10/15/2019 Filming the Roy Rogers Show on Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch 1
Filming The Roy Rogers Show on
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
10/15/2019 Filming the Roy Rogers Show on Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch 2
"The Roy Rogers Show" ran for six seasons on NBC, from 1951-1957.
• Most of its location footage was shot on the Iverson Movie Ranch in
Chatsworth.
•Another filming location was Corriganville in Simi Valley.
•The famous Double R Bar Ranch gate from the TV show was set up
at still another filming location — Disney's Golden Oak Ranch in
Placerita Canyon, Newhall.
•Roy and Dale moved to their Chatsworth Ranch in 1955, and filming
for a few episodes of seasons 5 and 6 of “The Roy Rogers Show”
was at their new Chatsworth Ranch.
Filming The Roy Rogers Show on
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
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Filming The Roy Rogers Show on
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
•The inspiration for this presentation is a recent blog post by Chatsworth film
historian Dennis Liff. This presentation will include discussion of:
• Roy & Dale’s Chatsworth Ranch at 9839 Andora
• The location of the “Double R Bar Ranch” (which was not where Roy and
Dale lived).
•A fun look at Double R Bar Ranch merchandising.
•Filming locations at the Chatsworth Ranch, that will soon be developed into
33 homes at the end of Andora.
• A review of scene locations from the 1956 episode “False Faces” filmed at
the Chatsworth Ranch, followed by watching the 22 minute episode.
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Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Roy and Dale moved
to Chatsworth in the
summer of 1955,
after filming 4
seasons of The Roy
Rogers Show. Their
ranch was at 9839
Andora.
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Roy and Dale hadn't
bought the place yet
when this 1952 aerial
shot was taken over
Chatsworth, but when
they bought it three
years later, it came
with a significant drive
from the Andora gate
to the 1938 house.
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Lassen
Baden
10/15/2019 Filming the Roy Rogers Show on Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch 6
A 1962 ucsb aerial shows
the same driveway off of
Andora to the 137 acre
Roy Rogers ranch.
A barn, corrals, and
outbuildings are along
the east side of the
driveway.
A water feature is seen
below the house. Cheryl
Rogers has mentioned
having a “lake out in front
of the house.”
Notice the meadow
below and to the west of
the house.
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Lassen
Baden
10/15/2019 Filming the Roy Rogers Show on Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch 7
Beginning in 1964, a
portion of the former ranch
property was subdivided
and developed as Roy
Rogers Ranchos.
The photo at right shows
that the old driveway no
longer exists.
The house where Roy and
Dale lived remains intact, at
22801 Trigger St.
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
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The LA County Land Records viewer shows
•1964 Tract TR0733-065, Roy Rogers
Ranchos, 33 acres, 54 homes
•1986 Tract TR1063-041, Eugene Kilmer
subdivided the property including Roy
Roger’s house, 7 acres, 7 homes
•2017 Tentative TR73427, Andora Estates, 91
acres, 33 homes
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Andora Estates will be a 33
home subdivision on 28 acres,
with 63 acres as an open
space conservation easement.
It was approved by the LA City
Council in June 2017,
development has not begun.
Lassen
Baden
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Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
1964 Tract TR0733-065,
Roy Rogers Ranchos,
33 acres, 54 homes
•The April 1964 roping
ceremony promotional
photograph features (left to
right on horseback) Robert
Russell of Russcor
Construction, Roy Rogers,
and Councilman Tom
Shepard.
•In the foreground are Dale
Evans, below Tom Shepard
at the right, and George
Vincent, Chatsworth real
estate broker, below Robert
Russell.
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Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
1964 Tract TR0733-065, Roy
Rogers Ranchos, 33 acres, 54
homes
•Originally announced in 1963, the
project was to include a natural
lake-type swimming pool, tennis
courts, and play area.
•The project also announced fully
equipped barns and boarding
facilities for horses, and that Rogers
will maintain his family home on a
seven acre estate in the heart of the
project.
•The project was kicked off with
roping ceremonies in April, 1964.
•In August 1964, tragedy befell the
Rogers, as their 12 year old
daughter Debbie was killed in a bus
accident.
