Fred Sopher
Fred's Videos
and song sequences from Columbia and Republic movies.
Video clip of Roy Rogers / Roy Rogers Riders Club
Fred is selling his
entire photo, etc, collection
The only thing I can say about Bob is that he has provided many hours of entertainment both on screen, records and following his career. He has been a hero of mine ever since I saw him and the Sons in the Charles Starrett Movies in the mid 50's on television and then watching him in Roy's movies.
The first record I bought was the RCA LP 25 Favorite Cowboy Songs which I purchased in 1958. This album has my all time favorite song Timber Trail (like this version best). Bob sounds so good on this version.
In 1958 when I bought my first record player I could not find a lot of Sons of the Pioneers records. I only had the 25 Favorite Cowboy Songs and then Wagons West on RCA Camden. I was really hooked on the Sons of the Pioneers.
In 1960 I borrowed a tape recorder and managed to record the soundtrack to Man From Oklahoma (1945). I played the songs over and over especially Cowboy Wedding and Chero Chero Cherokee by the Sons. In 1960 I managed to get Bob Nolan's address in Studio City and wrote him a fan letter. At the time I did not know he had retired from the group and complained to him about the current records on RCA not having the fiddles and guitars like in the movies. Little did I know the composition of the group changed along with their sound from the sound in the 1940's. Well Bob never did answer my letter. Oh well at least I wrote him. I should have just asked for a photo or autograph.
In 1970 I started
buying 16mm prints of the Roy Rogers Movies and what a thrill having these
movies with the Sons singing on a large movie screen right in my living room.
Then I found out that they were TV prints, meaning cut versions. Then I started
searching for uncut versions and had a hard time finding them. I found out that
to make them fit into an hour time slot on TV, they were cut down to 54 minutes
and of course songs were cut out. What a shame.
In 1972 I was up in
New York at a store that specialized in movie stills. They had a bin full of
cowboy stills and were selling them for 50 cents each. I must have bought about
200 that day and most had Roy, Bob Nolan and the Pioneers on them. Being a fan
of Bob Nolan and the Sons has been an expensive and enjoyable hobby.
Watching Roy Rogers, Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers in the Technicolor short Pecos Bill sitting around the campfire and singing is about the closest to heaven I will get on this earth. Since moving to Utah many times I am in the car driving through the mountains and thinking of Bob Nolan and his songs. Many of his songs describe perfectly the areas that I drive through.
I am glad the Bob Nolan website is up for his fans to enjoy and look forward to each month's additions.
I remember seeing and meeting Roy Rogers at a hotel in Baltimore where he was
meeting with some investors for his RR Roast Beef Restaurants. This was supposed
to be only for investors, but I managed to get in. After the investor meeting
there were many of the investors friends, family and probably fans like myself
anxious to meet Roy. They started to crowd around him near a window. This was on
the 10 floor of the hotel. I was standing to Roy's right and the crowd of fans
were gathering around him and he had to step back with his back against the
window. I saw that he was very close to this window with thin glass so I moved
my left arm to brace Roy and keep him from maybe being pushed out the window. I
am not saying I saved his life but I was concerned as the crowd of fans were
keeping him pinned against the window.
Also during this evening I saw a
woman talking to Roy along with other fans, but she was dressed very
inappropriately with a low cut blouse on. I watched her and it seemed she was
flirting with Roy and he handled it very well. I could see he was not interested
in her but was polite. Anyway what an evening.
Oh I forgot the most important part.
I borrowed a friends 35mm camera and bought some film for it. I loaded the film
in the camera but did not get the film caught on the camera's teeth properly. I
took about 24 great photos of Roy and could not get any developed as the camera
was not loaded properly. I had some great photos taken that day
• A clip from a 1983 TV show that I was on in 1983 with Roy Rogers. During the intermission I managed to get Roy to autograph an 8 x 10 glossy picture. (Fred)