Back in 1952, a lot of media pundits figured that western movies, especially those featuring “B” movie mogul stars like Gene Autry were all on their way to El Passe’ – but they were wrong – at least, for a while on the genre – and forever on the star. Here in an interview conducted and described by Bob Thomas as an AP story, Autry speaks his mind on the story. What no one, including Thomas, could see in 1952 was the fact that Gene Autry’s joy for working went way beyond making “cowboy films.” It even took a never-ending turn toward the act of owning the Los Angeles/California Angels of the American League.
Here’s how writer Bob Thomas told the part of the Gene Autry Story that he could see unfolding in the twilight of the singing cowboy star’s movie career in 1952:
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Hollywood Spotlight: Gene Autry Says TV Not Hurting Movies
By Bob Thomas
Hollywood (AP) – Gene Autry, who has made a fortune as a crooning cowpoke, is having a loud last laugh at the people who yowled when he went into television films.
Theater men protested that he would ruin himself with the film houses.
But the cowboy’s popularity in the theaters doesn’t seem to have diminished. He is currently filming “Winning the West,” one of six features he plans to make this year. He figures his audience is greatly increased because of TV.
“I’m getting a lot more mail from the big cities like Los Angeles and New York,” he said. “I never had much of a following in the big towns, because my pictures never got much of a play there. But now the big city kids see me on TV.”
Incidentally, since TV, his mail has gotten a whole lot harder to read; it now comes from a younger audience.
Autry said that western movies are in a slump.
“There have been too many big budget westerns with stars like Clark Gable, Gregory Peck, John Wayne, and Kirk Douglas,” he observed. “Naturally, this cuts into the playing time of the program westerns.
“But the program western field is better now, because it has thinned out. Roy Rogers isn’t making pictures now, nor are Tim Holt or Charlie Starrett. Now there only four regular series – myself at Columbia, Rex Allen and Rocky Lane at Republic and Johnny Mack Brown at Monogram. Bill Elliott is making some, but I don’t think it’s a series.
“But it has happened this way before,” he added. “Westerns go in cycles. One thing is always certain: Their popularity will always return.”
At present, the moneyed cowboy is making six (movie theater) features a year, 26 half-hour TV shows, a weekly radio show, four other TV series and managing his extensive financial holdings. I asked him if he ever thought of retiring as a performer.
“I suppose I ought to,” he replied. “But I’m doggoned if I don’t just like working.”
~ Charleston Daily Mail, July 2, 1952, Page 7.
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Gene Autry finally retired from making kiddie cowboy shows, but his joy for work, and the pursuit of another dream, had only just begun when he opened that other door as owner of the brand new AL Los Angeles Angels in 1961.
Sadly, Gene Autry would not live to see his Angels win their first and only World Series crown, but maybe that’s just how it has to be with some people who cannot really retire. Their dreams simply always have to remain just out of reach.
Tags: Gene Autry
The Pecan Park Eagle 
October 18, 2013 at 3:46 pm |
The Los Angeles Angels retired number “26” in honor of Gene Autry.