A hallmark of Roy Rogers, ranch owner and gentleman cowboy, was his love of archery - often favouring a bow and arrow over gunslinging. What was bizarre was that it wasn't set in the "old west", but rather a more modern era that has cars, telephones and electricity - no precise date was given and no explanation made for the mix of 20th century tech with 19th century claim jumpers, bandits and more.
Thus you were just as likely to see Roy Rogers in a Jeep than you were to see him on a horse.
For whatever reason, archery - which was in full fledged fad mode during the 1950s - was a staple part of the show and led to the sale of the Roy Rogers Longbow in 1952. The longbow itself is a simple 54" flatbow made of wood (possibly lemonwood as it was a popular bow wood during the 1950s) and painted black, then stamped with the Roy Rogers logo.
The bow is now considered a collectors item both for fans of the show, but also for anyone who is into collecting antique archery paraphernalia.
Other items of merchandising from the TV show were toys, games, comic books, costumes and more.
It should be noted Roy Rogers himself used a flatbow with reflexed tips. Roy Rogers is oddly enough both the name of the character in the show and the name of the actor, who after leaving the show behind opened a chain of Roy Rogers Restaurants and died in 1998 of congestive heart failure.
During his lifetime Roy Rogers was honoured by three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, various country music awards, and was referenced in a multitude of pop culture references by Bruce Willis, Elton John, Lyle Lovett, Randy Travis, American Dad and more.
Outside of "The Roy Rogers Show" the actor Roy Rogers also appeared in 189 films, including "Trail of Robin Hood" in 1950. The sheer number of cowboy films he was in is why Roy Rogers is known as The King of the Cowboys. Many of his films are available to watch for free on Youtube.
I want a Roy Rogers Longbow !!!
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