# Please answer simple question if you're 30 or younger . . .



## Jerri Kay Lincoln (Jun 18, 2011)

Do you know who Roy Rogers is? 


(I was going to include him in a book I'm writing, but the audience is <30, and I got to thinking . . . have they even heard of him?

So, thanks!


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## purplesmurf (Mar 20, 2012)

I'm 28 and I know who he is, but i'm not sure how much younger than 30 you're looking at being your target audience. I would say 25 or younger and most probably would not know who he is.


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## Maya Cross (May 28, 2012)

29 and no idea. I just googled him, and based on that, I'd guess 90% of my friends wouldn't have any idea either, but I could be wrong.


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## Chris Culver (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm 31, so I'm not exactly in your target audience, but my dog's name is Roy after Roy Rogers. When I tell my friends that [men and women roughly my age], only about half of them know who Roy Rogers is.


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## SandraMiller (May 10, 2011)

This is the saddest topic I've ever seen!     I wanted to name a horse in one of my books Trigger after Rogers' horse (didn't because I wasn't sure if there would be trademark issues)--but now I wonder if anybody would have gotten the reference!

Man, I never knew 40 could feel so OLD!


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## valeriec80 (Feb 24, 2011)

I'm 32, and I really only know about the fast food restaurants. He was a person, huh? Like an actual person? Is he like Dave Thomas, who founded Wendy's, he just named the restaurants after himself, not his daughter? (Somehow, I'm guessing not.)


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## EC Sheedy (Feb 24, 2011)

I can't even see 30 in my rear view mirror, but this is an interesting question. In no so many years someone will be asking the same question about Miley Cyrus. There's gotta be some kind of message here.


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## nikkarina (Jan 15, 2013)

I'm 20 and I've never heard of him! However, the name does remind me of Mr. Rogers neighborhood


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Oh, now I feel old. But on the upside, I have heard of Miley Cyrus, so I'm obviously not dead yet.


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## Sarah M (Apr 6, 2013)

I am 34, and the only Roy Rogers I know of is the drink because there was this episode of American Dad where Roger goes crazy (crazier) because Stan won't get him soda for a Roy Rogers.

I may have a pop culture issue.


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## KerryT2012 (Dec 18, 2012)

lol, I used to be 30 and I´ve never heard of him!


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## Guest (Oct 4, 2013)

I'm over 30 but only vaguely know who he is. I've heard of him and know he's a celebrity but that's about it. Remember that people in the US might know him better than people who live in other countries, because he's a US celebrity.


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## TiffanyNicole (Jul 28, 2013)

I've heard the name before, but I couldn't tell you anything about him.


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## Lizbooks (Mar 15, 2013)

Yes, but only because my father is a huge fan of old westerns.


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## dianasg (Jan 8, 2010)

TiffanyNicole said:


> I've heard the name before, but I couldn't tell you anything about him.


Ditto!


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## quiet chick writes (Oct 19, 2012)

valeriec80 said:


> I'm 32, and I really only know about the fast food restaurants. He was a person, huh? Like an actual person? Is he like Dave Thomas, who founded Wendy's, he just named the restaurants after himself, not his daughter? (Somehow, I'm guessing not.)


Ha, I was the same. I'm like, "What, he's a person? I thought it was a fried chicken place."


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## Error404 (Sep 6, 2012)

I'm 29 and know about him (but then, I also know about Clark Gable and Fred Astaire).  I'd forgotten about the chicken place with his name


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## Maia Sepp Ross (May 10, 2013)

Well, I'm not under 30, but I don't know who he is (although I've heard the name). But I'm Canadian.


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## Al Dente (Sep 3, 2012)

At 33 I'm not your target audience, but I know who he is.


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## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

I just turned 30 and I am dismayed that so many people apparently don't get the significance of a key piece of dialogue from _Die Hard_.


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## Al Dente (Sep 3, 2012)

Vaalingrade said:


> I am dismayed that so many people apparently don't get the significance of a key piece of dialogue from _Die Hard_.


