This publication is like no other book on Gene Autry! Each film contains: release date, major production credits, complete cast (including character played), all songs included, who wrote them & who performs them in the film, running time, filming dates, cast bios of major players (Smiley, Pat Buttram, Cass County Boys, Herb Yates, heavies, directors, song writers, leading ladies, etc.), locations used, budget and negative cost, stunt people involved, film analysis/synopsis, notes and comments (including film and cast background info, salaries paid, working titles, etc.), film comments from Gene and many other cast members, theater exhibitor comments at the time of release. All of Gene s Mascot, Republic and Columbia westerns included as well as his half-hour TV episodes. Bonus Material features: where to find individual songs in Gene s films, recurrent themes in Gene s westerns, Gene in print, Gene s appearances in film short subjects and various TV shows, songs written by Gene used in other movies, Gene s Top 10s as selected by 13 noted Autry enthusiasts, handy reference tables listing, by film and TV titles, all of Gene s sidekicks, leading ladies, musical groups, screenwriters, directors, locations, Champion chronology, foreword/afterword by Dick Jones and Jimmy Hawkins, 300+ photographs, many rare! Completely authorized and researched over a two year period utilizing files at Gene Autry Entertainment which revealed information never before published.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
I received the GENE AUTRY WESTERNS book today, and the one word to describe it is SENSATIONAL! I was overwhelmed by the tremendous research and writing by Boyd Magers. The behind-the-camera information is especially intereresting. It is easily the best film book ever written. --Bobby Copeland
About the Author
Boyd Magers grew up at the right time and in the right place for a full appreciation of all westerns...the late 40s early 60s. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1940, he grew up with a western influence in Independence, Kansas (near where the Dalton and James Gangs rode) and Ponca City, Oklahoma (the site of the famed 101 Ranch). Beginning in late 1946 he attended the Beldorf in Independence and the Center in Ponca City, riding the range with the current crop of B-western heroes Gene Autry, Monte Hale, Tim Holt, Eddie Dean, Jimmy Wakely, Roy Rogers, Charles Starrett, Johnny Mack Brown and others. By 1953 the new medium of television offered him a steady hour upon hour appreciation of the early screen cowboys Buck Jones, Bob Steele, Hoot Gibson, Ken Maynard, George O Brien, Rex Bell, Tim McCoy and the rest. The early 50s was also the time for the dawning of the TV western Gene Autry , Range Rider , Annie Oakley , Hopalong Cassidy , Kit Carson , Cisco Kid and the others which slowly matured into the so-called adult TV western of the late 50s early 60s, Gunsmoke , Cheyenne , Sugarfoot , Restless Gun and dozens more. Therefore, he came to appreciate all eras of westerns. Following Armed Forces Radio Network military service in Korea from 60- 61, and during a fifteen year career in radio on the air and as program director ( 62- 77), Boyd began to contribute articles on westerns to publications such as COUNTRY STYLE and others. In 1977 he established VideoWest which soon became the most respected source for western movies and TV episodes on video for over 25 years. From 1987 to 1994 he contributed a regular column on westerns to THE BIG REEL. Over the ensuing years he wrote regular columns or contributed articles to COUNTRY AND WESTERN VARIETY, UNDER WESTERN SKIES, CLASSIC IMAGES, FILM COLLECTOR S REGISTRY, among several others. Over the years he s also provided research data and material to over 40 books and several TV/video documentaries. He wrote hundreds of B-western film reviews still being used annually in VIDEO MOVIE GUIDE. In 2005 he wrote all the Roy Rogers and Gene Autry film reviews for Leonard Maltin s CLASSIC MOVIE GUIDE. In 1994 he began self-publishing WESTERN CLIPPINGS which has become the primary source and authority for thousands of western readers. He also self-publishes SERIAL REPORT. Knowledgeable about all phases of western films, over the last fifteen years Boyd has moderated nearly 200 western celebrity guest star discussion panels at western film festivals all over the country. In addition, Boyd currently has over 2,500 reviews and observations ( The Best and Worst of the West ) of western films online at Chuck Anderson s Old Corral. Boyd s first book, WESTERNS WOMEN, was published by McFarland in 1999 and was followed in 2002 by LADIES OF THE WESTERN. SO YOU WANT TO SEE COWBOY STUFF was his third book in 2003, followed by THE FILMS OF AUDIE MURPHY in 2004 and BEST OF THE BADMEN in 2005. Boyd is dedicated to preserving the rich heritage and enduring memories of small and big screen westerns and the people who populated them.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gene Autry rides again,
