Gene Autry

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.

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 5 seasons. The first 4 were in black and white, and the final season (13 episodes) were in color. Color was experiment with. Within two or three episodes of the first season. The theme song "Back In the Saddle Again" was written by Autry and Ray Whitley and sung by Gene Autry.

External Links

• The Gene Autry Show at IMDB
• The Gene Autry Show at TV.com