Tag Archives: Gene Autry

Musical Monday: Shooting High (1940)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

This week’s musical:
Shooting High(1940) – Musical #816

Studio:
20th Century Fox

Director:
Alfred E. Green

Starring:
Jane Withers, Gene Autry, Champion the Horse, Marjorie Weaver, Jack Carson, Frank M. Thomas, Robert Lowery, Kay Aldridge, Hobart Cavanaugh, Hamilton MacFadden, Charles Middleton, Ed Brady, Tom London, Eddie Acuff, Pat O’Malley, George Chandler

Plot:
In Carson Corners, there are two families who have been at odds for decades: The Carsons and the Pritchards. Will Carson (Autry) is the grandson of the town’s hero and namesake, Wild Bill Carson. But the Pritchards believe that Wild Bill was a no account. To complicate matters, Will and Marjorie Pritchard (Weaver) are sweethearts, and her scheming father, Mayor Pritchard (Thomas), is using the romance to his advantage. Mayor Pritchard is planning to build a highway through Carson’s private land. When Will finds out, he accuses Marjorie of conspiring with her father, which breaks up their romance.

Around this time, a Hollywood producer (Carson), arrives wanting to make a movie in Carson Corners about Wild Bill Carson. The Pritchards try to influence the script, and Will is jealous as Marjorie cozies up to the lead actor (Lowery). Marjorie’s little sister, Jane Pritchard (Withers) helps Will throughout the story to get the two together.

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Musical Monday: Melody Ranch (1940)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

melody ranch2This week’s musical:
Melody Ranch (1940) – Musical #775

Studio:
Republic Pictures Corp.

Director:
Joseph Santley

Starring:
Gene Autry, Jimmy Durante, Ann Miller, Barton MacLane, Barbara Jo Allen, Gabby Hayes, Jerome Cowan, Mary Lee, Joe Sawyer, Horace McMahon, Clarence Wilson, William “Billy” Benedict, Billy Bletcher (uncredited), Veda Ann Borg (uncredited), Dick Elliott (uncredited)
Performers: The Kidoodlers

Plot:
Radio star Gene Autry (as himself) is asked to return home to his hometown of torpedo for their Frontier Day celebration. Convinced it will make good publicity, the announcer of his radio show, Cornelius Courtney (Durante) and his radio co-star Julie Shelton (Miller), travel with him. During the celebration, Autry is made honorary sheriff, a role he takes seriously when he learns his childhood enemies, the Wildhack brothers (MacLane, Sawyer and McMahon) are running the town. Autry doesn’t feel he can return to the city and leave the town in this state. When everyone believes he’s turned soft in the city, Pop Laramie (Hayes) helps toughen up Autry to run for the real role of sheriff.

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Musical Monday: Home in Wyomin’ (1942)

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It’s no secret that the Hollywood Comet loves musicals.
In 2010, I revealed I had seen 400 movie musicals over the course of eight years. Now that number is over 600. To celebrate and share this musical love, here is my weekly feature about musicals.

home in wy3This week’s musical:
Home in Wyomin’ (1942) – Musical #741

Studio:
Republic Pictures

Director:
William Morgan

Starring:
Gene Autry (as himself), Smiley Burnette, Fay McKenzie, Joe Strauch Jr., Olin Howland, Chick Chandler, Forrest Taylor, James Seay, Charles Lane, Champion (uncredited)

Plot:
Gene Autry (as himself) is a radio star, followed by a photographer, Clementine Benson (McKenzie), and a reporter, Hack Hackett (Chandler), who want to get photos of him to prove he’s a phony and not a true westerner. The reporters and photographer follow Gene to Wyoming, where he travels to straighten out a rodeo star (Seay), who is drinking too much and hurting his career.

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