Editing Gene Autry (section)

=== Radio and television career ===
[[File:Gene Autry Pinafores radio show 1948.JPG|right|thumb|Gene Autry with the Pinafores, who sang on his weekly radio show, 1948]]
From 1940 to 1956, Autry had a huge hit with a [[Gene Autry's Melody Ranch|weekly show]] on [[CBS Radio]], ''[[Gene Autry's Melody Ranch]]''. His horse, Champion, also had a [[Mutual Broadcasting System|Mutual]] radio series, ''[[The Adventures of Champion (radio series)|The Adventures of Champion]]'' and a [[CBS|CBS-TV]] series of [[The Adventures of Champion (TV series)|the same name]]. In response to his many young radio listeners aspiring to emulate him, Autry created the Cowboy Code, or Ten Cowboy Commandments. These tenets promoting an ethical, moral, and patriotic lifestyle that appealed to youth organizations such as the [[Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scouts]], which developed similar doctrines. The Cowboy Code consisted of rules that were "a natural progression of Gene's philosophies going back to his first ''[[Gene Autry's Melody Ranch|Melody Ranch]]'' programs—and early pictures."<ref name="george-256">{{harvnb|George-Warren|2007|p=256}}</ref> According to the code:
# The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.
# He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.
# He must always tell the truth.
# He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.
# He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
# He must help people in distress.
# He must be a good worker.
# He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.
# He must respect women, parents, and his nation's laws.
# The Cowboy is a patriot.

Beginning in 1950, he produced and starred in his own television show on [CBS through his Flying A Productions studio. In the late 1950s, Autry also made several appearances on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC-TV]]'s ''[[Ozark Jubilee|Jubilee USA]]''.