Roy Rogers: My Introduction to The Western Film

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 The Legends of Western Cinema Blog Week starts today! Visit Emma at A Lantern In Her Hand and Olivia at Meanwhile, In Rivendell to find out more about the event and read their posts.

 I saw my first Roy Rogers movie a little over ten years ago. We were driving home from a long family trip and still had a long way to go. My parents bought three DVDs at a store we stopped off at. The first had episodes from The Rifleman, while the second had two Roy Rogers movies (Young Bill Hickok and My Pal Trigger) and third had four episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. Those two DVDs were my introduction to the western genre outside of The Rifleman, Little House on the Prairie, and the Disney Davy Crockett films with Fess Parker. My siblings and I fell in love with Roy Rogers's movies and spent the next several years tracking down every Roy Rogers VHS we could get our hands on at our local book sale. We ended up securing a collection of most of Roy Roger's movies over time and, with online streaming, I have seen a total of 75 of the 105 films on Roy Roger's Wikipedia filmography.

 Roy Rogers was my introduction to the Western film and recently I've been having fun re-watching some of my old favorites, including a few in their uncut theatrical prints instead of the cut television prints. They may be B-Westerns with predictable plots and villains but I still love them dearly. Here are three of my too many to mention favorites.

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Roll On Texas Moon (1946)
 Trouble brews between a community of cattle ranchers and sheep ranchers when a sheep rancher is murdered and found on the property of cattleman Gabby Whittaker (George "Gabby" Hayes). Although Gabby is cleared of murder charges, the tension between the two factions increases. Afraid of a range war breaking out, Roy Rogers is sent to try to find the problem behind the growing troubles and eventually finds an ally in the niece (Dale Evans) of the murdered man, who also wants to stop a range war from erupting. The saga of Gabby and lamb that won't stop following him, much to his consternation, adds a great comedic side plot. | The film is currently available to watch on YouTube here.

Man From Cheyenne (1942)
 Rustlers are plaguing a community of ranches raising cattle for the government and every detective sent has been unsuccessful in tracking the thieves. During a meeting to find a new angle to resolve the problem, however, Roy Rogers stumbles into the picture. The government agent asks Roy, a former member of the community, to return and try his hand at finding the criminals, figuring it would be easier for him instead of a stranger to hunt them out. A good supporting cast of the Sons of the Pioneers, George “Gabby” Hayes, Gale Storm, Sally Paine (always a fun addition to a Roy Rogers movie) and a pair of fairly more complex villains make this one you shouldn’t miss. | Currently available on YouTube here.

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Bells of San Angelo (1947)
 Smugglers are bringing silver illegally into the United States from Mexico and Roy Rogers has been sent to find them and put a stop to it. A man with information is shot before he can speak to Roy and framed by his murderers as a thief when they plant silver on his body. To top off Roy’s troubles, popular Western mystery writer Lee Madison (Dale Evans) comes to town and an Englishman in search of a man called George Wallingford Lancaster arrives, much to the consternation of the sheriff (Andy Devine). | Currently available on YouTube here.

Have you ever seen any of Roy Rogers's films or episodes from his television show? What are some of your favorites?