When the famous "Hollywood" sign fell into disrepair in 1978, various entertainers agreed to buy a letter for $27,777.77. Gene bought the first "L."
Five-Star Birthday Celebration for
America's Favorite Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry
At the Autry National Center
Updated September 14, 2012
Founder's Day at the Autry National Center is September 29th, which is Gene Autry's birthday. To celebrate, the museum presents five special activities throughout the day to honor the only entertainer to have all five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The day includes screenings of The Gene Autry Show, a children's craft activity, live music featuring all the Singing Cowboy's classics, a lecture by Michael Duchemin, PhD, titled "New Deal Cowboy: Gene Autry and Public Diplomacy," and, of course, birthday cake!
Saturday, September 29, 2012 at The Autry National Center
Museum Admission Rates Apply Free for Autry Museum Members
Screenings of The Gene Autry Show Episodes
Gene Autry was the first major movie star to produce and star in a weekly series for TV, The Gene Autry Show, which debuted July 23, 1950 on the CBS television network. Five different half hour episodes of The Gene Autry Show will be screened throughout the day in the Imagination Galley's Western Legacy Theater. Be sure to catch the adventures of singing cowboy Gene Autry, his Wonder Horse Champion, and his sidekick Pat Buttram, who travel the Southwest to maintain law and order. Each unique show has Gene's trademark mixture of music, comedy and action.
Children's Craft Activity
Take your own singing cowboy photo and make a frame celebrating the many contributions of America's Favorite Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry at the Children's Craft Activity Corner in Heritage Court.
John Bergstrom Sings Gene's Cowboy Classics
Western Balladeer John Bergstrom is a past President of the Western Music Association, California Chapter. In addition to performances throughout Southern California and the Southwest, John is a regular participant at the museum's monthly jam in Heritage Court. His two shows, at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., will be devoted to performing some of Gene Autry's best-known songs from movies, his TV show and recordings. You may be surprised at how many Gene Autry hits you know.
Lecture: "New Deal Cowboy: Gene Autry and Public Diplomacy"
A long-time practitioner of western history, public history and museum studies, Dr. Duchemin presently serves as Executive Director of the Chinese American Museum at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument in Los Angeles. From 1993 to 2008, he served the Autry National Center of the American West in a variety of curatorial capacities, including curator of the acclaimed, Gene Autry and the Twentieth Century West: The Centennial Exhibition 1907-2007. Inspired by the research accompanying development of this exhibition, Duchemin focused his doctoral research at UNLV upon the techniques of storyboarding and history museum exhibition as a means of researching and writing about the new forms of electronic media that transformed American culture in the 1930s.
Birthday Treat in the Autry Cafe
Autry Museum members receive a free piece of birthday cake at the Autry Cafe while supplies last.
Also, enjoy these other special Founder's Day promotions at the Autry National Center:
Autry Store: All Gene Autry DVDs are 20% off.
For Saturday, September 29, 2012 only, all Gene Autry movies and television shows on DVD that are currently in stock are included in this sale. And if you are a member of the Autry National Center you will also receive your membership discount off the original price.
Purchases may be made in person at the Museum Store or on-line. Please note that when you place an on-line order the screen will NOT show the sale price but the discount WILL be applied by the store staff when the order is written up. For the complete list of Gene Autry DVDs, read more here.
If you have any questions on the DVD sale, please contact the Museum Store directly.To become an Autry Museum member or renew your membership, click here.
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