Roy Rogers

November 5, 2008

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Profile America — Wednesday, November 5th. A baby boy born on this day in 1912 in the little town of Duck Run, Ohio, was destined to become one of America’s most popular entertainment figures. His name was Leonard Slye, but to millions of fans over many decades, he was Roy Rogers, king of the cowboys. His first film was “Under Western Stars.” For many years, Rogers was the top-ranked movie cowboy and, for a few years, rated among the top 10 of all movie actors. He and his wife, Dale, made 28 movies, along with Gabby Hayes and the musical group, the Sons of the Pioneers. When Roy Rogers made his first film, Americans went to the movies an average of more than once a week. Today, that figure is less than five times a year. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2008, p. 544
Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 9, 400
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2008, t. 1216
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2008edition.html