This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-50852951
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The Scots girl adopted by singing cowboy Roy Rogers | The Scots girl adopted by singing cowboy Roy Rogers |
| (5 days later) | |
| In 1940, less than a week before Christmas, Marion Fleming was born in an air-raid shelter in Edinburgh. | In 1940, less than a week before Christmas, Marion Fleming was born in an air-raid shelter in Edinburgh. |
| From the age of two she spent her childhood in a series of children's homes across Scotland. | From the age of two she spent her childhood in a series of children's homes across Scotland. |
| When she was 13 her luck changed when film stars Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans discovered her in Dunforth, a Church of Scotland children's home in the north of Edinburgh. | When she was 13 her luck changed when film stars Roy Rogers and his wife Dale Evans discovered her in Dunforth, a Church of Scotland children's home in the north of Edinburgh. |
| On that day Marion stepped forward to sing a song. | On that day Marion stepped forward to sing a song. |
| Roy and Dale were so charmed that they wanted to bring the tiny girl with the fine voice to their home in America. | Roy and Dale were so charmed that they wanted to bring the tiny girl with the fine voice to their home in America. |
| Nowadays it would be more complicated but, in 1954, after a few months and some legal wrangling, Marion spent her first Christmas on their ranch in California, as their daughter. | Nowadays it would be more complicated but, in 1954, after a few months and some legal wrangling, Marion spent her first Christmas on their ranch in California, as their daughter. |
| "What are the chances that they would want me to be part of that family?" says Marion, who is now 79. | "What are the chances that they would want me to be part of that family?" says Marion, who is now 79. |
| Earlier this year Marion, who everyone calls Mimi, returned to Scotland with her own three children. | Earlier this year Marion, who everyone calls Mimi, returned to Scotland with her own three children. |
| Parties and outings | Parties and outings |
| She remembers her time at Dunforth, which overlooks the water at Newhaven, fondly, despite the home having a strict regime that made the children work hard. | She remembers her time at Dunforth, which overlooks the water at Newhaven, fondly, despite the home having a strict regime that made the children work hard. |
| One of Mimi's duties was to light the coal fire and prepare the house of police chief Willie Merrilees, a patron of the children's home who raised funds for them to have parties and outings. | One of Mimi's duties was to light the coal fire and prepare the house of police chief Willie Merrilees, a patron of the children's home who raised funds for them to have parties and outings. |
| It was Merrilees who brought the famous singing cowboy Roy Rogers and queen of the west Dale Evans to the children's home. | It was Merrilees who brought the famous singing cowboy Roy Rogers and queen of the west Dale Evans to the children's home. |
| Roy and Dale were heroes to a generation of kids who had watched their movies at Saturday matinees and they now had a popular US TV show. | Roy and Dale were heroes to a generation of kids who had watched their movies at Saturday matinees and they now had a popular US TV show. |
| They came to Edinburgh in the spring of 1954 while on a tour of the UK with their wild west show. | They came to Edinburgh in the spring of 1954 while on a tour of the UK with their wild west show. |
| They were at the peak of their popularity. Boys and girls would line the streets hoping for a glimpse of the biggest star of all, Roy Rogers' horse Trigger. | They were at the peak of their popularity. Boys and girls would line the streets hoping for a glimpse of the biggest star of all, Roy Rogers' horse Trigger. |
| The celebrity couple caused quite a stir when they checked into Edinburgh's Caledonian Hotel dressed in white cowboy suits and matching Stetsons and led the golden palomino horse up the grand staircase. | The celebrity couple caused quite a stir when they checked into Edinburgh's Caledonian Hotel dressed in white cowboy suits and matching Stetsons and led the golden palomino horse up the grand staircase. |
| Wherever they went on tour, Roy and Dale always visited children in local orphanges and hospitals. | Wherever they went on tour, Roy and Dale always visited children in local orphanges and hospitals. |
| And Willie Merrilees was their guide as they went to Dunforth. | And Willie Merrilees was their guide as they went to Dunforth. |
| Mimi says the Hollywood pair did a couple of numbers from their show for the children. | Mimi says the Hollywood pair did a couple of numbers from their show for the children. |
| Then she performed a song called Won't You Buy My Pretty Flowers? for them. | Then she performed a song called Won't You Buy My Pretty Flowers? for them. |
| Later that evening, the matron at the home told Mimi she had been invited to see the show and have lunch with the couple. | Later that evening, the matron at the home told Mimi she had been invited to see the show and have lunch with the couple. |
| She ate with Roy and Dale and then watched the show, which had been sold out for months, from the wings of the theatre stage. | She ate with Roy and Dale and then watched the show, which had been sold out for months, from the wings of the theatre stage. |
| Afterwards, Dale asked if she would like to visit them in California for the holidays. | |
| "Part of me thought 'it is not going to happen'," says Mimi. | "Part of me thought 'it is not going to happen'," says Mimi. |
| "I was not a cute little five or six year old, I was 13," she says. "I figured it wasn't going to happen." | "I was not a cute little five or six year old, I was 13," she says. "I figured it wasn't going to happen." |
| But Mimi did go to California, not knowing what it would lead to. | But Mimi did go to California, not knowing what it would lead to. |
| She was welcomed into the Rogers family and did not return to Scotland until she was married with a daughter of her own. | She was welcomed into the Rogers family and did not return to Scotland until she was married with a daughter of her own. |
| That return was for an edition of popular biographical TV show This is Your Life, featuring Willie Merrilees. | That return was for an edition of popular biographical TV show This is Your Life, featuring Willie Merrilees. |
| Mimi was not an orphan. Her parents had separated and neither had been able to make a home for their four children. | Mimi was not an orphan. Her parents had separated and neither had been able to make a home for their four children. |
| She remembers her father visiting her at various times and seeing her mother occasionally. | She remembers her father visiting her at various times and seeing her mother occasionally. |
| 'It felt like I was home' | 'It felt like I was home' |
| Despite this Mimi was keen to live with Roy and Dale and quickly felt part of their family in California. | Despite this Mimi was keen to live with Roy and Dale and quickly felt part of their family in California. |
| "It sounds very cold-hearted that I didn't want to come home, but it felt like I was home," she says. | "It sounds very cold-hearted that I didn't want to come home, but it felt like I was home," she says. |
| Roy and Dale could not originally adopt Mimi. She went over to the US on a student visa but they finally got legal custody the following year. | Roy and Dale could not originally adopt Mimi. She went over to the US on a student visa but they finally got legal custody the following year. |
| The film star couple already had a large family. Rogers had two of his own children and an adopted daughter from a previous marriage. | The film star couple already had a large family. Rogers had two of his own children and an adopted daughter from a previous marriage. |
| With Dale, he adopted four children, including Mimi. | With Dale, he adopted four children, including Mimi. |
| The couple had one child of their own Robin, who had Down's syndrome and died of complications with mumps shortly before her second birthday. | The couple had one child of their own Robin, who had Down's syndrome and died of complications with mumps shortly before her second birthday. |
| "After Robin passed, that's when mum and dad got Dodie and Sandy," says Mimi. "I probably owe my position here in America to Robin, in a way." | "After Robin passed, that's when mum and dad got Dodie and Sandy," says Mimi. "I probably owe my position here in America to Robin, in a way." |
| She describes Roy and Dale as "hands-on" parents, although they could obviously afford a lot of help. | She describes Roy and Dale as "hands-on" parents, although they could obviously afford a lot of help. |
| "When we were in the house we were just a family, they weren't Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, they were mum and dad," she says. | "When we were in the house we were just a family, they weren't Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, they were mum and dad," she says. |
| And Mimi was allowed to ride Trigger. | And Mimi was allowed to ride Trigger. |
| She says: "Of course, he was a very high horse so I literally had to get lifted on to the saddle. | She says: "Of course, he was a very high horse so I literally had to get lifted on to the saddle. |
| "He just walked around like a plodding donkey but when Cheryl got on him he took off because he knew somebody who knew horses was in charge now." | "He just walked around like a plodding donkey but when Cheryl got on him he took off because he knew somebody who knew horses was in charge now." |
| With sister Cheryl to show her the ropes, Mimi adapted quickly to Californian life and was even a High School cheerleader. | With sister Cheryl to show her the ropes, Mimi adapted quickly to Californian life and was even a High School cheerleader. |
| She got married at 17 to a boy from school. | She got married at 17 to a boy from school. |
| "I was way too young," she says. | "I was way too young," she says. |
| Her husband Dan, who had Native American heritage, joined the Marine Corps and they were stationed at bases around the US. He was killed in a car accident when their three children were still young. | Her husband Dan, who had Native American heritage, joined the Marine Corps and they were stationed at bases around the US. He was killed in a car accident when their three children were still young. |
| But now Mimi also has grandchildren and great grandchildren. | |
| 'There's always hope' | 'There's always hope' |
| Roy and Dale lived until their late 80s and died in 1998 and 2001. | Roy and Dale lived until their late 80s and died in 1998 and 2001. |
| Mimi says she is still amazed that people are interested in her life. | Mimi says she is still amazed that people are interested in her life. |
| "It's such an old story and I'm always surprised when someone brings it up," says Mimi. | "It's such an old story and I'm always surprised when someone brings it up," says Mimi. |
| "I think it encourages people to think that maybe there is a bright spot in their life down the road, they just haven't reached it. | "I think it encourages people to think that maybe there is a bright spot in their life down the road, they just haven't reached it. |
| "There's always hope," she says. | "There's always hope," she says. |
| The Roy Rogers Kid is on BBC Radio Scotland on Christmas Day at 13:00. | The Roy Rogers Kid is on BBC Radio Scotland on Christmas Day at 13:00. |