Community Corner

New England Icon, 'Boomtown' Star Rex Trailer Dies at 84

Trailer rode in the 2008 Founders Day parade and spent many years performing in Foxborough.

Rex Trailer, a Boston TV icon who had been recovering from pneumonia recently, died on Jan. 9, according to his website.

“Rex Trailer left this earth peacefully last night surrounded in love and song by his family. Rex had been in Florida for the holidays when he became ill into the New Year. While everyone’s prayers and support have been of great comfort to Rex, he decided it was time to go home. Rex and family thank all of you and love you,” a statement on his website reads.

Trailer hosted “Boomtown,” a children’s show with a western theme on WBZ-TV from 1956-1974, according to WBZ-TV.

The New England icon also had strong connections to Foxborough. Trailer spent many years performing with his horse Goldrush at Foxboro Company outings and even rode and performed rope tricks in the 2008 Founders Day Parade.

To read more on Trailer's 2008 visit to Foxborough, click here.

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Trailer, 84, also was president of RTV Productions in Waltham, a studio where he instructed people who wanted to be on TV. He also taught TV production and performance at Emerson College in Boston for over 30 years. 

Funeral services for Trailer are being planned. Currently there is no date set for the TV star's services, according to his website.

Find out what's happening in Foxboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


TELL US: In the meantime, what are your memories of Rex Trailer? Did you ever meet him or have your picture taken with him? If you've got a photo, click the "Upload Photos and Videos" button at the top of this story. Or just tell us your memories in the comments section below.


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