What a lovely history lesson, Randy! Like you and the millions of others whose lives were made that much richer by Roy being in it, I too treasure the memories of those years of yore. I first met Roy at his museum back in the late 1980's and recall being somewhat hesitant in actually approaching him as I so looked up to him as a young kid and wasn't ready to be let down if he ended up being anything but that 'could do no wrong' cowboy I had so much idolized. Needless to say, my concerns were immediately laid to rest, as he was the kindest, most genuinely humble person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. After a brief 'hello', I mention I lived in Lake Hughes (which is a small community in the hills west of Edwards AFB.) My home is very close to 'Skyhaven,' which was and remains the mountaintop ranch he and Dale built and lived at in the late 40's. He spent about 20 minutes with me, telling me how 'Skyhaven' is where he trained Trigger and also where he and Dale celebrated their wedding reception, and how the small town was overrun by Hollywood for the festivities. They truly loved the area, but the wind ended up being omnipresent, which was why they inevitably left. He had also elaborated on a not-well-known incident with Spade Cooley, who was known as the 'king of western swing.' Evidently, Cooley accused Roy have having an ongoing affair with his wife, who was holed up at the Cooley ranch in nearby Willow Springs. I remember feeling incredibly fortunate that Roy would share so much of his life with me when I left that day. Thank you, sir, for a detailed, inside look at your life, and your service to our country...
Gene and Pat were great together. After Smiley Burnett was put under contract to Columbia Gene needed a new sidekick, he remembered his old friend Pat Buttram and the rest is history.
I am 69 and am just now watching the Ozzie and Harriet Show. Skip was a good presence on the show, but at times, I felt he was portrayed too much in a negative light .
I did a phone interview with Tom Rettig when I worked for a software magazine and he had his own software company. I was a newbie and did a horrible job, reading from a script. But he was really, really nice.
Several years after Tom past away in 1996 I got to know Jon Provost (Timmy on Lassie) and his wife Laurie Jacobson. The told me that Tom was on the verge of teaming with Bill Gates and Microsoft when he died. Tough break for such a nice man and good friend.
Any chance you have any footage of Walt Crowe, or any of the Crowe brothers? Walt was my father and passed away in 1998. Don't have much of his high school days.
As a youngster, I really loved Tommy Rettig. He was my favourite boy actor and I would watch LASSIE every week. It was repeated on ITV here in the UK well into the 1960s. Yes, it was very popular. I would love to have met him, but was never given the chance. I remember him saying in an interview that when he moved to Marina del Rey, one day a new neighbour moved in next door and he came to introduce himself to Tommy. “Hi”, he said, “I’m Jeff Miller”. The look on Tommy’s face caused the man to ask him if he knew another Jeff Miller. “Yeah”, said Tommy. “I played him on Lassie for four years!”
I remember seeing him at the San Bernardino Co. Fair in victorville . I also was in a few commercials in the late 80s on KVVT but don't think I even knew he was part owner until later. RIP Pat
Gees Randy, that was swell! Your association with Tom and John was long and productive. It would be really great to view the entire of your interview, of which you showed us a short clip here. Like yourself I too became a fast fan of the Lassie episodes and Tommy. So-much-so that the parents noting this got for me my very own Lassie collie, which we named "Babe." I'll check out your other things to see for sure. Thanks and cheers!
I grew up in Indianapolis. Both qualification weekends use to sell out. 300,000+ spectators, each day. This years qualification attendance was roughly 85K. When they allowed NASCRAP to run at the Speedway. All the tradition of that place went down the toilet.
I met Skip Young (Wally Plumstead) on a USO tour in Bangkok, Thailand while in the Army around 1973/74. He was the same upbeat character that everyone remembered from his movie and tv appearances. I recalled him being in one of my favorite Elvis movies-"Loving You", and how full of life he was. RIP Skip. 💫
What a great nostalgic video. People were dressed so nicely back then. Good innocent fun at the race track. I was born about a year after this video, but the look of the video looks like my Dad's home movies when I was little. Thank you for posting this.
WOW, thanks for sharing. Amazing amounts of people there in that infield for qualification day (and in the stands). Always helps with good weather and it looks like you had good weather for mid-may.
It was a couple-few years later that my Dad took this Corona boy to our "hometown" track, the Riverside International, to watch the Times Grand Prix. There was nothing that compared to the exhilaration of watching those boxy Can-Am's passing by our seats on turn-6! I cried when they bulldozed that track!
Thanks for this! I moved into 12 Points in 1980 when I was about 8 years old, lived on 7th and 8th Streets between Linden and Buckeye. I appreciate seeing 12 points and Garfield HS - it was considerably different by the 1980s.
Memories! In the fall of 1970, Dad bought a weekend place in Wrightwood, a place to escape "Smog Alley" down in Corona. After spending the summer of '71 up there (with Dad making the 130 mile RT commute to his dental practice), he decided to sell the Corona house and move to WW full time, which happened the week after my HS Graduation. Shortly after we first took possession of the place, Dad heard about this place called "The Apple Valley Inn". Now, the eatery was a place that Dad had no problem going out to, but not frequently. Until, that is, he found out that Roy and Dale enjoyed stopping by the Inn to do "Table Touches". From then on, we made that trip to Apple Valley at least once a month. Or, should I say, my family did, for I joined the Air Force in the Fall of '72. To the best of my knowledge, no one in the family ever got to meet Roy Rogers or Dale Evans or Both. But we sure did take a lot of steak dinners out of that kitchen! 🎶 Thanks for the Memories 🎶
Thanks Randy-- I recall him visiting the Station a lot- a real nice guy-- he was friends with Elvis and was in one or 2 of his movies-and went to parties at Graceland-a real piece history.
Randy, you and Linda are the greatest...I know we haven't seen each other in years but I want you two to know how much fun and enjoyment you two gave me when I was young. You guys were always so nice and included us kids in your entertaining skits we did. I will always cherish those memories as long as I live.
What a special actor Alvy Moore was. All the characters that starred in GREEN ACRES were truly wonderful. Has to be the greatest sitcom ever created !!
