Trigger

[W. Gray]

Both stars' movies play sparingly on the Western Channel.

As good as they might have been when I was a kid, I cannot follow an Autry or Rogers movie for more than five minutes because they are so dull and predictable.

Most recently the Gene Autry 30 minute TV series was on the Western Channel every afternoon. Autry's Flying A Productions made his TV programs as well as the western TV series, Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill Jr, and Range Rider. Range Rider with Jock Mahoney was my favorite of that bunch.

Believe it or not, Roy Rogers costarred with John Wayne and Claire Trevor in the 1940 Republic Studios movie Dark Command. It is a tolerable movie.

Both Rogers, Autry, and Wayne were "owned" by Republic Studios.  Gene Autry had a falling out with Republic and went to Columbia Pictures after Sergeant Autry returned from World War II. John Wayne also had a falling out with Republic in the late forties and formed his own Batjac production company. Roy Rogers stayed with Republic until his popularity ceased around 1954.

A good many of the Republic stars were B western cowboys. The very last one was Rex Allen and his horse Koko. When the western bust hit, Republic struggled until 1959 and went out of business. However, there is now a modern day Republic Studios.

[W. Gray]

By the way, Wilma, John Wayne was the first singing cowboy in the movies.

He played Singing Sandy in several Lone Star production movies in the early 30s. However, John Wayne could not carry a tune so they substituted another person's voice.

As the story goes, John Wayne had to "tap dance" at personal appearances because he was often asked to sing.

When Lone Star and others formed Republic Studios, John Wayne insisted there be no more singing duties.

[sixdogsmom]

I just confirmed that Jock Mahoney was the father of actress Sally Field of The Singing Nun, Norma Rae, and more recently Boniva commercials. How quickly time goes by; I always thought that The Range Rider was a great western tv series along with The Rifleman, liked that too.

[Wilma]

I will take almost any old western before watching most of today's output.  While the Autry and Rogers type of movies are boring now, I can listen to them and go about anything else I want to do and not miss a beat.  My favorites were the ones the Sons of the Pioneers were in, also.  I loved their Cool Water.

[W. Gray]

sixdogsmom,

And, we all remember Jock Mahoney as the movies Tarzan.      No joke, he was.

Wilma,
Appaloosa with Ed Harris was pretty good and unpredictable. But as with most current day westerns is loaded with too much violence.

I have not seen 3:10 to Yuma, yet.

There are six westerns scheduled for theatrical release this year, Jonah Hex, True Grit, Gunless, Sweet Grass, The Good, the Bad, and the Weird, and the Loneliest Road in America.

Jeff Bridges is the star of the latest True Grit.