THIS!


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## Duane Gundrum (Apr 5, 2011)

jljarvis said:


> I asked my 18-year-old son. Never heard of him.


That's just strange. You've never heard of your 18 year old son?


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## Claudia King (Oct 27, 2012)

I'm an itty-bitty 24 year old and I've never heard of him.


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## BrianKittrell (Jan 8, 2011)

Only vaguely. But the question is, would your intended audience know who he is? And by that, age range doesn't factor into the target audience. If you're writing a story about Roy Rogers, then Roy Rogers fans of all ages might pick up the book. If the book is about the cowboy lifestyle in some way or another, it's a lot more likely that the reader would've heard of him, regardless of age.


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## D.L. Shutter (Jul 9, 2011)

I'm not "old" but 30 was a ways back.

I remember when the coolest electronics had fake wood paneling and silver dials and switches. When Atari changed the way the world looked and when betamax and VHS was the big dillema for my Dad. When I was the remote control, the pliers used on the metal shaft in the small TV was the channel changer and the choices were between a few UHF and VHF channels. And when the miracle of cable joined our lives.

And I remember Roy Rogers.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Vaalingrade said:


> I just turned 30 and I am dismayed that so many people apparently don't get the significance of a key piece of dialogue from _Die Hard_.


Die Hard came out in '88. A lot of people under 30 have never seen it. (Heck, I'm waaaay over 30 and I've never seen it either.)


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## ellendominick (Feb 27, 2013)

I have absolutely never heard of that name before. Huh?


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## Bec (Aug 24, 2012)

27 and non-American. The name rings a bell, but I wouldn't have been able to tell you exactly who/where/what he was before I looked him up. But I look up most things I don't get, so it wouldn't be a problem for long!


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## dkgould (Feb 18, 2013)

For nostalgia's sake.


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## WrittenWordMediaTeam (Oct 23, 2012)

No.

Age: 24


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## Wansit (Sep 27, 2012)

No

Age: 25


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## George Applegate (Jan 23, 2013)

Neither my 21 yo daughter nor her 19 yo friend, have heard of him. This is personally disappointing because I took my daughter to the Roy Rogers museum in Victorville before it closed.


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## avwrite (Feb 11, 2013)

Jena H said:


> Die Hard came out in '88. A lot of people under 30 have never seen it. (Heck, I'm waaaay over 30 and I've never seen it either.)


Not sure how true this is. I'm 28, and if someone HASN'T seen Die Hard, most people my age are pretty surprised. It's a movie that has aged pretty well. Bruce Willis is also still a pretty relevant actor.

Yippee Ki Yay Mr. Falcon!!


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

avwrite said:


> Not sure how true this is. I'm 28, and if someone HASN'T seen Die Hard, most people my age are pretty surprised. It's a movie that has aged pretty well. Bruce Willis is also still a pretty relevant actor.
> 
> Yippee Ki Yay Mr. Falcon!!


My son is 25 and he's never seen the original. He says he thinks he saw one of the more recent sequels (4 or 5), but that' all. (And yet he's seen all the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, even those that came out before he was born.)


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## MsTee (Jul 30, 2012)

Am I the only one who thought OP meant this person at first?










  

So, OP, no. And I'm 23.


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## wilsonharp (Jun 5, 2012)

I'm 43 and feeling gut-punched reading this thread. How quickly cultural touch-stones lose their place in collective memory.


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## BrianKittrell (Jan 8, 2011)

wilsonharp said:


> I'm 43 and feeling gut-punched reading this thread. How quickly cultural touch-stones lose their place in collective memory.


I was once asked by a "hardcore" science fiction fan who my favorite sci if author was. I said it was a photo finish between Bradbury and Heinlein.

"Who?"

Of course, the fan admitted to mostly watching sci if movies and TV. So, he had probably seen some of their work on the big screen. I guess that's what it takes to survive the grave nowadays.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I am 47 and I only remember him from black and white re-runs.  Now I do remember the drink.  There was a Roy Rogers and a Shirley Temple.  Both were non-alcoholic drinks based on I forget which two alcoholic drinks.