•In 1965, Roy and Dale sold the
remainder of their ranch and moved
to Apple Valley, Ca. near Victorville.
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The LA County Land Records viewer shows
•1964 Tract TR0733-065, Roy Rogers
Ranchos, 33 acres, 54 homes
•1986 Tract TR1063-041, Eugene Kilmer
subdivided the property including Roy
Roger’s house, 7 acres, 7 homes
•2017 Tentative TR73427, Andora Estates, 91
acres, 33 homes
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Andora Estates will be a 33
home subdivision on 28 acres,
with 63 acres as an open
space conservation easement.
It was approved by the LA City
Council in June 2017,
development has not begun.
Lassen
Baden
10/15/2019 Filming the Roy Rogers Show on Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch 12
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
1986 Tract TR1063-041 Document Detail ( Eugene
Kilmer subdivided the property including Roy Roger’s
house, 7 acres, 7 homes
•Eugene Kilmer, who is the father of actor Val Kilmer,
lived in the Roger’s house at the time.
•A crop of the document below identifies Eugene Kilmer
as the owner (below)
•A crop of the document to the right identifies Bea
Berman, past President of the Chatsworth Historical
Society, as the Notary Public.
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The LA County Land Records viewer shows
•1964 Tract TR0733-065, Roy Rogers
Ranchos, 33 acres, 54 homes
•1986 Tract TR1063-041, Eugene Kilmer
subdivided the property including Roy
Roger’s house, 7 acres, 7 homes
•2017 Tentative TR73427, Andora Estates, 91
acres, 33 homes
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Andora Estates will be a 33
home subdivision on 28 acres,
with 63 acres as an open
space conservation easement.
It was approved by the LA City
Council in June 2017,
development has not begun.
Lassen
Baden
10/15/2019 Filming the Roy Rogers Show on Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch 14
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Overview of Andora Estates
development, identifying on-
site rock outcroppings.
Andora Estates will be a 33
home subdivision on 28 acres,
with 63 acres as an open
space conservation easement
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“The Roy Rogers Show” gate at the Double R Bar Ranch
One "Roy Rogers Show" location that
generated more interest than most —
along with more confusion than any
other — was a fictional place called the
"Double R Bar Ranch.“
Notice the brand in each corner of the
sign. There is a “bar” under the two R’s.
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Andora gate to Roy and Dale’s Chatsworth ranch
Notice that there is
no “bar” under the
“two Rs” on their
Andora Ranch sign.
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“The Roy Rogers Show” gate at the Double R Bar Ranch
The End Credits at the
famous Double R Bar Ranch
gate, from the TV show was
filmed at —
Disney's Golden Oak Ranch
in Placerita Canyon, Newhall.
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The filming site at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch
In addition to filming scenes at the famous Double R Bar
Ranch gate, the 1953 episode “Phantom Rustlers” was mostly
filmed at the Golden Oak Ranch.
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The filming site at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch
Walt Disney filmed “The Adventures of Spin and Marty” at the
Golden Oak Ranch.
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“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
By the mid-1950s, Roy Rogers
and his TV ranch had become
the focus of a massive
merchandising operation, which
might help explain some of the
mythology surrounding the
ranch..
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The centerpiece of the Roy
Rogers marketing empire
was the Happi-Time Double
R Bar Ranch playset.
The TV show had kids
convinced that Roy and Dale
lived on the Double R Bar,
and the playsets flew off the
shelves.
“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
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Plastic versions of Roy and
Dale on the Double R Bar
“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
The marketers weren't about to
pour cold water on any existing
hype that might help sell
playsets — for example by
clarifying that Roy and Dale
didn't really live on the Double R
Bar.
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Plastic replica of the gate on the
Disney location ranch
“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
The myth about Roy and Dale
living on the Double R Bar
Ranch grew up with a
generation of kids who were
proud owners of the playset
- which came with a gate that
looked just like the one on the
TV show.
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Hot item on eBay
“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
Double R Bar Ranch playsets remain a hot commodity today.
This one was being offered for $250 on eBay…
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“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
Double R Bar
Ranch lunchbox
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“Double R Bar Ranch” Merchandise
At one time you could rock
out on Trigger as long as
you had a spare quarter.
