Author Archive: Retro

Gene is hired to be foreman of the Big Sombrero ranch by Jim Garland, who is handling all the business affairs of the owner, Estrellita Estrada, who is more interested in going to America than taking care of her Mexican holdings. Gene, discovering Garland’s plan to run all the Mexican rancheros off the ranch, turns against his boss and shortly finds himself in the middle of cattle stampedes and an avalanche started by Garland’s men.

Shannon is running a modern rustling operation using an airplane to spot the cattle, short wave radio to alert the rustlers, and trucks to haul away the beef. When the aging Sheriff Doniphan is unable to bring them in, he is replaced by an eastern detective. But Doniphan’s deputy Gene suspects Shannon and sets a trap to nab him and his gang.

A flood has wiped out the ranchers. Congressman Fuller was against the Flood Control bill so Gene runs against him in the next election and wins. Gene goes to Washington but has no success in passing the bill as Holloway is using his influence to block it. Then just as Gene returns home another disastrous flood hits.

Young English lord wants rid of an inherited ranch, but Gene and Frog are out to make a cowpoke out of him. Dir. Joseph Kane

Gene and Frog head for South Africa where Gene’s brother Tex has found diamonds. Arriving they find Tex missing. Heading into the jungle, they are captured by a local tribe. Frog’s magic gets Gene’s release and Gene finds Tex. But Tex is a prisoner and Gene quickly finds himself a prisoner also.

Fleeing the law, Wolf Benson hops on a train, throws Autry off, and assumes Autry’s identity. Still posing as Autry he robs and kills Autry’s friend Lee. When Autry is jailed, his friends Frog and the Professor break him out and the three head out to clear him of the murder charge.

Devious banker attempts to sabotage a vital irrigation system by dynamiting the ditches, so Gene and Frog take jobs as ditchdiggers to uncover the conspiracy. Dir. B. Reeves Eason

Sheriff Autrey goes up against the O’Keefe boys, a gang of criminals who hold up passenger buses. And who plays the parts of the O’Keefe gang? None other than those Sons of the Pioneers, including Roy Rogers (Dick Weston). Dir. Joseph Kane

The only Gene Autry film where the leading lady, Barbara Britton, is equally billed above the title as the co-star, thereby knocking his horse Champion out of the honors, if one chooses to overlook the 1941 novelty from 20th Century-Fox that had Jane Withers and Gene Autry above the title in that order. This Autry entry has Larry Evans, whose gun had been used to kill rancher Ed Norton in a poker game, escaping a lynching party headed by ranchers Dave Randall and Bill Otis. Norton’s friend Gene Autry, investigating on his own, discovers that Larry’s gun had been put in the poker pot with the chips, after Larry had lost all of his money, and anyone could have used it when the lights went out. He finds Larry and his sister Mary Evans in a hideaway, and sends Mary back to town and hides Larry in the cabin of miner Jim Hedge. Finding out [...]