Happy Trails to you.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

Now who remembers Shirley Temple?


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

Twenty-five here. I've heard of him, but I'd have to look up the reference.

Also, I was born in '88 and have never seen _Die Hard_.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

BrianKittrell said:


> I was once asked by a "hardcore" science fiction fan who my favorite sci if author was. I said it was a photo finish between Bradbury and Heinlein.
> 
> "Who?"
> 
> Of course, the fan admitted to mostly watching sci if movies and TV. So, he had probably seen some of their work on the big screen. I guess that's what it takes to survive the grave nowadays.


I thought you were going to say the person didn't know what a "photo finish" was. (Bonus points if they know what FotoMat was.)


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## jsparks (May 18, 2013)

Claudia King said:


> I'm an itty-bitty 24 year old and I've never heard of him.


Same here.


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## Sara Fawkes (Apr 22, 2012)

I know who Roy Rodgers is in a very dim sense (an old-time cowboy character) but I can honestly say I've never watched him on TV. Although, since I listen to country music, I do hear about him there as well.


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## HarryK (Oct 20, 2011)

Add me to the list of people who feel very old after reading this thread.


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## nikkarina (Jan 15, 2013)

MsTee said:


> Am I the only one who thought OP meant this person at first?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I mentioned him too haha! I'm 20 and I used to love that show! Best show everrrrr.


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## BrianKittrell (Jan 8, 2011)

Jena H said:


> I thought you were going to say the person didn't know what a "photo finish" was. (Bonus points if they know what FotoMat was.)


I've been getting better with twists to my stories.


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## Just Browsing (Sep 26, 2012)

Happy Trails, Roy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgw_yprN_-w

Question is... will it ruin your book if someone doesn't catch the reference? I read British and Australian books and sometimes miss the local references. I still "get" the books as a whole, though. And I read from all sorts of different time periods, and yeah, occasionally miss something, but still enjoy the book overall. So you might be overthinking it.

I've not only never seen Die Hard, but I also have no plans to ever. But I've heard of it.


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## Jerri Kay Lincoln (Jun 18, 2011)

Thank you for everybody who has answered so far!

Roy Rogers was a famous cowboy who, along with his wife, Dale Evans, made the phrase "Happy Trails to you" popular. He had a dog named Bullet and a horse named Trigger, who he eventually stuffed (ugh). The only thing he has to do with Die Hard is that he was mentioned in it. As far as I know, he's no relation to Mr. Rogers.

"Roy Rogers" was just going to be a very tiny piece of the story, but if most people don't "get" it, then I need to come up with something-or someone-else.


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## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

I'm 26 and have heard the name, and looking at the Wikipedia entry, I've heard references to Roy Rogers and Bullet before, but I am unfamiliar with what they refer to. One good friend of mine is a fan of old movies, and another is a fan of Westerns. They've probably made references&#8230;maybe in payback for my own references to _Star Trek_, _Firefly_, and _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_.

ETA: Bullet's the dog. Trigger's the horse.


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## Wendy - The Passionate Proofreader (Sep 20, 2013)

I'm 26, and all I know is he has a cowboy hat and a horse. Not at all helpful, I know.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

I'm British, in my early thirties and have never never heard of Roy Rogers (though I'm sure I've heard of a famous horse named Trigger   )

What disturbs me much more is that I've seen Die Hard at least ten times and dont remember any reference to Roy Rogers in it! I realise it's nothing to do with the OP but How could anyone not have seen Die Hard? It's a classic Christmas movie! That's like saying you've never seen It's a Wonderful Life, or Bad Santa!


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## 41413 (Apr 4, 2011)

Stella Wilkinson said:


> I realise it's nothing to do with the OP but How could anyone not have seen Die Hard? It's a classic Christmas movie! That's like saying you've never seen It's a Wonderful Life, or Bad Santa!


