A tv pioneer
One of televisions first cowboys was Rex Trailer. Had it not been for a movie actor by the name of George Hayes, we may never have known Rex. George was known to cowboy movie buffs as 'Gabby' Hayes. He had a long career in those cowboy movie years of the 1930's and 40's, playing a colorful, cranky and comical sidekick to Roy Rogers and others. While working on a ranch together, Hayes believed Rex could be successful in the new entertainment world of children's television. Yes, ol' Gabby was Rex Trailer's mentor. What eventually followed was a string of kids cowboy shows starting off with 'The Oky Doky Ranch' from 1948 to 1950 on the old Dumont TV Network. Rex was at WPTZ from 1950-1956 with a string of children's shows such as 'Ridin' the Trail with Rex Trailer', 'Hi-Noon with Rex Trailer' and 'Rex Trailer's Ranch House'. When the Philly station was sold and with six weeks remaining on his contract, Rex was offered a show in Cleveland or Boston. "I'd never been to Cleveland, but I LOVED Boston", said Rex, and so he rode into channel 4 in April of 1956. Ch.4 constructed a whole outside back lot set for the new children's program which would soon be named 'Boomtown'. Rex had spotted the name somewhere in an old Clark Gable movie. "What a great name for an old western town!", he thought. It WAS a great name and kids loved yelling out the name while singing the 'Boomtown Theme Song'. That song, by the way, was written just two days before the premiere of the show. It was sung at the beginning and end of every show. The show had a twenty year run! Over 200,000 kids got on the program! Over the course of the show, Rex had three sidekicks. First there was Pablo. Next was Cactus Pete and last there was Sgt. Billy. All were incredibly popular. Rex knew talent when he saw it,(and Rex helps develop talent to this very day over at his tv school at Emmerson College).There were others through the years who rounded out the cast as well, Uncle Sam and his band and the Chief just to name a couple. Another amazing thing about this program is that it never had a script!!! How did a show, a three hour show(!),-on both Saturday AND Sunday mornings last so long on television?!!! Oh, did I forget to mention that they also did a half-hour 'Bunkhouse' segment prior to these? Yup! A whole morning of entertainment starting right after the station's overnight test pattern went off. If this wasn't enough, Rex also ran charitable events. Jerry Lewis named Rex as national spokesman for Muscular Dystrophy one year and Rex had kids run their own 'Backyard Carnivals' to help in the cause. He and some of the cast members would often make surprise public appearances at such events, he was that dedicated and sincere to the fight for a cure. He often brought kids on the 'Boomtown' show to publicly thank them for their efforts to raise cash donations. This drive involving kids having their own shows went on for years. Rex also led a wagon train all across Massachusetts in the fall of 1961, to bring attention to another health issue, mental retardation. They collected donations for the Massachusetts Association for Retarded Children. The trek was all the way across Rt.20 from western end of the state and ending at the State House in Boston. They circled their wagons for camping out every night in a different town, but not before putting on stage shows for everyone who came out to see them. People get so excited to hear the name Rex Trailer! To this very day he brings back so many good memories and he seems to remember everything about the events he's put on for over 50 years now. He is everywhere it seems, but you have got to seek him out! Visit his website and mine for the very latest news regarding public appearances! Mail us your memories right HERE at Boomtownmemories!!! |
George Francis Hayes
1885-1965
Mentor and friend to Rex Trailer
George 'Gabby' Hayes was exactly opposite the characters he played in the movies. He was well read,well
dressed,well mannered and a complete gentleman.
Born in New York, he had worked in a circus, briefly, and played some semi-pro baseball as a teenager. He
ran away at 17 and joined a touring stock company where he met his future wife. He was quite successful in
the vaudeville circuit and retired comfortably in his 40's.
When the stock market crashed in 1929,(the same year he made his screen debut),he lost almost all his
money. His wife convinced him to move to California and start over.
He made it big in the movies playing tough guys and cowboys.
He played Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick 'Windy Halliday' in many films between 1936-39. He took the name
'Gabby' around 1940 and became sidekick to John Wayne,Roy Rogers and Randolph Scott.
He was close to 50 years of age before he learned to ride a horse.
His final film was in 1950 and then he went into children's television himself with 'The Gabby Hayes Show',
telling cowboy stories to the kids.
An actor in 190 movies, he was inducted into the 'Hall of Great Western Performers' of the 'National Cowboy
and Western Heritage Museum' in the year 2000.
George 'Gabby' Hayes has a star on the Great Hollywood Walk of Fame
1885-1965
Mentor and friend to Rex Trailer
George 'Gabby' Hayes was exactly opposite the characters he played in the movies. He was well read,well
dressed,well mannered and a complete gentleman.
Born in New York, he had worked in a circus, briefly, and played some semi-pro baseball as a teenager. He
ran away at 17 and joined a touring stock company where he met his future wife. He was quite successful in
the vaudeville circuit and retired comfortably in his 40's.
When the stock market crashed in 1929,(the same year he made his screen debut),he lost almost all his
money. His wife convinced him to move to California and start over.
He made it big in the movies playing tough guys and cowboys.
He played Hopalong Cassidy's sidekick 'Windy Halliday' in many films between 1936-39. He took the name
'Gabby' around 1940 and became sidekick to John Wayne,Roy Rogers and Randolph Scott.
He was close to 50 years of age before he learned to ride a horse.
His final film was in 1950 and then he went into children's television himself with 'The Gabby Hayes Show',
telling cowboy stories to the kids.
An actor in 190 movies, he was inducted into the 'Hall of Great Western Performers' of the 'National Cowboy
and Western Heritage Museum' in the year 2000.
George 'Gabby' Hayes has a star on the Great Hollywood Walk of Fame
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