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Gene Autry Collection: Whirlwind

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Columbia Pictures present "WHIRLWIND" (Released: 16 April 1951) (71 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- relive those thrilling days when the "First Singing Cowboy" Gene Autry took us down the dusty trails with hard riding and straight shooting hitting the bull's eye with excitement every time --- the Gene Autry series of B-Westerns were a staple of Saturday matinees in the 1930s and 1940s --- The Following Segments are from the "Melody Ranch Theater", which originally aired on the Nashville Network in 1987 --- Hosted by Gene and longtime sidekick Pat Buttram the program showcased many of Gene's classic motion pictures and featured personal anecdotes about how the films were made --- Information on costars and significant happenings in Gene's personal life and career. --- don't miss any of the Singing Cowboy's features loaded with action and songs that will leave you wanting more of Gene Autry's B-Western Adventures --- The sale of this DVD will further the educational and cultural mission of the renowned "Autry National Center in Los Angeles".

Under Jon English (Director), Armand Schaefer (Producer), Norman Hall (Screenwriter), William Bradford (Cinematographer), Mischa Bakaleinikoff (Musical Direction/Supervision), Paul Borofsky (Editor), Charles Clague (Art Director) - - - - - our story line and plot, Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette travel to Red Valley where a string of mail robberies have occurred --- where the area is controlled by Jim Lassiter (Thurston Hall) and his outlaw gang --- needing proof Gene knows Lassiter is the head of the outlaw gangs working in Red Valley --- Lassiter demands cash as Gene offers to buy some of Lassiter's land --- Gene worms his way into Big Jim's confidence by romancing Big Jim's niece, Elaine (Gail Davis) --- Smiley finds burned fragments of stolen U. S. Postal Bonds as Gene forces a confession from Big Jim's attorney henchman Wade Trimble (Harry Lauter) --- the action is plenty and Gene rounds up the bandits, reuniting Gene and Smiley along with his regular leading lady Gail Davis --- Gene and Smiley had come to Hollywood together and there was always that bond between them - - - - some wonderful tunes, WHIRLWIND (Studio Singers), AS LONG AS I'VE GOT MY HORSE (Gene Autry), TWEEDLE-O-TWILL (Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette), WHIRLWIND (Gene Autry and Studio Singers) - - - some Autry fun facts, When the famous "Hollywood" sign fell into disrepair in 1978, various entertainers agreed to buy a letter for $27,777.77. Gene bought the first "L."

the cast includes
Gene Autry ... Gene Autry aka The Whirlwind
Champion ... Champion
Gail Davis ... Elaine Lassiter
Thurston Hall ... Big Jim Lassiter
Harry Lauter ... Wade Trimble
Dick Curtis ... Lon Kramer
Harry Harvey ... Sheriff Barlow
Gregg Barton ... Bill Trask
Smiley Burnette ... Smiley Burnette
Art Dillard ... Henchman with bushy eyebrows
Kenne Duncan ... Henchman Slim
Garry Goodwin ... Henchman Carl
Tommy Ivo ... Johnnie Evans
Stan Jones ... Stan Jones
Frankie Marvin ... Deputy Dave
Pat O'Malley ... Stage Agent
Bud Osborne ... Tom (stagecoach driver #2)
Carl Sepulveda ... Henchman Charlie
Boyd Stockman ... 1st Stage driver
Al Wyatt Sr. ... Henchman Bert

BIOS:
1. Gene Autry
Date of Birth: 29 September 1907 - Near Tioga, Texas
Date of Death: 2 October 1998 - Studio City, Los Angeles, California

Special footnote, Orvon Gene Autry was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television --- Discovered by film producer Nat Levine in 1934, he and Burnette made their film debut for Mascot Pictures Corp. "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 "The Phantom Empire" --- Shortly thereafter, Mascot was absorbed by the formation of Republic Pictures Corp. and Autry went along to make a further 44 films up to 1940, all B westerns in which he played under his own name, rode his horse Champion, had Burnette as his regular sidekick and had many opportunities to sing in each film --- Autry became the top Western star at the box-office by 1937, reaching his national peak of popularity from 1940 to 1942. His Gene Autry Flying "A" Ranch Rodeo show debuted in 1940 --- Gene Autry is the only celebrity to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one in each of the five categories maintained by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce --- Radio, Films, Recordings, Television and Live Theater.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
1. Reminiscing with Gene Autry and Pat Buttram at the "Melody Ranch Theater"
2. "Don't Touch That Dial", Gene Autry is on the air - excerpts from the Original "Melody Ranch Radio Show"
3. Production and Publicity Stills
4. Horseplay
5. Poster and lobby Card Art
6. Trivia and Movie Facts
7. Original Press Kit Material

Check out a new book from Empire Publishing - "GENE AUTRY WESTERNS" (Hardcover) - by author Boyd Magers, like no other book on Gene Autry --- all of Gene's Mascot, Republic and Columbia westerns included, as well as his half-hour TV Episodes --- each segment contains the release date on each film ... major production credits ... complete cast (including character played) ... all songs included, songwriter and who performed them in the film ... running time of each film ... dates of the filming ... bios on the cast and major players (Smiley, Pat Buttram, Cass County Boys, Herbert J. Yates, directors, leading ladies, songwriters and various heavies, etc.) ... locations that were used ... budgets and negative cost ... stunt people involved ... analysis and synopsis on each film ... notes and comments (including film and cast background info, salaries paid, working titles, etc) ... comments from Gene and many other cast members on each film ... theater exhibitors comments at the time of the films release ...this tribute was written from the heart and it shows.

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc) and Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") as they have rekindled my interest once again for B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with musical songs and adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Image Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 71 min on DVD ~ Image Entertainment ~ (9/14/2004)