I have also never seen those movies.  My annual Christmas movies are Love Actually, The Santa Clause, and all of the creepy stop-action ones from the sixties except the one with Nestor the Christmas Donkey because I don't want to spend Christmas sobbing.


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## 69959 (May 14, 2013)

I'm in my 30s and only know the name, nothing about him except that I have an image of a cowboy hat.


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## Sam Kates (Aug 28, 2012)

I've heard of him...

Darn it! Just reread the title: 30 or _younger_...


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## Just Browsing (Sep 26, 2012)

Carradee said:


> I'm 26 and have heard the name, and looking at the Wikipedia entry, I've heard references to Roy Rogers and Bullet before, but I am unfamiliar with what they refer to.


Aiieeeeeeee! Trigger! Not Bullet! lol

You've probably heard someone say "Happy trails!", though. Right? He & Dale Evans made that phrase famous.


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## Sam Kates (Aug 28, 2012)

Dale Evans was Flash Gordon's sidekick, wasn't she?


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## Just Browsing (Sep 26, 2012)

Sam Kates said:


> Dale Evans was Flash Gordon's sidekick, wasn't she?


She was that second chipmunk. Together, the pair of them became exotic dancers, and later made calendars.


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## JodyMorse (Jun 7, 2011)

I'm 26, and while I've heard of him, I'm not even sure if he's an actor or a character--I just know (or think I know?) that he's a cowboy.


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## Sam Kates (Aug 28, 2012)

1001nightspress said:


> She was that second chipmunk. Together, the pair of them became exotic dancers, and later made calendars.


And furniture.


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## Carradee (Aug 21, 2010)

1001nightspress said:


> Aiieeeeeeee! Trigger! Not Bullet! lol


Trigger was the horse. Bullet was the dog.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Vaalingrade said:


> I just turned 30 and I am dismayed that so many people apparently don't get the significance of a key piece of dialogue from _Die Hard_.





Stella Wilkinson said:


> What disturbs me much more is that I've seen Die Hard at least ten times and dont remember any reference to Roy Rogers in it! I realise it's nothing to do with the OP but How could anyone not have seen Die Hard? It's a classic Christmas movie! That's like saying you've never seen It's a Wonderful Life, or Bad Santa!


Die Hard (for those who haven't seen it) is a movie about criminals holding a building full of people hostage. Early in the movie, Bruce Willis's character John McClane is talking via walkie-talkie to the leader who asks what he should call Bruce. "Roy Rogers," says Bruce. (Note that the evil leader, played by Alan Rickman, seems to know who Roy Rogers is...)

Betsy


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## Hildred (Sep 9, 2012)

25 and I know him. Mostly because I was partly raised by my 75yo grandmother who worshipped everything Westerns. I have also seen every Shirley Temple movie about 48982952 times oh god good ship lollipop is stuck in my head now NOW IT'S ANIMAL CRACKERS IN MY SOUP. (See what you all did.)

I would hope that most people my age have at least heard of the drink? (Or not, since it's ~non-alocholic~) But I'm biased because Shirley Temples are my favorite thing ever.

Never seen Die Hard, but that's because I don't like those types of movies. I'm well aware of its existence though.

Our annual Christmas movie is Christmas Vacation because we_ don't want to spend the holidays dead._


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## ElisaBlaisdell (Jun 3, 2012)

1001nightspress said:


> Aiieeeeeeee! Trigger! Not Bullet! lol
> 
> You've probably heard someone say "Happy trails!", though. Right? He & Dale Evans made that phrase famous.


I'm substantially older than the target group, but I've _never_ heard anyone say: "Happy trails!"


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## swolf (Jun 21, 2010)

More hay, Trigger?

No thanks, Roy, I'm stuffed.


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## RinG (Mar 12, 2013)

I'm well into my thirties, and I've never heard of it. Could be because I live in Australia.  

