Times Past: When Roy Rogers and Trigger rode into Glasgow

Having recently launched a children’s book initiative called the Bruin Club, the newspaper editor, Mr S. L. McKinlay, arranged a private meeting with the singing cowboy and his wife Dale Evans in their dressing room at the Empire Theatre.

“At a special little ceremony…the editor welcomed Roy and Dale to the Bruin Club,” ran the front page story.

“’This is going to be fun,’ said Dale, adding in reference to the couple’s five children Cheryl, Linda, Dusty, Sandy and Dodie: ‘and I just know the children are going to love being members of the Bruin Club.’”

The report continued: “Dale wanted to pack the Bruin books and badges in her trunk to be taken back to America with her but husband Roy pointed out she is not allowed to take back anything more than she brought in to Britain.”

Disaster was averted, however, when the Evening Times agreed to post the books and badges out to the family.

Roy, Dale and the famous golden palomino stallion Trigger were in town to perform their famous touring Wild West Show.

At one of our early Thanks for the Memories sessions in Bridgeton Library, Helen McKale told us she was a big fan of Roy.

“I used to go to the pictures in Dennistoun with my sisters Mary and Betty,” she told us.

“ We would go down to the Three Ps (Parkhead Picture Palace) all the time to see the old westerns. I remember when Roy Rogers came to Glasgow with his wild west show.

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“There’s a picture somewhere, of Mary and I standing in front of him on his horse outside the Central Hotel.”

Thousands of people, many of them young boys and girls, turned up at Central Station to see Roy Rogers arrive in Glasgow, resplendent in his white cowboy suit and silver pointed shoes.

He took Trigger round the crush barriers, where the horse bowed for the youngsters, who were beside themselves with glee.

Trigger was then led into the Central Hotel where, with a pen in its mouth, the horse “signed in” at reception before being taken up the stairs to room 130.

After photographs, Trigger was then taken to his real bed for the night ... at the British Rail Stables in Parliamentary Road.

Roy Rogers arrived in Glasgow fresh from his successful turn in the Bob Hope comedy Son of Paleface, in which he sang his hit A Four-Legged Friend.

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He was one of the biggest US movie stars with 100 films to his name and his movies were shown regularly at Glasgow cinemas.

However, this was the first time he had ever appeared on stage in Britain.

Between the first and second shows on the opening night, Rogers appeared at a window of the theatre and led a singalong of Home on the Range for thousands of fans, most of them small boys on their parents’ shoulders, packed into West Nile Street.

The show at the Empire was a huge hit, and featured everything from Trigger in a kilt to a little boy who rushed the stage and ‘shot’ the orchestra. Children also left their seats to head to the orchestra pit to give sugar and treats to their beloved horse.

Roy and Dale had many adoring fans, but it was no mystery who was the real star of the show.

*Do you recall Roy Rogers and Triggers coming to Glasgow? Share your memories and photos by emailing ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB.