| Trigger (Golden Cloud) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Breed | Grade horse |
| Discipline | Movie horse |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | July 4, 1934 |
| Died | July 3, 1965 (aged 30) |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Palomino |
| Owner | Roy Rogers |
Trigger (July 4, 1934 – July 3, 1965) was a 15.3 hands (63 inches, 160 cm) palomino horse made famous in American Western films with his owner and rider, cowboy star Roy Rogers.
The original Trigger, named Golden Cloud, was born in San Diego, California. Though often mistaken for a Tennessee Walking Horse, his sire was a Thoroughbred and his dam a grade (unregistered) mare that, like Trigger, was a palomino. Movie director William Witney, who directed Roy and Trigger in many of their movies, claimed a slightly different lineage, that his sire was a "registered" palomino stallion (though no known palomino registry existed at the time of Trigger's birth) and his dam was by a Thoroughbred and out of a "cold-blood" mare. [1] Horses other than Golden Cloud also portrayed "Trigger" over the years, none of which was related to Golden Cloud; the two most prominent were palominos known as "Little Trigger" and "Trigger Jr." (a Tennessee Walking Horse listed as "Allen's Gold Zephyr" in the Tennessee Walking Horse registry). [2] Though Trigger remained a stallion his entire life, he was never bred and has no descendants. Rogers used "Trigger Jr."/"Allen's Golden Zephyr", though, at stud for many years, and the horse named "Triggerson" that actor Val Kilmer led on stage as a tribute to Rogers and his cowboy peers during the Academy Awards show in March 1999 was reportedly a grandson of Trigger Jr. [3]
Golden Cloud made an early appearance as the mount of Maid Marian, played by Olivia de Havilland in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). A short while later, when Roy Rogers was preparing to make his first movie in a starring role, he was offered a choice of five rented "movie" horses to ride and chose Golden Cloud. Rogers bought him eventually in 1943 and renamed him Trigger for his quickness of both foot and mind. Trigger learned 150 trick cues and could walk 50 ft (15 m) on his hind legs (according to sources close to Rogers). They were said to have run out of places to cue Trigger. Trigger became such a ham that as soon as he heard applause, he would start bowing and ruin that trick. He could sit in a chair, sign his name "X" with a pencil, and lie down for a nap and cover himself with a blanket. Rogers' most carefully guarded trade secret was to get Trigger housebroken. "Spending as much time as he does in hotels, theaters, and hospitals, this ability comes in might handy and it's conceded by most trainers to be Trigger's greatest accomplishment." —Glenn Randall, wrangler with Hudkins Stables. [4]
His horse was so important to Rogers that when he purchased a "Best Wishes for the New Year" advertisement in Variety , he signed it "Roy Rogers and Trigger". [5] Trigger was ridden by Rogers in many of his motion pictures, becoming much loved by the youthful audience that saw him on film and in Rogers' 1950s television series with his wife, Dale Evans, who rode her trusty buckskin Quarter Horse, Buttermilk.
Trigger became the most famous horse in film entertainment, even having his own Dell comic book recounting his exploits.
Roy Rogers made many personal appearances with Trigger in tow. More than once, he escorted him up three or four flights of stairs at hospitals to visit with sick children, according to his autobiography Happy Trails.
While appearing in a show at the Glasgow Empire on Sunday 14 February 1954, Trigger was presented with a kilt, the material being Dress Stewart Tartan. The kilt was presented by Jim Gordon of Thomas Gordon and Sons, and was made by Williamina McLauchlan.
After the original Trigger (Golden Cloud) died in 1965 at Rogers's new ranch in Apple Valley, California, Rogers arranged for Everett Wilkens of Bischoff's Taxidermy in Los Angeles (now Bischoff's Taxidermy and Animal FX in Burbank, California) to preserve and mount the horse. [6] The hide was professionally stretched over a foam likeness of Trigger, and the resulting mount was put on display in the Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum when it opened in Apple Valley in 1967. The mount was later moved with the museum to Victorville, California, in 1976, and then to Branson, Missouri in 2003.
A 24-ft (7 m) replica of a rearing Trigger was produced to sit atop the Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville. The 1,300-lb (600 kg) replica could be seen from the freeway and served as a landmark until the museum closed and moved to Branson. When the fiberglass replica of Trigger was being made, Rogers was approached by the owners of the Denver Broncos. He allowed another statue to be made for them, then broke the mold. "Bucky the Bronco", Trigger's twin, stands above the south scoreboard of Empower Field at Mile High (formerly Broncos Stadium). [7]
After the museum's closing in 2010, its contents were placed at public auction on July 14–15, 2010 at Christie's auction house in New York City. [8] Trigger's preserved remains sold for $266,500 to television channel RFD-TV, which plans to start a Western museum. [9] Bob Tinsley, a Victorville developer who built Roy Rogers's home in nearby Apple Valley, bought the fiberglass replica in April 2010, and plans to make the statue a part of historic Apple Valley Village. "I just couldn't see letting him go anywhere else," he explained. [10] As of 2018, Chet Hitt and Bob Tinsley, installed Trigger's statue at the entrance of the Spirit River Center located on Apple Valley Road. [11]
In the 2022 film Nope , The character of Ricky "Jupe" Park makes mention of training a horse named Trigger at his Western-themed park. A prominent theme in the film is the use of animals in film productions, making this a likely nod to the original Trigger.
The Apple Computer 1, originally released as the Apple Computer and known later as the Apple I or Apple-1, is an 8-bit desktop computer released by the Apple Computer Company in 1976. It was designed by Steve Wozniak. The idea of selling the computer came from Wozniak's friend and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The Apple I was Apple's first product, and to finance its creation, Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator for $500 and Jobs sold a second hand VW Microbus, for a few hundred dollars. Wozniak demonstrated the first prototype in July 1976 at the Homebrew Computer Club in Palo Alto, California.
Apple Valley is an incorporated town in the Victor Valley of San Bernardino County, in the U.S. state of California. It was incorporated on November 14, 1988, and is one of the 22 incorporated municipalities in California that use "town" in their names instead of "city". The town is east of and adjoining to the neighboring cities of Victorville and Hesperia, 35 miles (56 km) south of Barstow, and 49 miles (79 km) north of San Bernardino through the Cajon Pass. Its population was 75,791 at the 2020.
Victorville is a city in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County, California. Its population as of the 2020 census was 134,810.
Roy Rogers was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then as an actor, the rebranded Rogers then became one of the most popular Western stars of his era. Known as the "King of the Cowboys", he appeared in over 100 films and numerous radio and television episodes of The Roy Rogers Show. In many of his films and television episodes, he appeared with his wife, Dale Evans; his Golden Palomino, Trigger; and his German Shepherd, Bullet. His show was broadcast on radio for nine years and then on television from 1951 through 1957. His early roles were uncredited parts in films by fellow cowboy singing star Gene Autry and his productions usually featured a sidekick, often Pat Brady, Andy Devine, George "Gabby" Hayes, or Smiley Burnette. In his later years, he lent his name to the franchise chain of Roy Rogers Restaurants.
Dale Evans Rogers was an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She was the third wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers.
Mile High Stadium was an outdoor multi-purpose stadium located in Denver, Colorado from 1948 to 2001.
Buttermilk was a buckskin Quarter Horse. He appeared in numerous Western films with his owner/rider, cowgirl star Dale Evans.
The Silver Brumby series is a collection of fiction children's books by Australian author Elyne Mitchell. They recount the life and adventures of Thowra, a magnificent palomino brumby stallion, and his descendants, and are set in the Snowy Mountains and southern regions of Australia.
Western lifestyle or cowboy culture is the lifestyle, or behaviorisms, of, and resulting from the influence of, the attitudes, ethics and history of the American Western cowboy. In the present day these influences affect this sector of the population's choice of recreation, clothing, and consumption of goods.
The Painted Stallion is a 1937 American Western film serial from Republic Pictures. It was the sixth Republic serial of the sixty-six made by that company. Western serials such as this made up a third of the serials from Republic, a studio that was also heavily involved in making B-Western feature films at the time.
The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show is a Western comedy and variety program that ran on ABC television for 13 episodes from September 29 to December 29, 1962. In addition to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Rogers, who married in 1947, the program featured members of the Sons of the Pioneers, Pat Brady, and Cliff Arquette in his role of country iconoclast Charley Weaver.
My Pal Trigger is a 1946 American Western musical film directed by Frank McDonald. The screenplay by Jack Townley and John K. Butler was based upon a story by Paul Gangelin. The film stars Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, George “Gabby” Hayes, Jack Holt, and Trigger in a story about the origin of Rogers' mount, and their deep and faithful bond. The film features several musical numbers for Rogers, Evans, and Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers.
Under California Stars is a 1948 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Jane Frazee and Andy Devine. The film was shot in Trucolor. After returning from Hollywood after his tenth anniversary in films to his ranch, Rogers tackles a gang who kidnap his horse Trigger and hold it to ransom.
Bells of Coronado is a 1950 American Trucolor Western film directed by William Witney starring Roy Rogers, Trigger the horse, and Dale Evans.
Sunset in the West is a 1950 American Trucolor Western film produced by Republic Pictures, directed by William Witney, and starring the "King of the Cowboys" Roy Rogers and his palomino Trigger, promoted as "The Smartest Horse in the Movies". Estelita Rodriguez, Penny Edwards, and veteran character actor Will Wright are among the production’s supporting players.
The phrase Wonder Horses refers to the equine companions of cowboy heroes in early Western films. What makes these horses different from others that have appeared on the silver screen is their rise from trusty steed to a genuine screen personality. A number of horses have enjoyed such fame, often receiving equal or second billing with their human costars.
The Golden Stallion is a 1949 American Western film directed by William Witney and starring Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Estelita Rodriguez. The film was part of the long-running series of Roy Rogers films produced by Republic Pictures.
Don't Fence Me In is a 1945 black-and-white Western film directed by John English and starring the "King of the Cowboys" Roy Rogers and his palomino Trigger, promoted in the production's opening credits and on theater posters as "The Smartest Horse in the Movies". Also featured in the film are Roy's sidekick George "Gabby" Hayes and Rogers' future wife Dale Evans. Produced and distributed by Republic Pictures, Don't Fence Me In is part of a long-running series of singing-cowboy films released by that company to showcase Rogers' musical talents and equestrian skills, as well as Trigger's abilities at performing impressive stunts and tricks.
The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum was a museum in Branson, Missouri, focused on the careers of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, stars of radio, film and television. The museum was open from 1967 until 2009, at three locations in California and Missouri.
Glenn H. Randall Sr. (1908-1992) was a professional horse trainer, best known for training the horse Trigger for the television series The Roy Rogers Show. He developed over 30 hand commands to which the palomino responded. Randall Sr. also trained Gene Autry's horse Champion the Wonder Horse.
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