I have heard of almost all of the other people mentioned in this thread though, and I have seen Die Hard.


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## AworkInProgress (Sep 5, 2013)

25 and only know the name...and I think there is a drink named after him.


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## brendajcarlton (Sep 29, 2012)

> Now who remembers Shirley Temple?


*raises hand* I'm probably the only one who has a Shirley Temple doll that was not bought as an antique but was actually mine as a child.


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## Kathelm (Sep 27, 2010)

Some kind of cowboy who makes really disappointing fried chicken at highway rest stops?


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

brendajcarlton said:


> *raises hand* I'm probably the only one who has a Shirley Temple doll that was not bought as an antique but was actually mine as a child.


Mine, too.

And Roy Rogers real name was Leonard Slye, but I'm not telling you how old I am.


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## TraciLoudin (Sep 10, 2013)

27, USA, I've heard the name, but don't know the significance.  But maybe someone in the story can question the background of the name, allowing you to info dump a little? 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

Asked a 27-year-old friend. She had no clue as to Roy Rogers.

As for me, in my mid-40s, I know way more than I want to know about Roy. Yeah, I grew up watching Roy on Saturday mornings, and I have nothing against him, but I lived in Southern Ohio long enough to kind of grow weary of hearing about Roy. He was born and raised there.

There's even a mural to Roy on the flood wall in Portsmouth, Ohio.


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## RinG (Mar 12, 2013)

Rinelle Grey said:


> I'm well into my thirties, and I've never heard of it. Could be because I live in Australia.


I asked hubby, and was unsurprised to find that he knew exactly who Roy Rogers was.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

swolf said:


> More hay, Trigger?
> 
> No thanks, Roy, I'm stuffed.


*snort*


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

Oh, lord I feel old.  I not only know who Roy Rogers is, I remember a joke, which has a punch line (sung to the tune of "Chattanooga Choo Choo") that goes "Pardon me, Roy, is that the cat who chewed your new shoes?"  Which was a bad joke at the time, but the layers of references in it which would make it utterly impossible for the current generation to get.

Of course, the heroine of one of my books (who is younger than me, but stuck in an earlier age from before I was even born) bemoans the fact that nobody knows who Mary Pickford is.

On the other hand, the great thing about the new generation is that they have a greater chance of discovering who a lot of old icons were.  I know a lot of people on line who are silent movie freaks, and definitely younger than me.

So I guess I add that to the question list: does anybody here know who Mary Pickford was?

Camille


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## Matt Ryan (Nov 16, 2012)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Die Hard (for those who haven't seen it) is a movie about criminals holding a building full of people hostage. Early in the movie, Bruce Willis's character John McClane is talking via walkie-talkie to the leader who asks what he should call Bruce. "Roy Rogers," says Bruce. (Note that the evil leader, played by Alan Rickman, seems to know who Roy Rogers is...)
> 
> Betsy


All I can think about is when Chris Farley asks Jeff Daniels about Die Hard. You have to go to 1:57 seconds to get the die hard question in the interview.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

daringnovelist said:


> Oh, lord I feel old. I not only know who Roy Rogers is, I remember a joke, which has a punch line (sung to the tune of "Chattanooga Choo Choo") that goes "Pardon me, Roy, is that the cat who chewed your new shoes?" Which was a bad joke at the time, but the layers of references in it which would make it utterly impossible for the current generation to get.
> 
> Of course, the heroine of one of my books (who is younger than me, but stuck in an earlier age from before I was even born) bemoans the fact that nobody knows who Mary Pickford is.
> 
> ...


The girl with the curls. The nation went wild when she bobbed her hair.

Married to Douglas Fairbanks and their home was called Pickfair.


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

swolf said:


> More hay, Trigger?
> 
> No thanks, Roy, I'm stuffed.


 

swolf gets the prize for the once famous but now _really_ esoteric reference joke.

Camille


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

Gertie Kindle 'a/k/a Margaret Lake' said:


> The girl with the curls. The nation went wild when she bobbed her hair.
> 
> Married to Douglas Fairbanks and their home was called Pickfair.


