Overview of 'The Gene Autry Show' Season 1

Episode 1 - Head For Texas

Release Date: 1950-07-23

While riding through the west, Gene discovers Gold Dust Charlie had been murdered, and the culpret had just gotten away. Gene finds gold while burying Gold Dust Charlie, and is immedietaly arrested. Gene sneaks out of jail, and follows Harry Taylor, who was once Charlie's partner. Betty Taylor fires a shot, callinmg attention to the sheriff's posse, and Gene takes the Taylors in old mine, and sets a stick of dynamite. The sheriff arrives right when the killer gets away again. Gene saves the Taylors, and sends the killer to jail.

Episode 2 - Gold Dust Charlie

Release Date: 1950-07-30

Gene returns from a trip, and meets a jockey named Billy Stone, who joins Gene. They find out that rancher, Sandy Dawson had hired some new farm-hands. Little does she know that the hands she hired are really rustlers in disguise. Billy discovers the stolen cattle, and runs away to the rancher to find the rustlers' belongings. Gene and Billy find the rustlers, and take them down. Afterwards, Billy is off the hook, but he decides to stay in Texas.

Episode 3 - The Silver Arrow

Release Date: 1950-08-06

Gene and Patrick Smith (Pat Buttram) are out investigating a series of robberies. Patrick has what he calls, a ""Doodle Bug"", a giant wishbone shaped twig that points to gold and silver when you ask it to. A little boy askes the doodle bug where gold and silver are, and it points to the inside of Patrick's stagecoach. This captures the attention of outlaws, who hi-jack his stagecoach, while he applies for selling old junk. Gene and Patrick go after, it only to find they've been captured. Gene takes the outlaws down, and takes them in.

Episode 4 - The Doodle Bug

Release Date: 1950-08-13

Gene and Pat run into a runaway wagon. Gene finds the driver dead, with a silver arrow shot into him. Gene and Pat inform the sheriff, who tells them that a robber, Randy Edwards had just been released from jail. Randy's attorney tells Gene that the silver arrow is Randy's sign. It turns out that during Randy's sentence, his attorney assumed the title of his ranch, The Silver Arrow, this leads Gene to believe that Randy was framed. The attorney is forming a lynching for Randy, who is hidden by Gene. He ambushes a caf'e owner, and the sheriff clears Randy's name.

Episode 5 - The Star Toter

Release Date: 1950-08-20

Gene has a meeting for road improvement. Henry Harlow sends in money for the road's completetion. The money for the raod is transportated by a stagecoach, that Gene accompanies to avoid an attack. An outlaw chases after the wagon, which in turns, turns over on it's side, knocking the sheriff unconscious. The money is taken by the bandit via prearrangment, and Gene cahses after him, but loses him. Gene and Pat discover the hide out, and bring the bandits in. As it turns out, the money was counterfeit, because Gene suspected Harlow.

Episode 6 - The Double Switch

Release Date: 1950-08-27

A sheriff is killed, and the job is handed over to Gene. Gene hears about a homicidal robber, Ben Foster is the culpret, and goes after him. It turns out Ben also has a wayward son, Jimmy. Gene takes Jimmy in while he still looks for Ben. Jimmy runs into an outlaw gang, and promises to cooperate with them, by putting Gene on. Gene plans a party of Jimmy and Little Champ (Cahmpion's son), Jimmy takes Little Champ, to ride over to jail to slip Ben a gun. Jimmy finds out about the party, and confesses to Gene about stealing Little Champ. Gene heads for Ben, where Jimmy covers for him. Gene takes Ben in, and takes him back to jail.

Episode 7 - Blackwater Valley Feud

Release Date: 1950-09-03

A rancher, Whopper Darrow, ""borrows"" a ranch from friend, Gene Autry, to impress his visiting daughter, Mary. But trouble comes along when an outlaw gang comes to steal money Gene hides in the ranch. Unfortunately, Whopper is part of the gang. Fearing his daughter will be disapointed, Whopper decides to bring the outlaws in. It turns out that Mary knew he wasn't a rancher all along.

