![]() In 2015 the museum became one entity, the Autry Museum of the American West. The new Autry National Center consisted of three entities: the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of the American West, and the Institute for the Study of the American West. As part of this affiliation, an umbrella company was created. In January 2004 the museum merged with the Southwest Museum. Autry intended to give something back to the community that had been so good to him. ![]() He was 91 years old.Īutry’s long-cherished dream came true with the opening in November 1988 of the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum, since acclaimed as one of the finest museums on the West. Active in Major League Baseball, Autry held the title of Vice President of the American League until his death. Gene Autry died at his home in Studio City, California on October 2, 1998. Autry’s great love for baseball prompted him to acquire the American League California Angels in 1961. He carried his love for entertaining and sharp business sense into broadcasting, where, under the Golden West Broadcasters banner, he owned such award-winning stations as KMPC radio and KTLA Television in Los Angeles as well as other stations across the country. This success lead him to produce such popular TV series as Annie Oakley, The Range Rider, Buffalo Bill Jr., The Adventures Of Champion as well as the first 39 episodes of Death Valley Days. Always a man of vision, Autry excelled and for the next five years through his Flying A Pictures he produced and starred in 91 half-hour episodes of The Gene Autry Show for CBS Television. In 1950, Autry became the first major movie star to use the television medium. Autry did two shows a day, seven days a week, for 65 to 85 days at a stretch. The first performer to sell out Madison Square Garden, his concert and rodeo appearances throughout the United States and Europe are legendary and served as a model for other performers. In addition, Autry’s popularity was apparent during his personal appearance tours. In 1940 theater exhibitors of America voted Autry the fourth biggest box office attraction, behind Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, and Spencer Tracy.įrom 1940 to 1956 the public listened to him on Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch radio show that was heard weekly over the CBS Radio Network, featuring Autry’s trademark theme song Back In The Saddle Again. Autry first appeared on screen in 1934 and up to 1953 popularized the musical Western and starred in 93 feature films. He gained a popular following, a recording contract with Columbia Records in 1929, and soon after, performed on the “National Barn Dance” for radio station WLS in Chicago. In 1929, Autry was billed as “Oklahoma’s Yodeling Cowboy” at KVOO in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was discovered by humorist Will Rogers.
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