By 1948, the Dell Publishing Company turned out over one million Gene Autry Comics each year.

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"The Story of the Nativity" & "Dreams of the Very Young"
Gene Autry's Melody Ranch Radio Show
(December 23, 1950)

Gene Autry's Melody Ranch Radio Show aired on the CBS Radio Network from 1940 to 1956. The show featured Gene Autry's popular music, comedy from his sidekicks, and a drama. In 1948, the drama portion of the Melody Ranch Christmas Party episode debuted Gene's telling of "The Story of the Nativity." It was so popular that Gene recorded it for Columbia Records in July 1950. "The Story of the Nativity" and the poem "Dreams of the Very Young" were included it in every Melody Ranch Christmas Party episode thereafter.

The December 23, 1950 broadcast of the Gene Autry Melody Ranch Annual Christmas Party episode has Gene Autry telling "The Story of the Nativity" to little Jimmy (Jeffrey Silver) and Judy (Joan Rae). The music is performed by Carl Cotner's Orchestra, Johnny Bond, the Cass County Boys, and the Pinafores. The show was broadcast live from KNX Studio C in Hollywood, California.

Gene Autry's "Story of the Nativity" is also known as "A Cowboy's Christmas."

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