7 /10 1 Votes
6.3/10 TV Genre Western Final episode date 7 August 1956 Network CBS | 7.6/10 IMDb Also known as ''Melody Ranch'' Theme music composer Gene Autry
Ray Whitley Theme song Back in the Saddle Again | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Directed by George Archainbaud
D. Ross Lederman Starring Gene Autry
Champion
Pat Buttram
Bob Woodward Opening theme "Back in the Saddle Again" Cast Gene Autry, Champion the Wonder Horse, Pat Buttram, Gail Davis, Dickie Jones | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gene autry dixie cannonball from the gene autry show the bandidos 1953
The Gene Autry Show is an American western/cowboy television series which aired for 91 episodes on CBS from July 23, 1950 until August 7, 1956, originally sponsored by Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum.
Contents
- Gene autry dixie cannonball from the gene autry show the bandidos 1953
- Overview
- Spin off
- DVD Releases
- References
Overview
Series star Gene Autry had already established his singing cowboy character on radio and the movies. Now he and his horse Champion were featured in a weekly television series of western adventures. Gene's role changed almost weekly from rancher, to ranch hand, to sheriff, to border agent, etc. Gene's usual comic relief and sidekick, Pat, was played by Pat Buttram, better known to later television viewers as "Mr Haney" on "Green Acres". During the first season, Gene's sidekick was played by Chill Wills twice (as Chill) and by Fuzzy Knight four times (as Sagebrush). These two actors even wore Pat's costume. Alan Hale, Jr. (a.k.a. - "The Skipper" from "Gilligan's Island") played a bad guy in several episodes of Seasons 1 and 2, but he also played Gene's sidekick, Tiny, in two episodes of Season 1.
By this time, Autry had established his own production company, Flying 'A' Productions, and acted as executive director for the series.
The series lasted five seasons. The first four were in black and white, and the final season (thirteen episodes) was in color. Color was experimented with in two episodes of the first season. The theme song Back In the Saddle Again was written by Autry and Ray Whitley and sung by Autry.
Among the guest stars, Nan Leslie and Mike Ragan were cast in different roles four times from 1950 to 1955. Both also appeared in many other western series during the 1950s.
Dick Jones was cast in ten episodes of The Gene Autry Show and acted in two other Flying A Productions, The Range Rider and Buffalo Bill, Jr..
Spin-off
The Gene Autry Show had a 26-episode prime-time spin-off called The Adventures of Champion in 1955-1956.
Ewing Mitchell appeared seven times on The Gene Autry Show and seven times as well on The Adventures of Champion in the latter as Sheriff Powers.
DVD Releases
Timeless Media Group has released all five seasons on DVD in Region 1 for the very first time. All episodes have been fully restored and are presented in uncut form.
On December 10, 2013, Timeless Media will release The Gene Autry Show- The Complete series.