Julie Rogers Pomilia

Author Julie Rogers Pomilia

Julie Rogers Pomilia has had a very full life, apart from being in the Rogers family. She was born in Pasadena, California, and studied piano and viola at a very young age. Julie majored in Music at Biola University in Los Angeles, but quickly realized she didn’t have the passion to pursue a music career. So she switched her major to Elementary Education. She did, however, continue playing viola in several quartets, and a local symphony. Then later, after moving to Germany, she became the principal violist in the Munich Chamber Orchestra, where she performed in concerts at the Nymphenburg Palace.

Being the granddaughter of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans her childhood (and throughout her life) has been colored with the deep familial love born out of the most famous on-screen (and off-screen) western couples of all time The King of Cowboys, Roy Rogers, and The Queen of the West, Dale Evans.

Her book Your Heroes, My Grandparents, is a collection of short stories and family photos of Roy and Dale, that was originally written for her three sons. Because this couple played such a vital role in the formation of American culture, as well as much encouragement from people along the way, she decided to widen her audience to the public.

There is a variety of reasons to pick up this book. Maybe Roy and Dale are nostalgic for you, maybe your parents told you about them, or maybe you have no idea who they were at all. No matter the reason, you will be glad you picked this one up.

Your Heroes, My Grandparents is filled with an abundance of candid pictures, many of them never seen by the public. Your Heroes, My Grandparents, by Julie Rogers Pomilia is a charming read, and the first book ever to chronicle the lives of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, one of the most famous couples in western film and television history from the distinctive perspective of their grandchild. We knew them as our heroes, but she knew them as simply, Grandma and Grandpa. Having lived through the ’50s and ’60s at the height of their popularity, and on into these current times when few people under the age of 50 remember who they were and the impact they had on American culture, the author shares unique insights about what it was like living with her famous grandparents. Still relatable, these heartwarming experiences transcend time and generational differences.

Being the youngest daughter of Dale Evans’ only biological son, she shares from personal experience, the love and acceptance her grandparents exuded as they adopted five children from different walks of life and cultures. Combining “yours, mine, and ours, step, adopted and foster” making nine total, they were the Brad and Angelina of the ’50s before it was in vogue. Each chapter stands alone, one short story after another, as she recalls with humor and tenderness, the perception of fame, the tragedies they endured, and the rollicking times they experienced being part of this multicultural brood. Spanning from her earliest memories until the time of their passing, this is a must-read for anyone longing for an intimate, positive encounter with two of the most beloved heroes in American history.

AVAILABLE NOW!

Videos!

Listen to Julie Rogers Pomila share stories of her grandparents, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, and read excerpts from her book “Your Heroes, My Grandparents”

Julie Rogers Pomilia accepts her Grandpa Roy (Rogers) Induction into the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame in Waynesville, OH. It’s a beautiful insight into Roy Rogers’ humble beginnings, body of work, and family life.

Author of Your Heroes, My Grandparents, Julie Rogers Pomilia does a “Show and Tell” session.

High Praises for Your Heroes, My Grandparents

A Granddaughter's Love

“When Julie Asked me to read her book, I was very much looking forward to it as I had grown up with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. What Julie has masterfully done with this fine book is give the reader a front-row seat to these two icons, up close and personal. I sincerely recommend it!” Robert Carradine, Actor (The Cowboys, Revenge of the Nerds. Lizzie McGuire)

“Such an endearing memoir about Julie’s relationship with her beloved Grandparents and the balance between fame and anonymity that made me giggle with delight from start to finish, saying, Only Julie!” Rachel Lindsay Greenbush — Actress (Carrie Ingalls – Little House on the Prairie)

“Today, more than ever, our world needs to know about the ‘good guys’, heroes who shine even more brightly off-screen than on. Julie has opened the book on her famous grandparents and we’re all the better for it. Roy and Dale are what legends are made of.” Nancy Stafford — Actress (Matlock), Speaker, and Author

If you know anything about Roy and Dale, love family fun, and cherish friends and heroes, this book, that you are holding in your hands right now, will be very hard to put down.

