News Archive: 2013

Gene Autry Entertainment and Starz ENCORE are pleased to announce that ENCORE WESTERNS will continue to be the exclusive home for Gene Autry's classic B Western films through 2018. Earlier this year, 45 of Gene Autry's fully restored films were renewed for an additional five years on the popular satellite service. Full of music, comedy and action, Gene Autry's movies have entertained generations of families, first in theaters and now via satellite in their own homes. Films included in the deal are The Big Show (1936), Git Along Little Dogies (1937), Western Jamboree (1938), South of the Border (1939), Melody Ranch (1940), Back in the Saddle (1941) , Home in Wyomin' (1942), Twilight on the Rio Grande (1947), The Cowboy and the Indians (1949), Mule Train (1950), Wagon Team (1952), Texans Never Cry (1951), and Apache Country (1952).

To celebrate Gene Autry's Birthday, ENCORE WESTERNS will showcase a marathon of 42 Gene Autry films, back-to-back, all weekend-long, beginning Friday, September 27th at 11:15pm.

Gene Autry Entertainment and Starz had previously joined forces in 2001 to restore all 89 Autry's feature films to their original running theatrical length and digitally clean both the picture and sound. The restoration elements are from Gene Autry's personal film collection of original 35mm and 16mm material housed at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles and the restoration work was done by RPG Productions in Burbank, CA.

Gene Autry is recognized as one of the greatest entertainers of the Twentieth Century, and the only entertainer to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one each for records, radio, movies, television and live performances. Starting his career in the late 1920s, Autry was voted America's 4th biggest box office attraction by 1940 with success in every endeavor. His entertainment career was interrupted only by voluntary service in the US Army Air Corps during World War II. As the original “Singing Cowboy,” Gene Autry introduced the format of the musical western on screen and later on television. As a top recording star Autry charted more than two dozen gold and platinum awards bringing Western music into the popular culture. He was a generous philanthropist and successful businessman who owned hotels, television and radio stations, and a major league baseball team. Gene Autry's dream of a world-class educational and historical center saluting the history of the American West became a reality in 1988 with the founding of the Autry Museum of Western Heritage.

Gene Autry's Birthday Weekend Celebration
Movie Marathon on ENCORE WESTERNS

Friday, September 27 - Saturday, September 28
11:15pm	Tumbling Tumbleweeds	11:40am	Riders in the Sky
12:15am	Sagebrush Troubadour	12:55pm	Beyond the Purple Hills
1:15am	The Singing Vagabond	2:10pm	Cow Town
2:15am	Rovin' Tumbleweeds	3:25pm	Mule Train
3:20am	Gaucho Serenade	4:40pm	Valley of Fire
4:30am	Melody Ranch	5:45pm	Apache Country
6:00am	The Big Show	6:50pm	Texans Never Cry
7:15am	Boots and Saddles	8:00pm	The Strawberry Roan
8:15am	Western Jamboree	9:20pm	South of the Border
9:15am	Twilight on the Rio Grande	10:35pm	The Cowboy and the Indians
10:30am	Indian Territory	11:50pm	Mexicali Rose

Sunday, September 29
12:50am	Bells of Capistrano	1:00pm	Whirlwind
2:05am	Sioux City Sue	2:15pm	The Blazing Sun
3:15am	Sierra Sue	3:30pm	Barbed Wire
4:20am	Heart of the Rio Grande	4:35pm	Night Stage to Galveston
5:30am	Home in Wyomin'	5:40pm	The Old West
6:40am	Down Mexico Way	6:45pm	Silver Canyon
8:00am	Saddle Pals	8:00pm	The Big Sombrero
9:15am	Gene Autry and the Mounties	9:20pm	Back in the Saddle
10:30am	Sons of New Mexico	10:35pm	On Top of Old Smoky
11:45am	Hills of Utah	11:40pm	Last of the Pony Riders