Rest in Peace, Rex Trailer
Rex Trailer, the popular host of the Boston-based TV show Boomtown that ran for nearly two decades and was a guest at the Middlesex Community College Celebrity Forum in 2008, has died at the age of 84.
Trailer was a surprise visitor to the Celebrity Forum in 2008, when he popped in to see talk-show host Jay Leno, the Forum guest that year. Leno had been a fan of Trailer's since he was a child, and was thrilled to meet up with his childhood cowboy hero.
In fact, after Leno's performance in front of the sold-out crowd at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Leno called Trailer down to the front to lead the crowd in a round of the Boomtown song, hearkening back to Trailer's trademark kid's television show.
Not surprisingly, Trailer showed up for the Celebrity Forum bedecked in his trademark cowboy hat. Thanks to Kevin Harkins for the Celebrity Forum pics.
Boomtown was a weekend children's show that ran on WBZ-Tv from 1956 through 1974. It was a live, three-hour broadcast, which spotlighted the singing cowboy. Rex was always accompanied by his horse, Goldrush, which he would always ride off into the sunset, which really, was just the WBZ studios on Soldiers Field Road.
Got any Boomtown memories to share? Here's one to get you started - here's an MCC staffer, getting a ride with Rex atop an Appaloosa horse! Who is it? We'll let her chime in if she feels so inclined.
We'll leave you with the lyrics from Boomtown, as Rex rides off into the sunset one final time.
Howdy there, folks, we're glad to meet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
There's a bunch of folks who'd like to greet you in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
You can bet we'll have lots of Western fun
And excitement for you
We'll ride and rope, do a square dance and shoot a gun
And we'll sing a song or two
Come along, folks, now we're gonna start the fun in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
From six to sixty there's something for everyone in
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!
So do-si-do and swing around,
Get your gal and promenade down to
Boom- Boom- Boomtown!