Of course, the mechanical
Trigger was also branded
"Double R Bar Ranch" —
and featured yet another
rendition of the famous gate.
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
1 = oddball group of rock
characters
2 = Twin Towers
3 = northwest of Roy’s
house
4 = Rock full of holes
5 = meadow rocks west
of Andora
8 = raccoon tail rock
Note: Rock formations 6
and 7 are significant but
did not make the blog
post.
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
Roy with Sandy, left, and
Dusty outside the family
home in Chatsworth
(Jerry England
Collection)
#1 = oddball
group of rock
characters
(circled in red)
A 2019 photo of the same rocks from
iversonmovieranch.blogspot.com
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
The rock is seen in
1956 "Paleface
Justice," towering
over passing riders.
A 2019 photo of the same rocks
#2 = Twin Towers
A 2019 photo of the same rocks
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
The rocks are seen in
1956 "Paleface Justice" #3 = northwest
of Roy’s house
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
The rock is seen in
1956 "Paleface Justice"
A 2019 photo of the same rocks
#4 = rock full of holes
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
This rock grouping is
seen in 1956 “Horse
Crazy"
A 2019 photo of the
same grouping of rocks
#5 = meadow rocks
west of Andora
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
End of
Andora
1 = oddball group of rock characters
2 = Twin Towers
3 = northwest of Roy’s house
4 = Rock full of holes
5 = meadow rocks west of Andora
Google
Earth 3D
view
1
2
3
4
5
Roy & Dale’s
House
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
This rock grouping
is seen in 1956
“Paleface Justice”
#8 = raccoon tail rock
(upper right)
The rock behind Roy’s
left arm is Rock No. 6
in the Location map.
A 2019 photo of the
same grouping of rocks
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
The hill south of the
meadow is seen in
1956 “Horse Crazy”
Hill south of the
meadow
A 2019 photo of the same
hill. The rock at the base of
the hill is at the right of the
photo to the left
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Filming Locations at the Chatsworth Ranch
1 = oddball group of rock
characters
2 = Twin Towers
3 = northwest of Roy’s
house
4 = Rock full of holes
5 = meadow rocks west
of Andora
8 = raccoon tail rock
Note: Rock formations 6
and 7 are significant but
did not make the blog
post.
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A few scenes from 1956 Season 5, Episode 10, “False Faces”
filmed at the Chatsworth Ranch
00min 38sec -- shooting at Indian burial ground in
the group of rocks northwest of the Roger’s house
00min 42sec -- Nellybelle with
meadow and hill in background
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A few scenes from 1956 Season 5, Episode 10, “False Faces”
filmed at the Chatsworth Ranch
03min 52sec -- cresting the hill, matches the hills above
Northridge and in the northeast corner of the Valley
06min 30sec -- Indian village, water
in background.
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A 1962 ucsb aerial shows
the same driveway off of
Andora to the 137 acre
Roy Rogers ranch.
A barn, corrals, and
outbuildings are along
the east side of the
driveway.
A water feature is seen
below the house. Cheryl
Rogers has mentioned
having a “lake out in front
of the house.”
Notice the meadow
below and to the west of
the house.
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
Lassen
Baden
Location of Indian Village
in 1956 False Faces
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A few scenes from 1956 Season 5, Episode 10, “False Faces”
filmed elsewhere
17min 33sec -- stone cabin at the
Iverson Ranch grove
21min 24sec -- Pat Brady scares Trigger
at the Ingram Ranch in Calabasas
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The Roy
Rogers Show
Feb 5, 1956
Season 5
Episode 10
“False Faces”
22 minutes
Filmed at:
Roy Rogers
Chatsworth
Ranch
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Filming the Roy Rogers Show on
Roy & Dale's Chatsworth Ranch
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Sources/Acknowledgements
•Dennis Liff’s blog post “Filming "The Roy Rogers Show" on Roy and Dale's old ranch in
Chatsworth — and the truth about the "Double R Bar Ranch“ available at
https://iversonmovieranch.blogspot.com/2019/05/filming-roy-rogers-show-on-roy-and.html
•Prepared by Dennis Liff and Ann & Ray Vincent, October 2019