Who played younger and younger heroines as she got older and older, until she cut that hair.

Also probably the most astute business person of the four stars who founded United Artists. She pretty much invented the concept of the movie star. (Before her, actor names generally didn't appear in the credits. They were treated like crew. But then she found out how much mail was coming to the studio addressed to "The girl with the curl.")

Here is a publicity shot with 3/4 of United Artists (Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. Not shown is D. W. Griffith - who wasn't very playful.)










Camille


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## Hildred (Sep 9, 2012)

daringnovelist said:


> So I guess I add that to the question list: does anybody here know who Mary Pickford was?


Thanks to my 20-something friend who is one of those ~old~ movie buffs, I know who she is and then some.

...I also know a lot about classic Bollywood because of this same friend.


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## Sebastiene (Dec 15, 2011)

I'm... over 30... and I couldn't place the name Roy Rogers until someone mentioned Trigger.

Mostly, it can be weird these days with who knows stars from which era. 

-I'm a HUGE Myrna Loy fan.
-I still smile a little whenever I think of the receptionist from Counsellor at Law (1933, John Barrymore). "Simon and Tedesco!"
-And basically any murder mystery from the 1930's will have me popping popcorn.


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## Linda Barlow (Jul 5, 2013)

It's a good thing you didn't ask them if they know who Dale Evans is.

How about Howdy Doody? Sky King? Rin Tin Tin? Lassie? Queen For A Day? Circus Boy?

Ah, TV in the 50s...


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## Rachel Macwhirter (May 29, 2013)

I'm 19 and I have no clue.

(Admittedly that sentence could be applied to a whooooole lot of things.)


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

Hildred said:


> Thanks to my 20-something friend who is one of those ~old~ movie buffs, I know who she is and then some.
> 
> ...I also know a lot about classic Bollywood because of this same friend.


Which is why I thank goodness for the internet, because my movie-buff sleuth in my one mystery series tends to see everything through the lens of old Hollywood. Now, it's true, much of the time she's supposed to be cryptic, and the other main character is clueless about pop culture (so he asks for translations). And her uncle the cop has seen enough movies to translate too.

Camille


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

Sebastiene said:


> I'm... over 30... and I couldn't place the name Roy Rogers until someone mentioned Trigger.
> 
> Mostly, it can be weird these days with who knows stars from which era.
> 
> ...


Have you seen Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on their toes. (The original not the Steve Martin version). Myrna Loy is in both of them.


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## Vaalingrade (Feb 19, 2013)

re: Die Hard

Roy Rogers is where John McClane gets his catchphrase.

Hans: "And I suppose you think you are the heroic cowboy. Am I speaking to John Wayne?"

John: *Takes a moment to wince a bit when Hans says his first name* "I always preferred Roy Rogers. Yippiee-Kai-Ay-Motherf**cker. *Shuts off radio*

Later he identifies himself to Al as Roy. Al used this name for him over the course of the rest of the movie.

Therefore Roy Rogers is integral to the single most important film in action film history.


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

cinisajoy said:


> Have you seen Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on their toes. (The original not the Steve Martin version). Myrna Loy is in both of them.


She was in so many great things, but I will always love her best as Nora Charles in _The Thin Man_. (And she had a lot of fun in the original Blandings.)



Vaalingrade said:


> re: Die Hard
> Therefore Roy Rogers is integral to the single most important film in action film history.


I would second this idea that Die Hard is more than just an action movie. It's iconic. And also I try to watch it every Christmas.

Camille


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## Jerri Kay Lincoln (Jun 18, 2011)

Wow!  This topic got almost as many replies as "How many spaces after a period?"  



Thanks, everybody!


