The Gene Autry Show: The Complete Television Series

Singing cowboy Gene Autry (and Champion the Wonder Horse) followed Hopalong Cassidy and the Lone Ranger to the small screen in this half-hour series that ran for 91 “ready for action” episodes from 1950 to 1956. Sponsored in its early years by Wrigley chewing gum (which Autry himself touts in episode prologues), The Gene Autry Show was more like a series of mini-movies, with Autry engaging in different occupations from week to week. Green Acres fans will get a kick out of seeing slacker “Mr. Haney” (Pat Buttram) as Autry's stalwart punch-throwing sidekick, except for the episodes in which that position is filled by Chill Wills, Fuzzy Knight, and Alan Hale, Jr.—the latter best known as the Skipper on Gilligan's Island). Each episode features a song, some fightin', some shootin', and perhaps a chase on horseback, although viewers could depend on Autry rounding up the bad guys by the time the credits rolled. The first four seasons are in black-and-white, the final one is in color, and for shows roughly 60 years old, the image here is pretty good. A bonus disc contains 10 episodes from rarely-seen TV Westerns produced by Autry's company, including The Range Rider, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, Jr. and The Adventures of Champion. Many vintage TV Western fans will thrill to seeing The Gene Autry Show back in the saddle again on DVD, although this is likely too dated to enthrall a new generation. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)