FOREWORD by Rob Word

Rob Word is a veteran Television Executive and Producer and a Founding Father of the Golden Boot Awards. Word’s love of the genre includes hosting and producing A WORD ON WESTERNS, his long-running celebrity interview series on YouTube.

How exciting to know that your grandparents were the King and Queen of Western Movies. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were that husband-and-wife team. This is the storybook tale of a little girl who had a Royal pair of relatives and cherished every moment. Better yet, she remembered those years and has written about those special times that sheds a warm, loving light on her legendary grandparents in stories untold…until now.

Julie Fox Pomilia was that little girl with very special celebrity grandparents. Her father was Tom Fox, Dale Evans’ only biological son from her first marriage. Roy and Dale married in 1947. Julie’s “Grampy” and Grandma were household names, known around the world. They starred together in hugely popular musical Westerns at Republic Pictures, co-starred in a family-friendly TV series, co-hosted dozens of television network and syndicated variety shows, headlined rodeos, sold millions of records, and had their own radio series. Did that leave the two aging icons much time for their expanding brood? They made time! For them, family came first.

Julie’s stories about her grandparents shed light on their generosity, their struggles, and how these two ordinary folks set examples for several generations representing truth, justice, and, yes, the American way. Their unforgettable theme song was “Happy Trails to You,” written by Dale, who also penned the Sunday School classic, “The Bible Tells Me So.”

As a longtime fan and friend of Roy and Dale, my wife and I were at their 50^th wedding anniversary celebration. We were thrilled to be included and to share that momentous occasion with them, their family, and friends. I first met Roy in 1972 in Orlando, Florida, and invited him to be a guest on “Night Owl Theater,” my late-night movie series, to talk about his Westerns. He agreed and we discussed and then showed Dark Command, one of his few non-B-Western starring roles. Heck, he co-starred with John Wayne in the large-scale production and played Claire Trevor’s impetuous younger brother! Roy was so charming and kind to a young film buff. He was exactly what all those of us in my generation expected. When Roy came back through town later, both he and Dale appeared with me on the show, which is still a very special memory.

I am honored to be asked to write the Foreword for Julie’s book. She seems to be at every Western film festival and tribute to her famous grandparents and brightens up every room she enters. She’s got lots of fans, too, and her book should be an instant smash for all of them. One nice thing about writing the Forward is that it gave me an opportunity to read in advance the delicious stories she shares. Julie takes us all inside the cavernous ranch house and into numerous nooks and crannies where she discovered stacks of merchandise, toys, Roy Rogers Comics, and closets full of those fancy glittering rhinestone outfits Roy and Dale wore for personal appearances. As an inquisitive little wrangler, Julie remembers meeting Nudie, who designed those outrageous western costumes and spotting the now rare lapel of an actual nude cowgirl.

These pages, written with love and tender care by Julie, will have you wanting more. I know I did! Find out what it was like for a little girl to discover that her fun-loving Grampy was known all over the world. Was our hero Roy as much fun at home as all of us fans hoped he would be? Family gatherings were huge at the Rogers’ ranch, and they happened often. There were numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and nephews that filled her weekends at the ranch.

Did Roy really love kids and animals? You bet. He adored them. Julie takes us on early trips to the barn to see Trigger, “the Smartest Horse in the Movies,” and reveals how many different horses were used in the making of the B Western classics. What sort of personality did “The Old Man,” the original Trigger, have? How about Dale’s horse, Buttermilk? Not the same personality at all!

With so many mouths to feed, was there enough room for everyone? Was there enough food? What was the pecking order? Julie answers these questions with a delightfully charming sense of humor. What fun they had. Reading this book is almost like being a part of the family.

Julie takes you down many paths to celebrate her grandparent’s amazing life and legacy and she does it with love, humor, pride, and a sense of history as only an insider could deliver. This book is filled with gems; memories of generosity, world-famous celebrities, family gatherings at Christmas, and the many, many birthdays to celebrate. Even though there was much fun and many games as Julie was growing up, her story is not all laughter. There is sorrow and tragedy, too.