Few entertainers have successfully created a merchandising empire capable of reaching every aspect of family life. Roy Rogers was such a celebrity, effortlessly moving through music, movies, radio and television and leaving an indelible mark on each sphere. The King of the Cowboys, as he was dubbed, had 2000 fan clubs dedicated to him at the height of his popularity and the products that bore his name ranged from coffee mugs to children’s toys.

Roy Rogers started out as a cowboy musician and made his movie debut in the mid-1930s. His career took off and by the 1940s, Roy Rogers was a household name, charming adults and kids alike with his wholesome image of the American West. Rogers and his wife, Dale Evans, were very careful to endorse good quality products, which as they said, were also used in their home.

In 1951, Rogers adapted his long-running radio show for television and millions of kids tuned in on Saturday mornings to watch Roy and his sidekicks ride through their adventures. Roy Rogers merchandise became even more popular then and included art books, paper dolls, action figures, wagons, horses, horseshoes sets, footballs, trucks, pogo sticks and many more toy miscellanea. Roy’s animal sidekicks—Trigger the horse and Bullet the dog—had their own lines of toys and books as they took up a significant amount of screen time and often had their own storylines. The sheer number of Roy Rogers items caused Sears to establish the “Roy Rogers Corral” where Rogeriana was displayed and sold.

Though the TV show ended in 1957 and Rogers and Evans effectively retired from show business, they continued their ongoing charity work and even founded a chain of very successful fast food restaurants. Over time, other toys took prominence in kids’ lives but Roy Rogers merchandise is very highly prized (and priced) by collectors.