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| Gene
Autry's career spanned some 60 years
in the entertainment industry, encompassing
radio, recordings, motion pictures, television,
rodeo and live performances. He also became
a broadcast executive and major league baseball
owner. Known as "America's Favorite Singing
Cowboy", he is the only entertainer to have
five stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame,
one each for radio, records, film, television
and live theatrical performance (including
rodeo). In his ability to transcend media
and in the sheer scope of his output, Gene
Autry was unsurpassed as a popular image-maker
of the American West |
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Gene
was born in Tioga, Texas in 1907
and bought his first guitar at the
age of 12 for $8. By the late 1920s,
he was working as a telegrapher for
the railroad in Oklahoma. He was strumming
on a guitar, when Will Rogers, the
cowboy philosopher, came into his
office and was impressed by the singing.
Will encouraged Gene to continue his
singing career and try radio. A short
time later, he got a spot on KVOO,
Tulsa, as "Oklahoma's Yodeling Cowboy"
and the rest is history. |
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| Gene
began his radio career in 1928
and made his first recordings a year
later. By 1937 he was America's Favorite
Cowboy, voted the Number 1 Western
Star by the theater exhibitors of
America. In 1940 Gene was the fourth
biggest box office attraction, behind
Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, and Spencer
Tracy. |
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He
appeared in 93 feature films and
made 635 recordings, more than 300
of which he wrote or co-wrote. He
is remembered for his trademark "Back
In The Saddle Again". Gene's recordings
have sold more than 60 million copies
and brought him more than a dozen
gold records. His song, "Be Honest
With Me" was nominated for an Academy
Award in 1941. |
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Gene
Autry's beloved Christmas and
children's records "Here Comes Santa
Claus" (1947) and "Peter Cottontail"
(1950) went platinum while "Rudolph
the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1949) remains
the second best selling single of
all time, a song which he credits
his wife with influencing him to record. |
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In
addition to his movie and recording
success, Gene Autry's Melody Ranch
was heard weekly on CBS Radio 1940
and 1956. Gene became one of the first
major movie stars to move into television.
Among his many other awards, he received
the Songwriters' Guild Life Achievement
Award and the Hubert Humphrey Humanitarian
of the Year Award and he was honored
by his songwriting peers with a lifetime
achievement award from ASCAP. |
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| Gene's
love of baseball prompted him
to purchase the California Angels
in 1961. He sold part of the team
to The Walt Disney Company in 1995
with an agreement that the remaining
part of his interest be sold to them
at the time of his death. Since then,
the team was renamed the Anaheim Angels.
Long active in Major League Baseball,
Autry held the title of Vice President
of the American League until his death. |
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A
long cherished dream came true
with the opening, in November 1988,
of the Autry Museum of Western Heritage
in Los Angeles. Gene stated: "It has
always been my intention to build
a museum which would exhibit and interpret
the heritage of the West, and show
how it has influenced America and
the world." |
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| The
Autry Museum of Western Heritage
is now acclaimed as one of the foremost
museums of the American West, with important
collections of art, artifacts, and documents,
drawing millions of visitors from around
the world. Gene Autry's legacy will live
on at the museum he founded, and in the
hearts of his fans. |
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|
GENE
AUTRY'S COWBOY CODE
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| 1.The
Cowboy must never shoot first, hit
a smaller man, or take unfair advantage. |
| 2.He
must never go back on his word, or
a trust confided in him. |
| 3.He
must always tell the truth. |
| 4.He
must be gentle with children,
the elderly, and animals. |
| 5.He
must not advocate or possess
racially or religiously intolerant
ideas. |
| 6.He
must help people in distress.
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| 7.He
must be a good worker. |
| 8.He
must keep himself clean in thought,
speech, action, and personal
habits. |
| 9.He
must respect women, parents,
and his nation's laws. |
| 10.The
Cowboy is a patriot. |
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| In
1948, the Wilane Watch Company made it possible
for fans to have the face of America's favorite
singing cowboy hero, Gene Autry, in full color
on a wrist watch, ticking away with the moving
hand and pistol simulating the firing of 120 shots
a minute. |
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| The
Gene Autry "Six Shooter" watch sold for $7.65
in 1948. Today, almost a half century later, the original
collectible watch sells for $800 to $900. |
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| The
Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum commissioned
the Rich Company to re-produce a Limited Edition of
2,500 pieces of this unique watch. The embossed leather
strap was duplicated along with a faithful replica of
the original gift box |
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| The
“moving action" movements were used in this
outstanding production of the "Six Shooter" Watch.
Each case back of each watch is individually numbered
and is certain to become a collectors item to
cherish for a lifetime. The watch comes with a
certificate of authenticity from the Gene Autry
Western Heritage Museum of Los Angeles, California. |
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Gene
Autry “Six-Shooter Limited Edition Watch $95.00
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| CLICK
THE BUTTON FOR MORE INFORMATION |
| ON
THE "SIX-SHOOTER" WATCH |
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| If
you wish more information about the Gene Autry “Six-Shooter"
Watch since there is only a limited supply available,
feel free to call our office during our West Coast business
hours at the toll free numbers: 800-443-6383 or 800
4RICHCO (800-474-2426), or you may e-mail at info@richcompany.com,
and our staff will be pleased to assist you with your
order. |
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