Gene Autry Trivia

1. Gene Autry was a true Texan, born September 29, 1907 in Tioga, Texas, although his family later moved to Oklahoma. He adopted 'Gene' as his nickname and stage name. What was his birth name?

From Quiz Gene Autry

Answer: Orvon Grover Autry

The Autrys moved to Ravia, Oklahoma in the 1920s, where he went to school and was kept busy helping his family with running the ranch. Later, be became a telegrapher for a railroad. When business was slow, he spent many long nights strumming his guitar and singing.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: Orvon Gene Autry

Gene was born in Tioga, Texas, Sept. 29, 1907. His family moved to Oklahoma when Gene was quite young, so he is closely associated with that State. Autry Inman is a real singer, the others are made-up.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: Telegraph Operator

He and his parents had moved to Oklahoma in the early 1920s. After leaving high school in 1925 he became a telegrapher for the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: Saxophone

He chose the guitar so that he could sing. His Grandfather, a Baptist minister, taught him to sing when he was a child. He also learned to ride at an early age.

From Quiz Gene Autry

Answer: Melody Ranch

Monogram Studios was a film making company that built a western town for its own purposes. Monogram relied on the 'B' Western and similar projects so when the genre was fading, Gene Autry bought the property in 1952 and turned it into the setting for his television series. The show was called "Gene Autry's Melody Ranch" after the name of one of his films. Through the years, it was a set for Westerns, including "The LoneRanger", "WyattEarp","Gunsmoke", "Hopalong Cassidy", "Annie Oakley", "Rin Tin Tin", and "The Cisco Kid". It also hosted the HBO series "Deadwood" and the film "The Magnificent Seven". Prior to Autry's purchase, it was the set for John Wayne's "Stagecoach" and Gary Cooper's "High Noon". A brush fire swept in 1962, destroying much of the property AND leaving it very bleak. Later, the producers of TV's "Combat" found the landscape perfect to reflect the agonies of World War Two combat scenes. Gene sold off the property in 1991, and it was restored and used for Westerns and as a museum.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: The Los Angeles Angels

Gene bought the team when the ball club first came into being, in 1961. Today it is known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. When Gene died Oct 2, 1998, #26 was retired, because along with the 25 regular members of the team, Gene was considered #26.

From Quiz Gene Autry

Answer: Pilot

Gene had earned a private flying license which enabled him to enter Flight School, where he emerged as a Flight Officer. He was assigned to fly the The Hump, which called upon him to fly cargo planes over Himalayan mountains in the India-China-Burma area of operations. He was allowed to continue his weekly radio program as a source of patriotism. Autry served three years of his enlistment in this capacity. Given his fame, he did upon appropriate circumstances entertain troops and also did some work with the USO. Autry refused to take a salary of a flight officer while in the army. Instead he accepted the salary of the lowest paid private.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: Ina May Spivey

Gene and Ina were married in 1932 and Ina died in 1980. Jackie Autry was Gene's second wife. They married in 1981.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: Champion

For a time, Champion had his own radio program, "The Adventures of Champion". Champion was Gene's partner and sidekick throughout their career. There were three official Champions though the years. His first on-screen credit was for 1935's "Melody Trail".

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: Here Comes Santa Claus

Although "Rudolph" and "Frosty" were hits for Gene (and Gene wrote many songs), they were written by others. Gene co-wrote "Here Comes Santa Claus" in 1947 and it became a Christmas classic. "The Christmas Song" was written by Mel Torme.

From Quiz Gene Autry - The Singing Cowboy

Answer: To film B westerns and TV shows

In 1952, Gene bought the ranch which had been the old Monogram Studios ranch, used for the same purpose. Gene hoped to turn it into a western museum later, but it burned down. Gene then built his Museum at Los Angeles' Griffith Park. The Museum of the American West was opened in 1988.

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