The Official Website of Gene Autry, America's Favorite Singing Cowboy

Fun Autry Fact:

According to a 1953 fan magazine estimate, if all the recordings that Gene sold were stacked one atop of the other, the pile would be 57 miles high.

Film Info

Melody Ranch

1940
Republic Pictures
Production #: 1005
84 minutes

Synopsis:
Popular radio entertainer Gene Autry visits his hometown of Torpedo, as guest of honor at the town's Frontier Days Celebration. He encounters the Wildhack brothers, his childhood enemies and now the local gangsters who beat up Gene and stop his broadcast. Humiliated because life in Hollywood has softened him, Gene decides to stay and clean up the town.

Melody Ranch was selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry in 2002.

Cast:

Character: Performer:
Gene Autry Gene Autry
Cornie Jimmy Durante
Julie Ann Miller
Mark Wildhack Barton MacLane
Veronica Whipple Barbara Allen (Vera Vague)
Pop George "Gabby" Hayes
Tommy Summerville Jerome Cowan
Penny Mary Lee
Jasper Wildack Joseph Sawyer
Bud Wildhack Horace MacMahon
Judge Henderson Clarence Wilson
Slim William Benedict
Champion Champion

Songs:

MELODY RANCH Gene Autry
RODEO ROSE Gene Autry
WELCOME TO YOU Mary Lee, Children
TORPEDO JOE Mary Lee
WE NEVER DREAM THE SAME DREAM TWICE Gene Autry, Ann Miller
MY GAL SAL Ann Miller
BACK TO THE CITY AGAIN (Parody of BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN) Joseph Sawyer, Horace MacMahon
CALL OF THE CANYON Gene Autry
WHAT ARE COWBOYS MADE OF Joseph Sawyer, Horace MacMahon
VOTE FOR AUTRY Jimmy Durante and Mary Lee
MELODY RANCH Gene Autry, Ann Miller

Crew:

Director Joseph Sant0ley
Associate Producer Sol C. Siegel
Original Screenplay Jack Moffitt, F. Hugh Herbert, Bradford Ropes, Betty Burbridge
Special Comedy Sequences Sid Kuller, Ray Golden
Production Manager Al Wilson
Photography Joseph August
Supervising Editor Murray Seldeen
Film Editor Lester Orlebeck
Art Director John Victor Mackay
Musical Director Raoul Kraushaar
Special Music and Lyrics Jule Styne, Eddie Cherkose
Wardrobe Adele Palmer

Watch a Clip from Melody Ranch: