The Gene Autry Show (western)

    (CBS Primetime, 1950 - 1956;
     Syndicated)

    [The western adventures of a man known more for his singing
     than for shooting up bad guys. Gene was an established radio 
     singing cowboy and 1930's B-picture film star by the time TV
     ambled onto the scene; He had been born in Tioga, Texas in
     1907, grew up in Oklahoma, and began singing on radio in the 
     1920's as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy."
     
     His theme song was written for a 1939 Republic B-picture in 
     which Gene played a western congressman. In the film, he exposes 
     a politician on the take, who is trying to thwart passage of a
     flood control bill -- not your usual cowboy "shoot 'em up."
     
     He had a pioneering TV western show in the mold of Hopalong 
     Cassidy and Roy Rogers which lasted five years on the network,
     and was released in syndication after that. His horse was
     named "Champion" (actually Champion III), and he created a
     separate spin-off TV series "The Adventures of Champion" --
     one of the only TV series to give the title role to a 
     non-human character...(of course Gene also appeared in
     that show too.)

     His comic sidekick on his TV series was a character called Pat
     Buttram, played by...Pat Buttram, which seemed to make sense
     since Gene Autry always played Gene Autry too.
     
     In real life, Gene Autry was a very astute L.A. businessman 
     whose Flying A Productions also produced other early western
     series ("Annie Oakley" and "Adventures of Champion"); His
     investments eventually included radio and TV stations and 
     allowed him to retire in comfort; He passed away at his
     home in Studio City (near Los Angeles) from lymphoma in
     1998 -- three days after his 91st birthday.]


Theme: Back In The Saddle Again,
              from the 1939 Republic picture "Rovin' Tumbleweeds"

     [aka: "Back In The Saddle";
      aka: "I'm Back In The Saddle Again"]

     Composers: Gene Autry (ASCAP), and
                Ray Whitley (ASCAP)

     1978 Publisher: Western Music Pub. Co. (ASCAP)

     2001 Publisher: Gene Autry's Western Music
                        Publishing Co. (ASCAP),
                        of Studio City, CA; and
                     Katielu Music (ASCAP)
                        c/o Cohen & Cohen
                        of Los Angeles, CA

     Composition Date: 1939

     Copyright Date:
     Renewal   Date:

     Recordings:



Return to the 1950s TV Series Title Page


Copyright 1960 - 2018 by The Media Management Group. All Rights Reserved