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## unkownwriter (Jun 22, 2011)

I'm twice your target audience age (almost), and grew up with a father who loved Westerns, detective and old SF movies, so I know Roy, et al. It's sad to see that an icon has faded into obscurity -- not to mention Die Hard. I was 30 when that movie came out. Everybody should watch it. Alan Rickman was perfect in it as well. Swoon

When the movie The Fugitive came out, I was talking to my oldest boys (now mid-30s) about how much my mother loved the TV show, and how she thought David Janssen was so handsome. She didn't like much of what Daddy watched, but she loved that show.

This led into a discussion with the boys, because they didn't know it had been a TV show, and I said something about how it used to be a big deal when TV began broadcasting in color. My second son was in shock to realize his mother was old enough to have watched black and white television.  That was like, in the Stone Age!

I love Myrna Loy (she _is_ Nora), Clark Gable and many, many other old movie stars, especially Gregory Peck, especially in Gentleman's Agreement. Swoon again.

And Gertie, everybody knows you're only 21.


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## AbbyBabble (Mar 16, 2013)

I'm 35, and vaguely remember a restaurant named Roy Rogers.  I think someone told me he was a Western star.

I've heard the name Mary Pickford, but don't know who she is/was.


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## Jena H (Oct 2, 2011)

Sebastiene said:


> I'm... over 30... and I couldn't place the name Roy Rogers until someone mentioned Trigger.
> 
> Mostly, it can be weird these days with who knows stars from which era.
> 
> ...


You must know Torchy Blane, then. 

Also, I think everyone should watch a Nick & Nora movie (Thin Man) at least once in their lives.


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## Sarah M (Apr 6, 2013)

Vaalingrade said:


> re: Die Hard
> 
> Roy Rogers is where John McClane gets his catchphrase.
> 
> ...


What's great about that dialogue is that it's an excellent use of using something that everyone may not know and still providing context and clarity.

Or rather, how I make excuses for my own ignorance.

I can't remember where I read it, but Die Hard was touted in some book as a highly praised example of storytelling. I've seen it but my take away impression has always been Bruce Willis, blood, and explosions. I do love explosions.


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## Not Here Anymore (May 16, 2012)

SBright said:


> I can't remember where I read it, but Die Hard was touted in some book as a highly praised example of storytelling. I've seen it but my take away impression has always been Bruce Willis, blood, and explosions. I do love explosions.


Die Hard is a classic--excellent plotting. If you haven't seen it, it's worth watching just to see Alan Rickman.

My favorite classic movie star: Cary Grant.


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## J Bridger (Jan 29, 2013)

Like fried chicken ?


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

Jerri,

Just make it historical and you can use him!


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## Kal (Jan 22, 2013)

I'm approaching middle age, and I've been a Roy Rogers fan since my late twenties. I have a humble collection of his movies, books, music, and toys. I've visited the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Museum in Branson, MO (when it existed) and met his son and grandson, Dusty and Dustin, who continue to sing songs of the wild west.

Funny thing is I'm not a cowboy. I don't own a pair of cowboy boots or wear a cowboy hat. I'm quite the opposite. But Roy's story of family devotion, personal tragedy, and unwavering faith rings true to me.

There have been talks of a resurgence. A new movie, graphic novels, toys, even a Broadway musical. I don't know what will become of it. But I'm all for keeping the spirit of adventure and loyalty alive.


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## Lydniz (May 2, 2013)

I'm a huge old movie buff (I'm going to let you attach those adjectives to whichever part of that sentence you like) so I know all about Mary Pickford, Myrna Loy etc. I am 43 (but don't look a day over 42).


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Linda Barlow said:


> It's a good thing you didn't ask them if they know who Dale Evans is.
> 
> How about Howdy Doody? Sky King? Rin Tin Tin? Lassie? Queen For A Day? Circus Boy?
> 
> Ah, TV in the 50s...


Yes to all of them.

Circus Boy ... Mickey Dolenz ... The Monkees.

Loved Sky King. I had the paper cutout of the ranch.