By
This review is from: Gene Autry Westerns (Hardcover)
This coffee-table book details every movie and TV show in which Gene Autry ever appeared, with casts, crew, plot, locations, writers, backgrounds, you name it. Author Boyd Magers has written many books and articles on vintage westerns, and draws on his own researchers and others, all footnoted, in this compendium of the man who almost single-handedly created the singing cowboy. Each movie writeup contains bonus material highlighting another star, director, sidekick or some other key person involved in the picture. Gene Autry fans will love it; non-fans will learn from it.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Gene Autry Westerns ... Boyd Magers ... Empire Publishing (2007)",
This review is from: Gene Autry Westerns (Hardcover)
Empire Publishing presents "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.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: (Chapter, Title and Page Numbers) Acknowledgments - 7 Foreword by Dick Jones - 9 Rockin' To and Fro ... A Few Words Before Saddling Up - 11 Gene Autry Beginnings - 13 The Films (Chronologically) - 15 Shorts/Cameos/Guest Appearances - 337 "The Gene Autry Show" (TV Log) - 345 Ridin' Down the Trail - 392 Gene's Top Tens - 395 Gene's Movie/TV Sidekicks at a Glance - 400 Gene's Movie/TV leading Ladies at a Glance - 402 Musical Groups and Singers in Gene's Westerns at a Glance - 405 Songs in Gene's Westerns and Where to find Them - 407 Gene's Story and Screenwriters at a Glance - 414 Gene's Directors at a Glance - 418 Locations Where Gene Filmed - 420 Gene's Movie Jobs - 430 Recurrent Themes in Gene's Westerns - 432 Champion - 434 Gene in Print - 438 Afterword by Jimmy Hawkins - 440 Bibliography - 442 Index - 444 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, Ken Maynard's "In Old Santa Fe" (November 1934) 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 BONUS MATERIAL: 1. Where to find individual songs in Gene's films 2. Recurrent themes in Gene's westerns 3. Gene in print 4. Gene's appearances in film short subjects and various TV shows 5. Songs written by Gene used in other movies 6. Gene's "Top 10s" as selected by 13 noted Autry enthusiasts 7. Handy reference tables listing, by film and TV titles, all of Gene's sidekicks, leading ladies, musical groups, screenwriters, directors and locations 8. Champion chronology 9. Foreword/Afterword by Dick Jones and Jimmy Hawkins If you enjoyed this book, why not check out - "So You Wanna See Cowboy Stuff?", by Boyd Mager, all the Western movie and TV filming locations and sites of interest in the entire United States, the only complete tour guide ever assembled ... "Best of the Badmen", by Boyd Magers, Bob Nareau and Bobby Copeland telling the inside story in depth about some of the bad guys, the heavy and the villain who rode against the law and the heroes of our B-Westerns era ... both titles are from Empire Publishing and available on Amazon --- so pick up your copy today. Hats off to Rhonda Lemons and her staff at Empire Publishing --- author Boyd Magers has given us the Ultimate Gene Autry Book --- everything you wanted to know about Gene's career on the big silver screen and television films --- Gene was a man who changed the face of screen westerns and was truly America's Favorite Cowboy --- If you're into the memories of the Gene Autry B-Westerns, this is the one you've been anxiously waiting for --- Boyd Magers and Empire Publishing has captured the moment --- all my heroes have been cowboys! Total Pages: 456 ~ Empire Publishing #9 780944 019498 ~ (7/18/2007)
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great reference book,
By
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This review is from: Gene Autry Westerns (Hardcover)
I'm not good at writing reviews, but I'd say if you want all the details on every movie, details about each tv episode plus info on cast, crew, filming, Champion(s), etc. this is the book for you. It is definitely worth the $$.
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