Search - Gene Autry Collection: Wagon Team on DVD

GENE AUTRY WITH A MEDICINE SHOW

Kay's Husband | Virginia, U.S.A. | 10/08/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"

This movie with Gene Autry is a very entertaining film, it offers the standard fare viewers have come to expect from Flying A enterprise, yet the scenery and location shots add much to it. Cacti are present in many shots, with rolling hills, and boulders all over the place. One of the highlights of the movie has to be that Gene sings "Back In The Saddle" while working for the medicine show.

The plot of the movie is fairly simple and straight forward, after being released from prison for a robbery The Apache Kid is trailed by other black hats wanting the money. With Autry on the Kid's trail we know that the Kid (played by Dick Jones) will either be caught or repent. Well both can happen too. Gail Davis, who became pretty much a standard in Autry enterprises eventually getting her own show as Annie Oakley, is in the movie, as well as Jones, who eventually joined The Range Rider show. Oh, how I spent my high school years watching all this stuff. Great isn't it?

Action aplenty in this black and white venture, too bad Gene didn't do this one in color, the Arizona background would look great. I'm assuming some scenes were filmed near Old Tucson as there just isn't that much cacti anywhere else in the west.

Best in watching buckaroos.

Semper Fi."

"Gene Autry B-Western Series ... Wagon Team (1952) ... Image

J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 09/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Columbia Pictures present "WAGON TEAM" (Released: 30 September 1952) (62 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 George Archainbaud (Director), Armand Schaefer (Producer), Gerald Geraghty (Screenwriter), William Bradford (Cinematographer), Mischa Bakaleinikoff (Musical Direction/Supervision), James Sweeney (Editor), Charles Clague (Art Director), James A. Crowe (Set Designer), James Crowe (Set Designer), George Cooper (Sound/Sound Designer) - - - - - our story line and plot, Gene is a stage line detective as he seeks out the robbers of an Army payroll he joins a medicine show --- Doc Weldon (Harry Harvey) and his daughter Connie (Gail Davis) own the traveling show, and Gene is now their singer --- the misguided teen aged brother is none other than Dick Jones, who know where the money is hidden, as dick is a member of Mike McClure's (Henry Rowland) gang --- Gene sings and performs better than ever, giving his fans their moneys worth - - - - some wonderful tunes, IN AND OUT OF THE JAILHOUSE (Gene Autry), OLD CHISHOLM TRAIL (Cass County Boys), I'VE BEEN INVITED TO A JUBILEE (Cass County Boys), HOWDY FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS (Gene Autry and Cass County Boys), BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN (Gene Autry and Cass County Boys) - - - - some Autry fun facts, Gene always preferred his sponsor's product, Wrigley's Doublemint Gum, to smoking.

the cast includes
Gene Autry ... Gene Autry
Champion ... Champion, Gene's Horse (as Champion World's Wonder Horse)
Pat Buttram ... Deputy Pat Buttram
Gail Davis ... Connie Weldon
Dickie Jones ... Dave Weldon, aka The Apache Kid (as Dick Jones)
Gordon Jones ... Marshal Sam Taplin
Harry Harvey ... Daniel 'Doc' Weldon
Henry Rowland ... Mike McClure
George J. Lewis ... Carlos de la Torre
John L. Cason ... Henchman Slim (as John Cason)
The Cass County Boys ... Medicine show performers
Gregg Barton ... Henchman Gandy
Herman Hack ... Townsman
Pierce Lyden ... Henchman Mangrum
Frankie Marvin ... Townsman
Sandy Sanders ... Deputy
Syd Saylor ... Jailbreak deputy
Carlo Tricoli ... Dr. Kunody
Bob Woodward ... Unshaven Henchman

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: 62 min on DVD ~ Image Entertainment ~ (4/19/2005)"