Hello there Bob, I'm so glad you enjoyed my picture with Rex Trailer on the Flickr site because I sure had a lot of enjoyment appearing on his show as a child. I did purchase the Rex Trailer DVD last year that was advertised on his website and although it had a clip from his Philadelphia show, I was not in it. There were 2 dance groups which alternated appearing on the show and it was the other group that was featured in the clip. Will there be a new DVD next year as well? Those were the very early days of television and everything was done live. My parents drove me into Philadelphia on alternate Saturday afternoons for about a year to do the show. I recall one of the guests being Jimmy Boyl who had the big hit "I Saw Mommy |
| Kissing Santa Claus". I also recall Pete Boyl (the father of Peter Boyl) who had a show on right before or right after Rex's Show. But what I remember the most was the Saturday night my parents took me to see Rex Trailer when he performed at The Cowtown Rodeo. I'd never been to one before and I enjoyed so much seeing him. You have a very nice website and I'd be honored if you want to place my photo on it. Best Regards, Mary Jane |
| Hi Robert! Here's a picture of Rex and me when I was just a boy. Thanks for putting me on the website. It's an honor. -David Pike A side note to our viewers: This photo was taken at Indian Ranch where Rex saw and heard young David perform. Rex was very impressed, he told me after I questioned him. This photo was autographed just this year at : The Massachusetts Country Music Association Awards where David and Rex both performed!!! |
| I really appreciate the kind words so many contributors send in about the Boomtown Memories website. We need your contributions to keep this site going. In case you are wondering, yes, Rex sees or hears about your memories and shares many behind the scene stories with me! -Bob |
| My sister, Patty Kempton sent me your website address because she knows how much I love Rex! I grew up in Boston (Jamaica Plain) and loved watching Rex on TV. I love horses! For some reason or another I wasn't one of the lucky ones that got to go on 'BOOMTOWN'. Well, years later, I attended a fund raiser in Waltham, MA- it was around 2001-03. My brother-in-law, Rusty Rogers,another Hall of Fame inductee, was performing at the same hall. I FINALLY got to meet Rex when I was 40 something. I was thrilled! My sister took the picture of me sitting on his lap that day. THANK YOU PATTY!!!! Then in June 2006 my brother-in-law Rusty Rogers (photo 2), was receiving an award out at Indian Ranch in Webster, MA. I had the pleasure of meeting Rex again and had another photo taken (I'm next to Rex). I was 50 but felt like an overly excited 10 year old! Also in the photo are my niece, Monique and Rusty Rogers, sporting his award. It was a huge thrill for me. Rex has touched so many lives and I feel blessed that I was finally able to meet him after 40+ years of being a huge fan. Thanks for the great website! Sincerely, Melinda Prescott Stoughton, MA |
| Melinda, the pleasure is all mine! This site grows in popularity because of the wonderful contributors we have! Thanks for the story and for sending in Patty's wonderful photos! -Bob |
| Hi, I went to see the show twice when I was a kid, don't remember the exact years, probably 1969-1970-ish. It was a great escape from my broken family's problems. I wanted so bad to be the deputy sheriff for the day, but never got to be, but at least I got to walk past the camera through the jail house with the music playing. I remember what respect I felt for Rex, he seemed like the perfect entertainer to me. Rex, if you read this, thanks for making me and probably alot of other kids like me feel a whole lot better about the world around them. -Hugh Wright |
| THIS STORY should put a lump in anybody's throat! Rex meant alot to all of us,but to walk in Hugh's shoes and read his comments,.....WOW! I will make sure Rex reads this. I'm sure he will be very appreciative. -Bob |
Page 2 of Your Boomtown Memories |
| Hi, My sisters got to be on the show. I must have been about 3 or 4 at the time. I had to stay in a waiting room with the other little kids and moms. I wandered off and ended up in line with all the kids who were on the show. They were in line for goody bags. Rex Trailer gave me one too! That's all I can remember. I don't remember what was in that bag, but I can still remember feeling left out of the fun and then feeling better because I got a goody bag too. I'm 44 years old now,.....maybe it's time to get over it :-) -Ali Sunderland Perry (grew up in good ol Hyde Park, now in Seattle). |
| I wrote Ali back to ask her how she located this website. The follow-up letter is her answer: |
| I found your website through Facebook. I joined the Facebook Boomtown Group and saw your listing there. I always wanted to go to Disneyland with Rex too. Every time his commercials came on I would just dream and want to go,...but that was out of the question in my family. Alas, I'm a parent now and can take my own kids to Disneyland ( I'm on the west coast )! Not the same without Rex though :-) I watched a video of Rex that my older sister bought- and it had a clip of Santa's Village at Jordan Marsh. Oh the memories! I'm glad to hear that Rex is still going strong. He's a treasure. -Ali Sunderland Perry |
Yes, everybody, I am on the very popular site 'Facebook' |
| I was on the show with my older brother's cub Scout den in '64 or '65 when I was six or seven years old. My mom woke us up about 4 a.m. which seemed like the middle of the night. I wore this indian chief costume I was really proud of, and in the car my brother and his friends con- vinced me that Rex would probably shoot me when he rode in and saw an indian, ('gotta love older brothers)! When we got there I refused to get out of the car, but my mom was willing to take the bullet and led the heap-big indian chief inside by the hand. As a kid I had no concept of what a T.V. set was, so imagine my surprise to find that the Boomtown I faithfully watched on television was actually indoors in a rather small room under these really bright lights with cameras and cables, and most of the buildings were painted on curtains! Instead of galloping across the prairie to 'HOOFBEATS', Goldrush actually did a short trot from the next room for Rex's entrance. I now look back and thank Boomtown for teaching me at such a young age how powerful T.V. is at creating images. I had a great time on the show, though about the only thing I remember is one of my brother's friends, Bruce, competing in a game where he had to push a potato ( I think ) along the floor with his nose. And what a great idea to have all the kids parade past the camera for the wanted poster line up, ensuring that each kid gets their face on T.V. for a couple of seconds- too bad this was before VCR's. The other channels had BOZO, MAJOR MUDD, and WILLIE WHISTLE, but my favorite was and always will be REX TRAILER and BOOM, BOOM, BOOMTOWN !!! -Tom Stratton on growing up in Sudbury,MA |
| Rex is sure to get a kick out of this story. Thank you for your contribution Tom! |
Mary Jane Stevens sent in her story and photo from one of Rex's Philadelphia TV Show. (click on thumbnail photo to enlarge) |
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