Cultured Cowgirl

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans are once again headlining events.

I wasn’t raised during the heyday of the silver-screen cowboy like many of our baby boomer readers. However, my parents and grandparents exposed me to many an evening of watching The Roy Rogers Show, Annie Oakley, The Lone Ranger, Bonanza and Gunsmoke reruns, and old spaghetti Westerns. I can quote Tom Mix, John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, Michael Landon, James Arness and others with the best Western boomer. I also enjoy hearing stories of my grandfather playing high school sports with Leonard Sly in southern Ohio, before Leonard became the iconic American cowboy hero Roy Rogers.

Even though Roy and Dale Evans weren’t as influential in my decision to live in the West, ride horses and be a cowgirl as they were to my parents and grandparents, I was saddened last fall when I received notice that the Roy Rogers Museum in Branson, Missouri, was closing after 42 years of operation. Steady decline in visitors was one of the factors that led the Rogers family to close the doors on their family heritage.

I never had an opportunity to tour the museum, which made it all the more important that I attend Brian Lebel’s 21st Annual Old West Show & Auction in Denver, Colorado, this past June. The Rogers family consigned 127 items to the auction, including Roy’s personal firearms and hunting gear, and his 1964, bright yellow, Lincoln Continental Convertible.

As a purveyor and promoter of cowboy culture, I feel obligated to immerse myself in Western heritage, and Roy and Dale were a very important part of shaping a generation’s perceptions of the West. Seeing their personal memorabilia confirmed in my mind that Roy and Dale were a classy couple and had impeccable taste in gear.

This wax figure of Roy Rogers, dressed in his personal clothing, sold for $6,000. Roy's 1964 Lincoln convertible sold for $17,000.

The highlight of the auction was watching one of Roy’s holsters and belt rigs, and matching gold-plated Crockett spurs sell for $90,000 and $16,000, respectively. The lavishly tooled, gold-trimmed Buscadero gun rig was made by Nudie’s of North Hollywood for Roy in 1948 and came with two Colt single action revolvers. The gold-plated spurs were Crockett’s popular Pattern 1368 and had 2.5-inch, 20-point gold rowels and Nudie spur straps made to match the holsters and gun belt.

Three weeks after Lebel’s auction, High Noon Western Americana partnered with Christie’s to auction off the remaining museum memorabilia in New York City. An emotional, history-making event, the auction placed Roy’s silver parade saddles, sports memorabilia, costumes, furniture, vehicles and the most famous movie horse, Trigger.

Roy bought Trigger in 1938, and the golden palomino was his partner until the horse died in 1965. I’m sure by now you’ve heard that the stuffed, rearing mount sold for $266,500 to RFD-TV. Another high-selling item was the silver-dollar encrusted and longhorn-adorned Bonneville convertible that Roy and Dale used in special appearances, which brought $254,500.

I doubt the television and film industries will ever see another iconic cowboy couple like Roy and Dale, which is unfortunate for members of Generation X like me and those generations that follow mine. However, I’m someone who looks for the silver lining in every story. Although the closing of the museum and the auctioning of its contents were emotional to the Rogers family and fans, I don’t see the events as the end of the trail, but rather a new trail that will allow collectors and other museums to display the items and share the silver-screen stars’ legacy for those of us who didn’t grow up with our own cowboy and cowgirl heros.

In the words of Roy and Dale, “Happy trails to you, until we meet again.”

~Jennifer

The remake of the 1969 iconic Western True Grit, will begin filming in March 2010 and will be released in theaters later in the year.

Just when you think the days of Western film are gone, a producer revives one of the best. Coen Brothers, alongside Steven Spielberg and Scott Rudin, will begin shooting a remake of the 1969 iconic Western True Grit, in spring 2010.

Entertainment news websites report that Jeff Bridges is being cast to play U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn, the role originated by Wayne. Matt Damon is in negotiations to play lawman La Boeuf, formerly played by Glen Campbell, and Josh Brolin is in talks to join the cast as Ned Pepper, originally played by Robert Duvall. All three men have their work cutout for them, but a lot of buzz is surrounding Brolin after his impressive performances in the Oscar Award-winning film No Country for Old Men and his role in the 1990s Western television series The Young Riders.

The role of 14-year-old Mattie Rose has yet to be cast. Open calls begin this weekend (November 7) in Lubbock, Texas. Auditions will also be held in Fort Worth, Texas, November 14; and Austin, Texas, November 28.

Casters are looking for a Caucasian female between the ages of 12 and 16 years old to play the leading-lady role. No experience is necessary, but a strong, tell-it-like-it-is personality is a plus.

Auditions are being held for the leading lady role of Mattie Rose, originally played by Kim Darby.

If you’re interested in auditioning, but can’t attend the open casting calls, submit a current photograph of yourself and contact information to  truegritcasting at gmail.com. Contact Amelia at (212) 627-2330 with any questions.

Reports say that the remake’s plot will differ from the original. Is it possible to do a remake of this classic better than the original? Will Brohlin, Bridges and Damon do their roles justice? We’ll have to wait till late 2010 to find out, but I’m open to the possibilities and would love to hear your thoughts on modern-day remakes of classic Westerns and what actors have the Old West appeal of Wayne and Duvall.