| The Gene Autry Show | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | "Melody Ranch" |
| Genre | Western |
| Directed by | George Archainbaud D. Ross Lederman |
| Starring | Gene Autry Champion Pat Buttram Bob Woodward |
| Theme music composer | Gene Autry Ray Whitley |
| Opening theme | "Back in the Saddle Again" |
| Ending theme | same |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 91 |
| Production | |
| Location(s) | Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Flying 'A' Productions |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | CBS |
| Original run | 23 July 1950 – 7 August 1956 |
| Status | Ended |
The Gene Autry Show was 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.
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 & 2, but he also played Gene's sidekick, Tiny, in two episodes of Season 1.
By this time, Gene Autry had established his own production company, Flying 'A' Productions, and acted as executive director for the series.
The series lasted 5 seasons. The first 4 were in black and white, and the final season (13 episodes) was in color. Color was experimented with in two or three episodes of the first season. The theme song Back In The Saddle Again was written by Gene Autry & Ray Whitley and sung by Gene Autry.
The Gene Autry Show had a 26 episode prime-time spin-off called The Adventures of Champion in 1955-56.
Gene Autry's feature films in the late 1940s and the 1950s often included cast members from his TV show, including Gail Davis, who usually appeared as his leading lady in most of the early episodes before she became Annie Oakley.
External links
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