Episode 8 - Doublecross Valley

Release Date: 1950-09-10

The T-C (a ranch) has a new cook, Jody Bowers. Gene breaks it to him that the T-C can't use the road that's on route to the Flying M. The people of T-C are displeased and refuse to use the other route, which takes two days to ride. A crook tries to kill the owner of T-C, and puts to blame of Gene's boss.

Episode 9 - The Posse

Release Date: 1950-09-17

An out of jail convict, ""Idaho"", returns to town. His mission: to kill Gene for jailing him. He fails, thanks to a naturalist named Kent, who is really a part of a raider gang who are trying to gain possession of a ranch which belongs to Gene's friend, Jim Watson, and his niece, Susan. Pat discovers that the ranch is the hiding place for gold. Gene brings in the raiders, and Susan is back on friendly terms with him.

Episode 10 - The Devil's Band

Release Date: 1950-09-24

While out on a stroll through the countryside, Gene's boss is shot and killed. Gene teams up with newcomer, Pat Buttram to find out who the ambusher is. The leader of an outlaw gang imposses as Gene's co-workers niece, Debra Randall. It turns out that Gene's co-worker is part of the gang, and it was him who killed his boss. With the help (sort of) from Pat, Gene takes the outlaws in.

Episode 11 - Six-Shooter Sweepstakes

Release Date: 1950-10-01

Gene and Pat meet Pepito, a little Mexican boy who claims he knowns about a gold strike known as the Lost Chance. On their way into town, Gene finds out that the Cattlemens Association fund is short. Some members of the Cattlemens Association are really outlaws, and when they find out about this Lost Chance, they kidnap Pepito and make him lead the way to the Lost Chance, or else, they'll kill his mule, Amigo. Gene rides after the outlaws, and capture them, and saving Pepito, and Amigo.

Episode 12 - The Poisoned Waterhole

Release Date: 1950-10-08

Gene trains Champion for a jockey, Corky, who will ride the horse in a race. Hap Wallace (Pat Buttram) and Corky rude into town to enter Champion in the race. Along the way, Hap runs into some outlaws, who take him into racing Champion against on of his gang member's horse, Midnight. Hap of course bets on Champion. When the race comes, Champion falls ill, and Midnight wins. Hap and Corky discover that the race was fixed, and are captured by the outlaws. Corky is able to escape, and goes to Gene, who rescues Hap, while Corky forms a false posse. When the coast is clear, the outlaws break into a safe that contains Indian funds. Gene captures the outlaws, and tends to Champion.

Episode 13 - The Lost Chance

Release Date: 1950-10-15

Gene and Pat are called in to track down the ""Black Rider"", an outlaw who wears a black suit and hat. The outlaw is terrorizing the town, and plans revenge on the town for an execution of a killer. The sheriff is wounded, and Gene assumes the job. As it turns out, the Black Rider is a woman! Pat discovers this, and rides to tell Gene, who sneaks over to the outlaw's property. Gene (with the sort of help from Pat), Gene is able to capture this Black Rider when she doesn't expect it.

Episode 14 - The Black Rider

Release Date: 1950-10-22

When Gene and Pat go to take a drink at a waterhole, they find an empty bottle of poision along the banks. Gene then runs into his old Indian friend, Chief Tejon, who explains that the Central Valley Railroad are refusing to comply with their contract. Gene and Chief Tejon ride to the railroad camp to investigate. Gene has no luck, and rides to Willow Gap, where he finds the contract hidden in the office of the chief engineer, Craig. Pat discovers a connection between Craig's sister, and an assayer, who has bottles of poison in his office.

Episode 15 - Gunpowder Range

Release Date: 1950-10-29

Milly Parker, who runs a cafe is having trouble. Her younger brother, Tim is a member of an outlaw gang. Milly cals Gene in to help her brother. Gene and Pat find Tim doing a one-man rodeo. Gene and Pat risk it all to convince Tim that ther is nothing cool about being part of an outlaw gang. Gene, Pat and Tim are captured and taken to a lynching. Gene is able to escape and bring the rest of the Red Wolves gang in. and Tim decides he doesn't want to be an outlaw anymore.

