Television
The Gene Autry Show

Ride Ranchero

Flying A Pictures
Season 5, Episode 11 (5-11)
Production #80
Network: CBS
Running Time: 30 minutes
Color

Original Air Date:
Saturday, December 10, 1955

Sponsor: Wrigley's Doublemint Chewing Gum

Part two of a trilogy.
Part one is Saddle Up and
part three is The Rangerette.

Brief Synopsis:

Gene tries to help a confirmed criminal by giving him a second chance at the Flying-A-Ranch, but the man turns out be his own worst enemy. Part two of a trilogy.

Detailed Synopsis:

After successfully turning the late Mamie Weston's ranch into the Flying-A-Ranch, Home of Gene Autry's Rangers, Gene Autry turns his attention to Mrs. Weston's only son, Big Jim, a notorious outlaw. Gene, with the help of lawyer Martin Pickett, secures Jim's release from the federal penitentiary in order to give him a second chance at the Flying A. In the stagecoach on the way, Jim meets a boy, Pedro Gonzales, also headed to the ranch. Pedro immediately recognizes the criminal and accuses him of killing both his father and mother. Jim denies it, but before he can say more, the stage is ambushed by Gene's disgruntled former foreman Stan Richter and his men. As was pre-arranged, Richter springs Jim from the coach. Jim and Richter have planned to sabotage the activities at the Flying A so that the property will revert back to Big Jim. In town, Pedro tells Gene about the ambush, and Gene sets out after Big Jim. Gene finds the outlaw injured – Jim had Richter hit him over the head to divert suspicion. Back at the ranch, Gene exercises Champion and Little Champ, who perform tricks for the boys. Jim pulls Pedro away and tells him that Butch Hanlon actually killed his father, but Pedro responds by saying that Jim did not help his dad and let him die. In school, Gene gives a speech about what it means to be an American after "Lefty" Legan bullies Pedro. Gene, Pat Buttram, the Cass County Boys, schoolteacher Miss Abby, and the Rangers head out on a trail ride. Big Jim has told Richter about it, and they make plans to sabotage the outing. The heavies force a large rock onto the school's campsite, and everyone escapes injury, but the rock crushes Pat's chuckwagon, causing the horses to stampede. Gene, Pedro, and Pat on Little Champ, go after the bad guys. Pedro finds a wounded Big Jim and has the opportunity for revenge, but proves he is the better man by taking the criminal to a doctor. Thus, Gene, aided by Pedro, once more defeats the forces working against him.

Cast:

Character:	Performer:
Gene Autry	Gene Autry
Pat Buttram	Pat Buttram
Big Jim Weston	Emile Meyer
Miss Abby	Sally Mansfield
Martin Pickett	Leonard Penn
Pedro Gonzales	Peter Votrian
"Lefty" Legan	Sammy Ogg
Stan Richter	Gregg Barton
Sheriff Tim McBride	Kenne Duncan
The Cass County Boys	The Cass County Boys
Little Champ	Little Champ
Champion	Champion, World's Wonder Horse

Songs:

Ridin' Down the Canyon

Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys

Crew:

Executive in charge of Production	Armand Schaefer
Directed by	George Archainbaud
Teleplay by	John K. Butler
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
Sound Editor	Harold E. Wooley
Assistant Director	Stanley Neufeld
Recorded by	Glen Glenn Sound Company