Television
The Gene Autry Show

The Golden Chariot

Flying A Pictures
Season 5, Episode 5 (5-05)
Production #90
Network: CBS
Running Time: 30 minutes
Color

Original Air Date:
Saturday, October 29, 1955

Sponsor: Wrigley's Doublemint Chewing Gum

Brief Synopsis:

Gene enters his matched bays in a carnival chariot race and defeats a band of unscrupulous carnival operators.

Detailed Synopsis:

Gene stops a runaway wagon on his ranch and finds out that Pat Buttram is training the team for a carnival chariot race. Gene agrees to let Pat use the team, but refuses to drive in the race since he disapproves of gambling. In town, Gene learns that the school superintendent is arriving to inspect the new school, which was supposedly built to replace the burned down one. However, the money has not yet been raised and classes are held in a barn. If the superintendent finds out the truth, schoolmaster Michael Fitzpatrick will be fired and the children sent to school in another town. Gene tries to stop the superintendent, but fails. Horrified by the animals and general barn conditions, the superintendent gives them two more weeks to raise the money. Gene organizes a school building fund rally, but everyone goes to the carnival instead. Pat convinces school board chairmen Kathy and Abigail to bet school building funds on him for the chariot race. Pat loses. Gene examines the racecourse and finds that Pat's chariot was fixed to drag, so he decides to bet cattle money to recoup the losses. Gene places the bet, drives in the second race, and wins, despite all efforts of the carnival men to prevent him. Gene gets the money and hurries to the school groundbreaking ceremonies just in time to keep Fitzpatrick from discovering the charade.

Cast:

Character:	Performer:
Gene Autry	Gene Autry
Pat Buttram	Pat Buttram
Michael Fitzpatrick	Junius Matthews
Kathy	Jean Howell
Charioteer	Harry Lauter
Harper	Ralph Sanford
Throckmorton	Byron Foulger
Abigail	Elizabeth Harrower
Chuck	Bob Woodward
Champion	Champion, World's Wonder Horse

Songs:

There's Nothing Like a Good Old-Fashioned Hoedown

Gene Autry

Crew:

Executive in charge of Production	Armand Schaefer
Directed by	Ray Nazarro
Teleplay by	Maurice Geraghty
Producer	Louis Gray
Director of Photography	William Bradford, A.S.C.
Supervising Film Editor	Anthony Wollner
Film Editor	Jack Wheeler
Musical Director	Carl Cotner
Music Supervisor	Irving Friedman
Musical Score	Walter Greene
Music Editor	Erma E. Levin
Assistant Director	Stanley Neufeld
Recorded by	Glen Glenn Sound Company