Shout! Factory TV to Stream Gene Autry Flicks May 1

Back in the saddle again! America’s favorite singing cowboy Gene Autry heads to streaming for the first time ever with the launch of the Gene Autry film and television library on Shout! Factory TV May 1. The streaming service will release its first collection from Gene Autry’s personal archive, with the streaming debut of fully restored feature films South of the Border, Gaucho Serenade, Melody Ranch, The Strawberry Roan and Blue Canadian Rockies.

He was the silver screen’s first singing cowboy and is credited with creating the genre of the musical Western. As the star of 89 feature films and a television series, Autry brings music, comedy and action to each of his roles from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Now available to stream for the first time, Gene Autry’s rollicking big-screen adventures and unforgettable tunes are presented in these Western classics, fully restored and uncut from Autry’s personal film archives.

Shout! Factory TV has worked closely with Gene Autry Entertainment to curate monthly releases of Autry content. Coming June 1 will be Public Cowboy No. 1, In Old Monterey, Rovin’ Tumbleweeds, Ridin’ on a Rainbow, and Sioux City Sue.

The Gene Autry film and TV archive will be available for streaming on demand across Shout! Factory TV platforms, on ShoutFactoryTV.com; Shout! Factory TV’s Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and Android apps; and on various Shout! Factory TV branded channels including Tubi, Amazon Prime Video Direct, Amazon Channels, and the Roku Channel.

Additionally, on the last Wednesday of every month, Gene Autry films will stream on Shout! Factory TV’s linear channel. The stream can be viewed onShoutFactoryTV.com; Shout! Factory TV’s Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and Android apps; and the following digital streaming platforms: Twitch, Redbox, Samsung TV Plus, Comcast Xfinity, XUMO, and STIRR.

One of the most influential performers in American pop culture, Gene Autry is the only entertainer with all five stars on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, one each for Radio, Recording, Motion Pictures, Television and Live Performance. In a career that spanned more than three decades, Autry built a media empire, thanks to his box-office smash musical Westerns, cross-country rodeo tours and a diverse music career that included the million-selling hit Christmas classic ‘Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’

List of Films and Synopses
Available May 1, 2020

South of the Border (1939)
On the eve of World War II, Federal agents Gene Autry and Smiley Burnette are sent South of the Border to help foil the plans of foreign spies attempting to gain control of Mexican oil fields. Full of action, humor and music, this 1939 release introduced both thetitle songand teen performer Mary Lee to movie audiences.

Gaucho Serenade (1940)
A case of mistaken identity sends Gene and Frog (Smiley Burnette), two down-and-out ex-rodeo stars, on a rip-roaring, cross-country trek as they help a little boy evade the gangsters responsible for the false imprisonment of his father. This “road picture,” originally released in 1940, features Duncan Renaldo, TV’s popular Cisco Kid, and counts “A Song at Sunset” among its classic tunes.

Melody Ranch (1940)
Lawlessness runs rampant in Gene’s hometown of Torpedo until the movie and radio cowboy returns as Honorary Sheriff for a Frontier Days celebration and cleans up the town. Showcasing classics like “We Never Dream the Same Dream Twice” and its title song, and featuring Jimmy Durante and Ann Miller, this musical was Gene’s biggest theatrical production when it was released November 15, 1940. Melody Ranch was selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry in 2002.

The Strawberry Roan (1948)
In Gene Autry’s first color picture, Champion stars in the title role as a wild stallion who becomes a legend of the West. More exciting than any manhunt is the furious pursuit of an outlaw stallion, branded a killer, and the two-fisted cowboy who fights off a gun-crazed posse to win justice for the noble animal. Filmed in vibrantly hued Cinecolor against the beauty of Arizona landscapes, The Strawberry Roan combines thrill-filled action with a tender story of loyalty and includes five great Western songs, including the title song and “The Angel Song.”

Blue Canadian Rockies (1952)
Gene Autry and Champion crash through a maze of murder and mayhem on a dude ranch deep in the heart of the tall timber country. Montana rancher Cyrus Higbee sends Gene, his foreman, to Canada to stop the marriage of his daughter Sandra to Todd Markley, whom he suspects is a fortune hunter. Gene soon discovers that Sandra has turned the place into a dude ranch with entertainers Carolina Cotton and the Cass County Boys. When a mountie is murdered and lumberjacks threaten to take over, Gene and Pat Buttram must find the real murderer and bring peace to the Blue Canadian Rockies. Features the title song and the humorous tune “Mama Don’t Like Music.”

Available June 1, 2020
Public Cowboy No. 1 (1937)
Gene Autry’s tried and true crime fighting methods are put to the test when cattle rustlers employ modern technology – including refrigerated trucks, planes and two-way radios – in Public Cowboy No. 1. Things get worse when the local newspaper gal’s scathing editorials bash Gene’s old-fashioned methods and demand the locals call in “progressive” big city detectives. It’s up to Gene and his horse Champion, along with pal Frog Millhouse, to prove that the Western straight-shooting methods of dealing with crime still hold true! Features the classic tune “The West Ain’t What It Used to Be.”

In Old Monterey (1939)
Sergeant Gene Autry, formerly a rancher, pretends to quit the Army to persuade stubborn farmers to sell their land for a military proving ground. Gene soon discovers that unscrupulous mine owners are keeping the ranchers stirred up in hopes that the government will grow weary of the dealings and pay a higher price for their land. Smiley Burnette and June Storey join Gene in this wartime Western. Features the classic song “Tumbling Tumbleweeds.”

Rovin’ Tumbleweeds (1939)
Rancher Autry takes a job singing on the radio to aid farmers and ranchers whose lands were destroyed by raging floods. Blaming crooked politicians, he goes to Washington and tries to put through a flood control bill and finds he has a lot to learn. In this classic release, Gene introduces his immortal theme song,“Back in the Saddle Again,” which has gone on to become a piece of American history.

Ridin’ On A Rainbow (1941)
Assisting in the search for murderous bank robbers, rancher Gene Autry goes undercover as a showboat entertainer to capture the crooks and recover the money. Key to their investigation is the young singer Patsy, played by Mary Lee. Action-packed from ship to shore, the film’s showstopping musical numbers include Gene’s performance of “Be Honest with Me,” nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Song of 1941.

Sioux City Sue (1946)
Gene trades in his wings for a pair of spurs in his first movie after returning from World War II. To get his ranch out of dire financial straits, Gene reluctantly goes to Hollywood to make a movie. But his real troubles begin on his return when everyone finds out he’s the voice of Ding Dong the animated singing donkey, and his nemesis tries to drive him to ruin. Released November 21, 1946, this classic features Sterling Holloway and the hit “Oklahoma Hills.”

For more information on America’s favorite singing cowboy Gene Autry, please visit his official websitewww.GeneAutry.com.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

OnVideo News via Email

Get our free new-release newsletter every week in your inbox:

Subscribe to our weekly new-release newsletter. Join here.

Want more? Keep up-to-date with OnVideo's Breaking News, sent straight into your email box. Subscribe here.

Subscribe to OnVideo's Email News