Editing Gene Autry (section)

=== Film career ===
[[File:Gene Autry in Oh, Susanna!.png|right|thumb|Gene Autry in ''[[Oh, Susanna! (1936 film)|Oh, Susanna!]]'', 1936]]
Autry and Burnette were discovered by film producer [[Nat Levine]] in 1934. Together, Autry and Burnette made their film debut for [[Mascot Pictures]] Corp. in ''[[In Old Santa Fe]]'' as part of a singing cowboy quartet; he was then given the starring role by Levine in 1935 in the 12-part [[Serial (film)|serial]] ''[[The Phantom Empire]]''. Shortly thereafter, Mascot was absorbed by the newly formed [[Republic Pictures|Republic Pictures Corp.]] and Autry went along to make a further 44 films up to 1940. Most were low-budget [[western (genre)|Westerns]] in which he played under his own name, rode his horse [[Champion the Wonder Horse|Champion]], had Smiley Burnette as his regular [[sidekick]], and had many opportunities to sing in each film. His films were tremendously successful, so much so that almost every other studio tried to compete by showcasing their own singing cowboys. By 1940 Autry was Republic's biggest star, and his films became more costly and more elaborate. They played first-run in large cities, unlike the usual "B" westerns that played in neighborhood theaters.<ref>Wyatt, Tom and Greenland, David. "B Western Cowboys: Part I", ''[[Classic Images]]''. September 2022</ref>

[[File:GeneAutry.jpg|left|thumb|Gene Autry in ''[[The Gene Autry Show]]'' episode "The Black Rider", 1950]]
In the ''[[Motion Picture Herald]]'' [[Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll#Top Ten Western Stars|Top Ten Money-Making Western Stars]] poll, Autry was listed every year from the first poll in 1936 to 1942 and 1946 to 1954 (he was serving in the AAF 1943–45), holding first place 1937 to 1942, and second place (after [[Roy Rogers]]) 1947 to 1954, when the poll ceased.<ref>Phil Hardy ''The Encyclopedia of Western Movies'', London, Octopus, 1985, {{ISBN|0-8300-0405-X}}</ref> He appeared in the similar ''[[Boxoffice Pro|Boxoffice]]'' poll from 1936 to 1955, holding first place from 1936 to 1942 and second place (after Rogers) from 1943 to 1952.<ref name="bwesterns">{{cite web|title=Quigley Publishing Top Ten MoneyMakers Poll |publisher=B Westerns |url=http://www.b-westerns.com/terms5.htm |access-date=May 27, 2012}}</ref> While these two polls are really an indication only of the popularity of series stars, Autry also appeared in the [[Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll]] of all films from 1940 to 1942,<ref name="quigley">{{cite web|title=Top Ten Money Making Stars |publisher=Quigley Publishing |url=http://www.quigleypublishing.com/MPalmanac/Top10/Top10_lists.html |access-date=May 27, 2012 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221063625/http://www.quigleypublishing.com/MPalmanac/Top10/Top10_lists.html |archive-date=December 21, 2014 }}</ref> His ''Gene Autry Flying "A" Ranch Rodeo'' show debuted in 1940.<ref name="imdb">{{cite web|title=Gene Autry |website=Internet Movie Database |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000810/ |access-date=May 27, 2012}}</ref>

Autry served in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Part of his military service included his broadcast of a radio show for one year; it involved music and true stories. Several decades ago on an early afternoon show featuring Republic westerns, one of Gene's sidekicks said that when Gene told Republic Pictures of his intentions to join the military during World War II, Republic threatened to promote Roy Rogers as "King of the Cowboys" in Gene's absence, which it did. Republic reissued old Autry westerns during the war years, to keep his name before the public.

Autry's contract had been suspended for the duration of his military service, and he had tried to have it declared void after his discharge. The courts found in Republic's favor, and Autry returned to Republic after the war. He finished out his contract with four more features, with Autry now publicized as "King of the Singing Cowboys".

In 1947 Autry left Republic for [[Columbia Pictures]], which offered him his own production unit. He chose a new sidekick, [[Pat Buttram]], recently returned from his [[World War II]] service. Buttram would co-star with Gene Autry in more than 40 films and in more than 100 episodes of [[The Gene Autry Show|Autry's television show]]. In 1951, Autry formed his own company (Flying A Productions) to make westerns under his own control, and Columbia continued to distribute them through 1953.

==== Melody Ranch ====
Autry purchased the 110-acre [[Movie ranch#Monogram Ranch/Melody Ranch|Monogram Ranch]] in 1953, in [[Placerita Canyon State Park|Placerita Canyon]] near [[Newhall, California]], in the northern [[San Gabriel Mountains]] foothills. He renamed it the Melody Ranch after his movie ''[[Melody Ranch]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scvhistory.com/scvhistory/sg032903.htm|title=Movie Magic in Placerita Canyon|website=Scvhistory.com|access-date=May 15, 2010}}</ref> Autry then sold 98 acres of the property, most of the original ranch. The Western town, [[adobe]]s, and ranch cabin [[Set construction|sets]] and open land for [[location shooting]] were retained as a movie ranch on 12 acres. Numerous "B" Westerns and TV shows were shot there during Autry's ownership, including the initial years of ''[[Gunsmoke]]'' with [[James Arness]]. A decade after he purchased Melody Ranch, a [[wildfire|brushfire]] swept through in August 1962, destroying most of the original standing sets and dashing Autry's plans to turn it into a museum. However, the devastated landscape did prove useful for productions such as ''[[Combat!]]''. A complete adobe ranch survived at the northeast section of the ranch.<ref>{{cite web|title=Placeritos Ranch/Monogram Ranch/Melody Ranch|url=http://www.movielocationsplus.com/MELODY.HTM|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913080512/http://movielocationsplus.com/MELODY.HTM|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 13, 2016|website=Movielocationsplus.com|access-date=December 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/autry.htm|website=Scvhistory.com|title=Memories of the place I called Melody Ranch|first=Gene|last=Autry|access-date=February 2, 2008}}</ref>

According to a published story by Autry, the fire caused him to turn his attention to [[Griffith Park]], where he would build his Museum of Western Heritage (now known as the [[Autry Museum of the American West]]).

In 1990, after his favorite horse Champion Three, which lived in retirement there, died, Autry put the remaining 12-acre ranch up for sale. It was purchased by the [[General Lee (car)#The Veluzat era|Veluzat family]] in 1991 and rebuilt. It is now known as the Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio and Melody Ranch Studios on 22 acres.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.melodyranchstudio.com/|website=Melodyranchstudio.com|title=Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio|access-date=May 15, 2010}}</ref> The ranch has the Melody Ranch Museum open year-round; and one weekend a year, the entire ranch is open to the public during the [[Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival|Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival]], another legacy of Autry's multiple talents.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.melodyranchstudio.com/museum.html|website=Melodyranchstudio.com|title=Museum|access-date=May 15, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cowboyfestival.org/ |title=Archived copy |website=www.cowboyfestival.org |access-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041204211240/http://www.cowboyfestival.org/ |archive-date=December 4, 2004 |url-status=dead}}</ref>