Special thanks to Leo Pando for consolidating a variety of information on Roy, Dale and the many Triggers. Thanks also to Leo, Les Adams, Lee Flippin, Minard Coons, Ed Phillips, and Bruce Hickey for images. Definitive research on Trigger appeared in Robert W. Phillips' book Roy Rogers (McFarland Publishing, 1995) and in issues of The Old Cowboy Picture Show newsletter which were partially reprinted in Bobby Copeland's Silent Hoofbeats (Empire Publishing, 2001). The latest on Trigger is Leo Pando's wonderful An Illustrated History of Trigger - The Lives and Legend of Roy Rogers' Palomino. |
Leo Pando writes about Roy Rogers, the several
Triggers ... Pal ... and Dale Evans and Buttermilk.
Roy Rogers rode a number of horses during his film and television careers - they were all billed as "Trigger". In over a quarter century performing in public, he used three main Palominos:
Leo Pando
For a comprehensive and detailed history of Trigger and his doubles, refer to Leo Pando's An Illustrated History of Trigger - The Lives and Legend of Roy Rogers' Palomino published by McFarland. The book is currently available in paperback and kindle. More on Leo's book is further down this webpage. |
(Courtesy of Lee Flippin) Above are Roy Rogers, the original Trigger, and Carol Hughes in a scene from Roy's first starring adventure, UNDER WESTERN STARS (Republic, 1938). There's a bit more about Trigger's purchase on page 103 in Happy Trails : Our Life Story by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jane and Michael Stern (Simon and Schuster, 1994). A few quotes from the book follow:
"During the three months after the picture (UNDER WESTERN STARS) was released, I toured the country and promoted it in every big and little city you can think of."
The implication when reading the Roy and Dale book is that Roy selected Trigger for his horse and soon after, he bought him from Hudkins Stables. But that's not the case.
Roy bought Trigger for $2500.00 in late 1943. Adjusting for inflation, etc., that equates to about $41,000.00 in 2022 money.
(Courtesy of Ed Phillips) Great photo of Lynn Roberts (billed as 'Mary Hart'), Roy Rogers, and the original Trigger in BILLY THE KID RETURNS (Republic, 1938) which was Roy's second starrer and released September 4, 1938. (Courtesy of Bruce Hickey) In Leo Pando's writeup above, he mentioned that the Hudkins Stables rented Golden Cloud / Trigger to various production companies for their films. Prior to Roy taking ownership, the last of those rental arrangements appears to be a Russell Hayden western at Columbia Pictures. Lobby card above with Hayden and Golden Cloud / Trigger in SILVER CITY RAIDERS (Columbia, 1943) which was released November 4, 1943. |
Trigger Links
These links will open in a separate window / tab. Find A Grave site has interment info on Trigger, Trigger Jr., and Buttermilk:
Buttermilk: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2030/buttermilk The HappyTrails Children's Foundation website includes biographies of various Triggers written by Director Joel 'Dutch' Dortch. They also have images of the Palomino registration paperwork on the original Trigger as well as the Bill of Sale from the Hudkins Stables to Roy Rogers along with Roy's final payment in 1943:
Leo Pando's website has many photos of Roy, Trigger, and trainer Glenn Randall: https://leo-pando.com/roy-rogers-trigger/ The Roy Rogers World website is no longer working, but the Internet Archive Wayback Machine has a saved version with a bio of Trigger: https://web.archive.org/web/20201128164836/http://royrogersworld.com/trigger/ There's a profile of former pro boxer Ace Hudkins who settled down and became the owner of one of the main stables that furnished horses, wagons, etc. to Hollywood. Included is mention of Hudkins' Silver (Silver Chief) as well as the original Trigger. Go to The Movieland Directory website at: https://movieland.wordpress.com/2007/09/12/forgotten-hollywood-ace-hudkinsboxer-stuntman-batman-trigger/ Covers of Dell's 1951 - 1955 series of Trigger comic books at the Grand Comics Database: https://www.comics.org/series/13409/covers/ |
(From Old Corral collection) The long, white face blaze on the original Trigger extends towards the left eye as shown in the photos above and below. (From Old Corral collection) | (From GCD Grand Comics Database) Above - in their TV series of the 1950s, Dale Evans rode Buttermilk.. (From GCD Grand Comics Database) Above - Roy and the original Trigger. (From GCD Grand Comics Database) Trigger had his own comic book series from Dell. |
(From Old Corral collection) Above - Roy's hands and boots along with Trigger's hoof prints at Graumann's Chinese Theater. |
Leo Pando's An Illustrated History of Trigger - The Lives and Legend of Roy Rogers' Palomino was deemed by self and others as the definitive work about Roy Rogers' famous palomino and many look-alikes, doubles, etc. In 2019, Leo's Trigger - The Lives and Legend of Roy Rogers' Palomino - second edition added more on Trigger, Little Trigger, and nearly a hundred new photos, many of which have never been published. New material includes much on the closing of the Roy and Dale Museum in Victorville, California and the move to Branson, Missouri ... and the failure / closing of the Branson venture. This 7 x 10 softcover has 373 pages and is about $40.00. More info at the McFarland website: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/trigger/ Also available for about $40.00 from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Lives-Legend-Rogers-Palomino/dp/147667163X |