Whoa, Trigger!

[Tomasso]

The entire collection of the recently shuttered Roy Rogers & Dale Evans Museum will be auctioned off this week at Christie's.

Check out Roy's other ride.

 

[dhermann1]

As a HUGE Roy Rogers fan from the early 50's, I'm VERY sorry to see this happen. Maybe if someone had colorized his early movies they might be more popular today. But the kids nowadays just love sci fi, and the day of the kids' cowboy hero is extinct.
Of all the cowboy stars, Roy had BY FAR the jazziest, snazziest, gaudiest outfits of all. The man was a walking Christmas tree, but he awlays looked totally cool.
Happy trails, podner!

 

[Hondo]

Trigger should be offered to the Smithsonian Museum and if not...
some one mentioned Gene Autry Foundation in southern California.
One if not the biggest Western collections ever assembled.

Time marches on, many don't know, recall Roy Rogers (and Dale Evens)
he had many political beliefs outspoken supporter of Vietnam war.
but this being America, he had his right & wrongs like all of us, its sad part I remember about him, he is still the greatest singing cowboy actor I know (just my opinion) treasure being a Roy Rogers fan as a kid, Saturday mornings watch reruns, of his movies, TV shows, loved it in fact to escape as all kids do, How I wish children today had heroes like him and others like Gene Autry, on TV, remember Sky King? Whatever you feelings, beliefs about Rogers, give the man his due, respect. We'll all grow old and die one day, just a few kind words.

http://www.geneautry.com/home.php

John McClane (Diehard) was talking with the main villain via a walkie-talkie. The main villian asked him if he was trying to be like John Wayne. Bruce's character replied that he was always partial to Roy Rogers, who's catchphrase was "Yippe Ki Ya."

 

[Tomasso]

the day of the kids' cowboy hero is extinct.

True, I can't even tell you the last time I saw a kid strapping a Fanner 50.

 

[dhermann1]

Fanner 50! OT

Now that was a cool, not to mention innovative, toy. I had cap guns from a very early age, maybe 1952. They used those red paper strips that crept out the top of the gun as you shot them off. Funny sight: kid with red strip dangling about a foot off the top of the gun.
The other cool toy guns of the era were made by Hubley. They were very authentic looking, with accurate caliber sizes. They had little bullets that you took apart and stuck a single round cap into. So a six shooter only had 6 shots, instead of dozens. Hubley guns were a definite status symbol.
But I had lots of different sized cap guns, with really snazzy leather holsters, too, over the years. Boy oh boy how times have changed. A kid wielding any of the guns we played with in the 50's, would run the risk of being arrested or even shot by a modern policeman, and, sadly, with good reason.
Maybe a sub thread on "Show us your guns!" could be created for "Show us (or tell us about) your toy guns!"

 

[Lincsong]

8 years ago I was driving from Las Vegas to San Diego through Apple Valley and I passed the Roy Rogers Museum. It was a lonely place, maybe not even two cars in the parking lot. I said to myself; "people just aren't into Westerns anymore". Then I heard that the museum was moving to Branson, where a more "country/western" clientele would hopefully keep the place going. But, even in the Ozarks no one cares. Oh well, time marches on. I'm sure few know who was Rudy Vallee.

 

[skyvue]

I went to the museum (and got to meet Mr. Rogers himself) in 1992, and it was reasonably well attended that day.

The trick seems to be finding just the right town. Not all that many know who Jimmie Rodgers is today, but his museum in his hometown's doing just fine. I think perhaps it's a municipal, not commercial, venture. Perhaps that's the key.

The Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, Penn., is modest, but I would guess (though I'm not certain) that it's a municipal venture, too. Probably more folks today are familiar with Jimmy Stewart than Roy Rogers, but not for long, I fear.

 

[Pilgrim]

Like Lincsong, in the early 2000's my family drove through Victorville CA on the edge of the desert, and I spotted the Roy Rogers museum. I turned straight in and was fascinated by the displays. However, there weren't a lot of people around.

I think it was a matter of months later that I heard the museum was moving to Branson, where I hoped it would do well.

Now I find from the website that it closed Dec. 12, 2009.

This saddens me - but it's evidence that our collective memory is aging and priorities are changing.

Now more than ever I'm grateful that I had the chance to see the museum before it closed!

And here's a Stetson going up in the auction:
http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/...8080&sid=e5197866-ab24-4dce-856b-3aec74cc8714

There are some other hats, but no sizes given.

 

[Tomasso]

The museum was family owned and operated (Roy Jr. was president). Maybe they just decided to cash out. [huh]

 

[Pilgrim]

Evidently Roy told his son that if the museum ever became a monetary drain, he should sell it and move on. That's what happened (sadly).

Most of the items went for a LOT more than the estimates Christie's provided. I watched a number of them.

 

[Tomasso]

Most of the items went for a LOT more than the estimates Christie's provided.

That's usually the case. They quote lower estimates as not to scare off potential bidders.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Oh to be a richer man, I have drooled over his Bonneville since I was a little boy. I even put bulls horns on my Station Wagon in high school! One day I am going to build a car of similar merit, but likely a Cadillac.