is accompanied by thorough reference materials that point fans to recordings, videos, comics, and memorabilia."—Gary A. Yoggy, professor emeritus of history at Corning Community College, editor of Back in the Saddle: Essays on Western Film and Television Actors and author of Riding the Video Range: The Rise and Fall of the Western on Television --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Publisher

A Ray and Pat Browne Book --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 550 pages
• Publisher: Popular Press 3; 1 edition (July 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0299210049
• ISBN-13: 978-0299210045
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #647,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars America's most celebrated personifications of the American West mythos in popular culture and entertainment, December 8, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Ray and Pat Browne Book) (Paperback)

Professor Raymond E. White, author of numerous published articles concerning Roy Rogers and cowboys in film, presents King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West, an in-depth biography of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, two of twentieth-century America's most celebrated personifications of the American West mythos in popular culture and entertainment. King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West naturally focuses on both actors' careers in film, recordings, television, and even comic books, but also covers their meticulous maintenance of their public image and how their Christian faith was incorporated into their performances. Vintage black-and-white photographs intersperse this solid and highly readable reference for fans and media scholars alike.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Two Icons for more than 60 years...Roy & Dale ~ Raymond E. White", August 10, 2006

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Ray and Pat Browne Book) (Paperback)

Popular Press 3 presents "KING OF THE COWBOYS, QUEEN OF THE WEST: ROY ROGERS & DALE EVANS", definitive source on two American icons for more than sixty years of Roy Rogers (birth name: Leonard Franklin Slye)...birth date November 5, 1911 in Cincinnati Ohio...left us July 6, 1998 in Apple Valley, California...Dale Evans (birth name: Frances Octavia Smith), birth date October 31, 1912 in Uvalde, Texas...left us February 7, 2001 also in Apple Valley, California...written by Raymond E. White a professor emeritus of history at Ball State University, White has published numerous articles on Roy Rogers and on cowboys in film... whose accounts of thrilling adventures of B-Western heroes during the Saturday matinees of yesteryear takes us back to our childhood, family and friends...in dual biography shows how Rogers and Evans through their Christian faith into their performances, each testifying the longevity of their careers, inclusive radio logs, discographics, filmographics and comicgraphics for historians, collectors and fans, this is a wish come true, reliving those wonderful years from the past through the pen of Raymond E. White..

Roy was a top box office draw for Republic Pictures...when you went to see him on the big screen, you got exactly what the marquee said...plenty of thrills, action and hard riding with a song or two thrown in for good measure...Roy was a member of several music groups named the Hollywood Hillbillies, Rocky Mountaineers, Texas Outlaws, and his own group, the International Cowboys...then came 1934 he formed a group with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer called the 'Sons of the Pioneers'...he was known as Leonard Slye, then Dick Weston, and finally Roy Rogers...in 1937 Roy went solo and made his first starring film in "Under Western Stars" (1938), featuring Smiley Burnette (Gene Autry's old sidekick), Earle Dwire, Jack Rockwell, Earle Hodgins, Jack Ingram and of course Trigger the smartest horse in the movies...Roy appeared in almost 100 films...then came television with "The Roy Rogers Show"(1951) ran on CBS television network from October 1951 through September 1964.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: (Chapter, Title and Page Numbers)
Illustrations - IX
Preface - XIII
Chapter 1 - Roy Rogers and Dale Evans: Symbols of the Mythie American West - 3
Chapter 2 - Radio Roundup: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans on the Air - 24
Chapter 3 - Waxing the West: The Recording Careers of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans - 45
Chapter 4 - Quick Draw: The Comics of Roy Rogers, Dales Evans and Trigger - 67
Chapter 5 - Adventures in Paradise Valley: The television Careers of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans - 86
Chapter 6 - The Bible Tells Me So: Christianity in the Careers of Roy Rogers and Dales Evans - 104
Epilogue - 113
Appendix A ~ Roy Roger's Filmography - 117
Appendix B ~ Dale Evan's Filmography - 166
Appendix C ~ Log of Roy Rogers' Radio Appearnces - 174
Appendix D ~ Log of Dale Evans' Radio Appeances - 213
Appendix E ~ Roy Roger's Discography - 230
Appendix F ~ Dale Evan's Discography - 300
Appendix G ~ Roy and Dale's song Compositions - 340
Appendix H ~ Roy and Dale's Comics - 345
Appendix I ~ Roy and Dale's Television Appearances - 400
Appendix J ~ Log of A Date with Dale - 459
Appendix K ~ Dale Evans Roger's Inspiration Books - 479
Notes - 485
Bibliographical Essay: In Their Own Words - 505
Index - 517

