Rex Trailer was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and spent his childhood summers at his grandfather's quarter horse ranch in Thurber, Texas. At the ranch, he developed a passion for horses and was taught various skills by the rodeo riders, including trick roping, bullwhip handling, and guitar playing. He was also a square dance caller and sang with a group called "The Rambling Rustlers."
Trailer's life took a dramatic turn when he met movie star Gabby Hayes, who encouraged him to pursue a career in children's television. Trailer eventually landed a job with the Dumont Television Network in New York City, where he worked his way up from scenery painter to production coordinator and assistant director.
In 1947, Trailer became the host of his own children's show, "Oky Dokey Ranch," featuring himself as a cowboy and a cowboy puppet named Oky Dokey. The show was a huge success, and Trailer went on to host another popular children's program, "Ridin' the Trail With Rex Trailer," which aired from 1950 to 1956.
When the television station was sold to NBC, Trailer was offered a job at Westinghouse in either Cleveland or Boston. He chose Boston and created a new show called "Boomtown," which ran from 1956 to 1974. The show featured Trailer as a cowboy and his various sidekicks, including Pablo, Cactus Pete, and Sergeant Billy.
During his time on "Boomtown," Trailer became a beloved figure in the Boston area, making numerous appearances and even teaming up with a local travel agency to take children on trips to California theme parks. He was also an advocate for children with disabilities.
After "Boomtown" ended, Trailer hosted a syndicated science series called "Earth Lab" until 1979. In addition to his television work, Trailer was a licensed pilot, skydiver, scuba diver, and water skier. He was also an accomplished singer, releasing two recordings in 1950, "Cowboys Don't Cry" and "Hoofbeats," which was used on "Boomtown" to bridge the scene between the bunkhouse and the Boomtown set.
Trailer was married to Karoline "Cindy" Trailer from 1956 until her death in 2010. He continued to appear at events throughout Massachusetts until his passing at the age of 84 on January 9, 2013, in Florida.
