Roy Rogers and Dale Evans became a legendary “King and Queen of the West” partnership during the 1940s and 1950s, evolving from on-screen co-stars to a real-life married couple and iconic television duo.
They first met in 1944 on the set of The Cowboy and the Señorita (Republic Pictures). Throughout the 1940s, they co-starred in over two dozen Western films, including hits like My Pal Trigger and Don’t Fence Me In. Roy was established as the “King of the Cowboys,” while Dale earned the title “Queen of the West.” They were known for their wholesome, family-friendly adventures and musical performances.
After the tragic death of Roy’s second wife, Grace, in 1946, Roy and Dale fell in love. They were married on December 31, 1947, at the Flying L Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma, which was a filming location for their movie Home in Oklahoma. They raised a large, blended family of nine children, including their biological daughter Robin (who had Down syndrome and died as a toddler) and several adopted children.
From 1951 to 1957, they starred in this highly successful television series The Roy Rogers Show (100 episodes). The show brought their Western justice and moral lessons into American living rooms. The series featured their famous animal stars, Roy’s horse Trigger, Dale’s horse Buttermilk, and their German Shepherd Bullet.
Dale Evans wrote their signature closing song, “Happy Trails,” which they sang as a duet to end every episode.
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