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## Desmond X. Torres (Mar 16, 2013)

Ohhh boy! Now I know what my Dad felt like when I said 'Who's Arthur Godfrey?' LOL

Roy and Dale were part of my Sat morning shows. 
I was five and torn between being in loooove with Annette from the Mickey Mouse show reruns and Dale Evans.

I was so envious of my older brother, who got the Roy Rogers Trick Shooter Hat for Christmas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9eMjtnAZ3g

Memories...
Now, to tell you the truth, I don't know the difference between a Transformer and TelleTubby.  Boy am I old!


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

FYI:  The book that touted "Die Hard" as a great example of story telling was Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat!"  (But he isn't the only one.) 

And he was talking particularly about structure.  Die Hard uses a really classic movie structure that makes it easy to study structure.  After you've studied Die Hard, you can then spot structural elements in just about every movie ever made, even the artsy ones.  In some ways, though, that clarity in its structure has had a negative impact because so many filmmakers are not conscious of it, and measure their works by Die Hard.

(So note what happens every 15 minutes in that movie, and you have the essence of plot theory.)

Camille


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## Ty Johnston (Jun 19, 2009)

daringnovelist said:


> FYI: The book that touted "Die Hard" as a great example of story telling was Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat!" (But he isn't the only one.)
> 
> And he was talking particularly about structure. Die Hard uses a really classic movie structure that makes it easy to study structure. After you've studied Die Hard, you can then spot structural elements in just about every movie ever made, even the artsy ones. In some ways, though, that clarity in its structure has had a negative impact because so many filmmakers are not conscious of it, and measure their works by Die Hard.
> 
> ...


I recall reading in an interview with Shane Black that when he wrote the screenplay for "Lethal Weapon," one of his goals was to have an action scene happen every ten minutes. Watch the movie and he pretty much hits those marks.


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## daringnovelist (Apr 3, 2010)

Ty Johnston said:


> I recall reading in an interview with Shane Black that when he wrote the screenplay for "Lethal Weapon," one of his goals was to have an action scene happen every ten minutes. Watch the movie and he pretty much hits those marks.


Yeah, some people call that the "Wow" structure. A "Wow" every ten minutes - which works for any popular genre. It might have been Shane Black who first articulated it (I remember hearing about it a few years after Lethal Weapon).

The Die Hard structure is a lot more complicated, but the magic of it is that it seems to fit every plot theory ever invented. It doesn't matter what -- Die Hard is a good example of it.

For instance some of the points I learned about doing a Movie of the Week: Villain entrance (or problem arises) at 15 minutes. The Hero Commits at 30 minutes. The next half hour is paying off on the premise, then at 60 minutes comes the Point Of No Return, etc.

Camille


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

daringnovelist said:


> FYI: The book that touted "Die Hard" as a great example of story telling was Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat!" (But he isn't the only one.)
> 
> And he was talking particularly about structure. Die Hard uses a really classic movie structure that makes it easy to study structure. After you've studied Die Hard, you can then spot structural elements in just about every movie ever made, even the artsy ones. In some ways, though, that clarity in its structure has had a negative impact because so many filmmakers are not conscious of it, and measure their works by Die Hard.
> 
> ...


Ho-Ho-Ho



Desmond X. Torres said:


> Ohhh boy! Now I know what my Dad felt like when I said 'Who's Arthur Godfrey?' LOL
> 
> Memories...
> Now, to tell you the truth, I don't know the difference between a Transformer and TelleTubby.  Boy am I old!


Arthur Godfrey who fired Julius LaRosa during a live broadcast. Now I'm really dating myself. There's an Arthur Godfrey Road on Miami Beach.

And I'd better know Transformers or I'll get drummed out of the Cool Grandmothers Club.


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## Evenstar (Jan 26, 2013)

Vaalingrade said:


> re: Die Hard
> 
> Roy Rogers is where John McClane gets his catchphrase.
> 
> ...


Ah yes, I vaguelly remember now. I think I was quite distracted at that point in the film, something to do with Bruce Willis in a sweaty torn t-shirt, and the sexy velvet that is the voice of Alan Rickman.


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