Recalling the Old Cowboy

Although the late cowboy film star Gene Autry passed on before his

Anaheim Angels were sold and advanced to win a World Series

championship, he had still achieved high marks in his world.

His second wife, Jackie Ellam, took note in 1984 that her husband

had three wishes: an Academy Award; a World Series ring; and a

Western Heritage Museum. In time, she was able to make the museum a

reality on 13 acres in Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

She was not certain she would have any success with the other two

matters. However, the new Angel owners were able to bring the club’s

first major league title last year.

And Angel fans are cheering optimistically for the repeat of a

title this autumn.

In essence, Autry’s years of ownership helped pave the way for the

future of Anaheim. Many fans would applaud his efforts.

Although Autry would never draw an Academy Award for acting, his

museum has showcased sufficient history in that direction, with

salutes to the likes of former athletes like John Wayne, whose birth

name was Marion Morrison, a one-time lineman for the USC football

team; Johnny Mack Brown, a one-time grid safety for Alabama; Tom Mix,

a former champion in national rodeo events; and Burt Reynolds, who

was a college football star at Florida State.

Autry also chose to honor the original Cisco Kid, Herbert Stanley

Dunn, who lived his last years in Costa Mesa, after serving more than

40 years as the chief propmaster for President Harry Cohn of Columbia

Pictures.

Amusement came to Autry in recent years, before he died, when he

was confronted with an offer to buy Tioga, Texas, his birthplace near

Oklahoma. He politely declined the offer. It is still a small town.

Actually, his first step toward the entertainment world came in

Chelsea, Okla. when he was working one evening at a train terminal

for Western Union as a telegrapher.

He was alone and that was a choice time to pick up his $8 guitar,

for which he had paid off a mail-order house at 50 cents a month, to

sing to himself.

A stranger stood quietly for some time at the counter, wanting to

send a telegram. After the young telegrapher noticed that someone was

present, he arose to hear the man extend lofty praise and urge him to

take his talent to a big radio station.

The weathered face of a cowboy, who had exhibited athletic feats

in rodeo tours and incredible roping stunts, was the famed Will

Rogers.

We asked Autry once at Cypress College how he came to know it was

Rogers. He replied, “When I got to the bottom of his message where he

signed it -- Will Rogers.”

The compliments were taken in stride at the counter, but after

absorbing the impact coming from a top celebrity, Autry would soon be

packing his bags for a big-city adventure.

In time, it led to a first movie, “In Old Santa Fe,” released in

1934. It starred Ken Maynard. However, Autry’s popularity was rising

so fast, many theater owners started changing the marquees to read

Gene Autry in big letters and Maynard below in small letters.

Autry was concerned because he didn’t believe he had any talent

and started wearing gloves, because he said he didn’t know what to do

with his hands.

However, his wife, then the late Ina Mae, encouraged him to

persevere. If she hadn’t, Autry surmised another 94 films wouldn’t

have made it to the silver screen.

Ina Mae, always a strong supporter, is one who deserves a salute

for the song “Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer.”

Autry once confided that he had little regard for the song and

felt it was silly. But Ina Mae urged him to do it, because she firmly

believed the children would like it.

She was right again and the song sold into the millions and

continues to do so every holiday season.

Autry and the late Senator Barry Goldwater were once big transport

pilots for the Army Air Corps in WWII at Luke Air Force Base in

Phoenix.

Goldwater, a one-time outstanding lineman for the University of

Arizona, said he and Autry were friends and visited often in their

early days.