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Trigger

Trigger

Actor · Died July 3, 1965, aged 30 · San Diego, California, USA

Trigger made an early appearance as the mount of Maid Marian, played by Olivia de Havilland in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). A short while later, when Roy Rogers was preparing to make his first movie in a starring role, he was offered a choice of five rented "movie" horses to ride and chose him. Rogers bought him eventually in 1943 for his quickness of both foot and mind. Trigger learned 150 trick cues and could walk 50 feet on his hind legs (according to sources close to Roy Rogers). They were said to have run out of places to cue Trigger. Trigger was ridden by Rogers in many of his motion pictures, becoming much loved by the youthful audience that saw him on film and in Rogers' 1950s television series with his wife Dale Evans, who rode her trusty buckskin Quarter Horse Buttermilk.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 4, 1934
Died
July 3, 1965 (aged 30)
From
San Diego, California, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
65 on MovieCove · 70 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

What are Trigger's films like?

Across their 36 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
50%
Bonds
15%
Society
15%
Power
6%
Survival
6%
Self
4%
Ideas
3%
Justice27 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity14 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception7 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty5 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 35 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 33 · Serious 2 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 18 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 1

Gentle: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their gentle movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 28 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 31 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 28 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 15 · Even-paced 20 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 33 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 33 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 12 of 13 analyzed roles.

Ally
12 of 13
Trickster
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
22
Thrilling
21
Hopeful
16
Warm
13
Tense
9
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good32 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun26 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy34
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Trigger's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 63 of their 65 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (59).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Trigger's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

70 credits, 65 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • It's Showtime(1976)

    as Trigger (archive footage)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Alias Jesse James(1959)

    as Trigger (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Son of Paleface(1952)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Roy Rogers Show(1951)

    Show 100 episodes · as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Pals of the Golden West(1951)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • South of Caliente(1951)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • In Old Amarillo(1951)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Heart of the Rockies(1951)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Spoilers of the Plains(1951)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Trail of Robin Hood(1950)

    as Trigger The Smartest Horse in the West

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • North of the Great Divide(1950)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Sunset in the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Trigger

  • Trigger, Jr.(1950)

    as Trigger - The Smartest Horse in the Movies

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Twilight in the Sierras(1950)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Bells of Coronado(1950)

    as Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Golden Stallion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

  • Down Dakota Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Trigger

  • Susanna Pass(1949)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Far Frontier(1948)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Grand Canyon Trail(1948)

    as Trigger, Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Nighttime in Nevada(1948)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Eyes of Texas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Trigger

  • Melody Time(1948)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Under Californian Stars(1948)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • The Gay Ranchero(1948)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • On the Old Spanish Trail(1947)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Springtime in the Sierras(1947)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Bells of San Angelo(1947)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Apache Rose(1947)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Heldorado(1946)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Out California Way(1946)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Home in Oklahoma(1946)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Roll on Texas Moon(1946)

    as The Smartest Horse in the Movies

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Under Nevada Skies(1946)

    as Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • My Pal Trigger(1946)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Rainbow Over Texas(1946)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Song of Arizona(1946)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Don't Fence Me In(1945)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Sunset in El Dorado(1945)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Along the Navajo Trail(1945)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Man from Oklahoma(1945)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Bells of Rosarita(1945)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Utah(1945)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Lights of Old Santa Fe(1944)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • San Fernando Valley(1944)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Song of Nevada(1944)

    as Trigger, Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Yellow Rose of Texas(1944)

    as Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Cowboy and the Senorita(1944)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Hands Across the Border(1943)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Man from Music Mountain(1943)

    as Trigger - Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Silver Spurs(1943)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Song of Texas(1943)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • King of the Cowboys(1943)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Idaho(1943)

    as Trigger (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Ridin' Down the Canyon(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Heart of the Golden West(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Sunset Serenade(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Sons of the Pioneers(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Romance on the Range(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Sunset on the Desert(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • South of Santa Fe(1942)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Man from Cheyenne(1942)

    as Roy's Horse

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • Red River Valley(1941)

    as Trigger

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Jesse James at Bay(1941)

    as Jesse's Horse

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Bad Man of Deadwood(1941)

    as Brett's Horse

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Nevada City(1941)

    as Jeff's Horse

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Sheriff of Tombstone(1941)

    as Brett's Horse

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • In Old Cheyenne(1941)

    as Trigger, Steve's Horse

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Rodeo Dough (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Trigger

  • The Adventures of Robin Hood(1938)

    as Maid Marian's Horse

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 57th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 69 titles from 1938 to 1976.

Highest rated

Son of Paleface (1952)

Midcredits 75th

Most popular right now

The Roy Rogers Show (1951)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting69 of 69: 69 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score41st

By decade

1930s1 · acting1940s54 · acting1950s13 · acting1970s1 · acting

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Trigger's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 41st percentile, the median of all 64; across their 35 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Approval · how many liked their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Reach · how many have seen their films

12thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 35

Midcredits score across 65 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th14
  • 25th to 49th44
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

48 of their 65 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser12
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed48

Most divisive · actor

Out California Way (1946)

61st percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Midcredits 97th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 57/100 in their films, across 34 reviewed titles; fans 67, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Trigger work with?

People who share at least 2 of Trigger's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Roy Rogers shares the most, 35.

Directors

Writers

Actors

  • Roy Rogers35 titles    See newest 12 of 35 shared titles with Roy Rogers
  • Dale Evans22 titles    See newest 12 of 22 shared titles with Dale Evans
  • George 'Gabby' Hayes10 titles    See all 10 shared titles with George 'Gabby' Hayes
  • Roy Barcroft9 titles    See all 9 shared titles with Roy Barcroft

Composers, cinematographers and editors

  • R. Dale Butts19 titles    See newest 12 of 19 shared titles with R. Dale Butts
  • Tony Martinelli19 titles    See newest 12 of 19 shared titles with Tony Martinelli
  • Jack A. Marta13 titles    See newest 12 of 13 shared titles with Jack A. Marta
  • Mort Glickman9 titles    See all 9 shared titles with Mort Glickman

Producers