SPECIAL FEATURE BIOS:
1. Roy Rogers (aka: Leonard Franklin Slye)
Birth Date: 11/05/1911 - Cincinnati, Ohio
Died: 7/06/1998 - Apple Valley, California
2. Dale Evans (aka: Frances Octavia Smith)
Birth Date: 10/31/1912 - Uvalde, Texas
Died: 2/07/2001 - Apple Valley, California

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 "King of the Cowboys"...Roy got his horse "Trigger" in 1938 and rode him in every one of his films and TV shows after that... "Trigger" died in 1965 aged thirty-three...Roy's dog's name was "Bullet" and appeared in almost as many of his films as "Trigger" did...Roy's theme song, "Happy Trails", was written by Queen of the West and his wife Dale Evans...inducted (with his wife Dale Evans) into the "Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum" in 1976...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 just three years before his death...Dale Evans married Roy Rogers on New Year's Eve, 1946. Rogers ended the deception regarding Tommy. Rogers and Evans were a team on- and off-screen from 1946 until Rogers' death in 1998. Together they had one child, Robin Elizabeth, who died of complications of Down's Syndrome shortly before her second birthday. Her life inspired Evans to write her bestseller "Angel Unaware"...Evans went on to write a number of religious and inspirational books...For her contribution to radio, Dale Evans has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6638 Hollywood Blvd. She received a second star at 1737 Vine St. for her contribution to the television industry..From 1951 to 1957, Dale Evans and her husband starred in the highly successful television series "The Roy Rogers Show", in which they continued their cowboy/cowgirl roles, with her riding her trusty buckskin horse, Buttermilk. In addition to her successful TV shows, over 30 movies, and 200 songs, Evans wrote the well known songs "Happy Trails" and "The Bible Tells Me So"...Roy and Dale personified the romantic mythic West that all America believed in when they saw the couple on the big screen and small tube every week.

Great job by Raymond E. White and Popular Press 3 Publishing, everything you wanted to know about "The King of the Cowboys and Queen of the West"...little-known facts about a well-known cowboy and cowgirl...Don't miss this one...now appearing on Amazon and Popular Press 3 Publishing ...get your copy today. Great reading in the days and weeks to come...I guarantee it!

Total Pages: 550 Pages ~ Popular Press 3 ISBN 978-0-299-21004-5 ~ (7/17/2006)

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding biography and reference on these two popular culture figures, December 3, 2005

By 

Henry Berry "Henry Berry" (Southport, CT) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King of the Cowboys, Queen of the West: Roy Rogers and Dale Evans (Ray and Pat Browne Book) (Hardcover)

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans' fans and students of popular culture will appreciate especially the voluminous and what must be virtually definitive references and documentation on the more than sixty-year career of the cowboy couple. Although some of the material goes back to before they met and became married. The eleven appendices begin on page 117 and run through the start of the notes on page 485. In addition to the filmography and discography of each noted in the review's heading, the appendices contain material on each's radio and television appearances, song compositions, appearances in comic books, inspirational books by either one or both (many written with a coauthor), and a "log" of more than 275 "A Date with Dale" radio programs between 1984 and 2000 noting location, topic, song, and guest; these were 30-minute "spiritual talk shows" hosted by Dale Evans. The biography preceding the appendices goes over the success of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in the different areas of popular entertainment while also devoting chapters on them as symbols of the mythic American West while being at the same time exemplars of the wholesome family life which was a prime social ideal in the post-WWII years from the late 1940s to the early '60s when they were at the height of their popularity.