orig. Leonard Franklin Slye Rogers
born Nov. 5, 1911/12, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
died July 6, 1998, Apple Valley, Calif.
U.S. actor and singer.
During his childhood Rogers took up singing, guitar playing, and square-dance calling. He made radio and personal appearances with a succession of groups before helping form the singing group Sons of the Pioneers. He acted in westerns with Gene Autry , whom he replaced as "King of the Cowboys" when Autry went to war. His films include Tumbling Tumbleweeds (1935), Red River Valley (1941), and Yellow Rose of Texas (1944). He acted in several with his wife, Dale Evans, usually riding his famous horse, Trigger. He also starred on radio in The Roy Rogers Show (1944–55) as well as on television in a series of the same name (1951–57).