Episode 16 - The Breakup

Release Date: 1950-11-05

A thirteen-year-old boy named Eddie Baker comes out west to find his father, who deserted him. Gene and Pat help Eddie find his father. It turns out that father, Jim Baker, is an outlaw. Eddie's story is printed in the local paper, and Jim goes looking for Eddie, who is currently recooperating at Gene's ranch. The outlaws surrender to Gene when their ambush fail, by one of the fellow outlaws shooting Jim, who tries to stop him from shooting Eddie.

Episode 17 - Twisted Trails

Release Date: 1950-11-12

Gene and Pat are searching for a masked gang, when they find rancher, Mac Forbes, and old friend of Gene's is dying. He has willed his share of the rancer to his partner, Tom Lawton. After hearing this, Jeff Forbes, Mac's black sheep nephew tries to claim the ranch for himself. Jeff ambushed and killed Tom, but plays innocent to Gene. After Tom recovers from paralyzation, he tries to shoot Jeff. Gene allows Jeff to leave, who runs to his prartner in crime to kill Tom and claim the ranch. Gene follows and stops them in the nick of time.

Episode 18 - Fight At Peaceful Mesa

Release Date: 1950-11-19

Susan Elwood is now happily married, and has a child. However, her father di not approve of the marriage. While out on a stroll, he is shot, and the town puts the blame on. Gene and Pat babysit for Susan's baby while she visits her injured father. A posse place Gene under arrest for aiding and abetting. While two members of the posse keep an eye out for Gene, he hides them, so he'll worm out a confession from Craig, who was the one who shot. In the end, the Elwood family is back on friendly terms.

Episode 19 - Hot Lead

Release Date: 1950-11-26

Gene, and his new parnter Tiny Jensen are riding into town to buy lumber, since their barn is destroyed in a storm. Gene befriends a young boy and his mistreated palamino. Gene and Tiny try to trail down bank robbers, who are at that moment planning to do another job. Gene and Tiny are able to find them, and bring them to justice.

Episode 20 - The Gray Dude

Release Date: 1950-12-03

Chuck Jones is the only boy in town that doesn't have a steed. His father, Blowfly promises him a horse with a black horse named, Blackie. The horse belongs to Gene, who is working on Blackie. Gene hears about the death of an old prospector, who was found with horseshoe prints on him. The townspeople point finger at Blackie, since the soeprints match his horseshoes. Antoher prospector is found dead with horseshoe prints on him. Blackie is then sentenced to death. Gene goes to find the real killer, and Chuck lets Blackie escape. Gene discovers that Blackie was used as a decoy, and the horse is off the hook, and Chuck now owns his own horse.

Episode 21 - The Killer Horse

Release Date: 1950-12-10

Gene is the sheriff of Santa Rosa. An outlaw gang is rustling horses, and a young man named Ted Doyle iss invovled. Gene arrests him hoping to get information. Ted's mother persuades Gene to clear his name, but Gene won't until he gets information. Ted decides to do one last favor for the gang by getting them some decent horses. Ted changes his mind, and goes home. Sagebrush find Ted's lucky rabbit's foot next to their now-empty stalls. Gene and the gang track down the outlaws who head for Ted's place and bring them in, while Ted is off the hook.

Episode 22 - The Peacemaker

Release Date: 1950-12-17

Gene is on the trail on an outlaw known as the Gray Dude, who has just killed his friend. Gene is helped by the town's new sheriff, Chill Wills. Gene and Chill ride into Cactus County, where Dude Devlin is hiding. Sheriff Davis unwillingly helps. This leads Gene to believe that the sheriff is in cahoots.

Episode 23 - The Sheriff Of Santa Rosa

Release Date: 1950-12-24

An outlaw knocks Gene unconscious, and tries to ride off with Champion, who overthrows him. Gene finds Chill trying to make it rain with every way in the book. Gene learns that an outlaw gang is loose in the town, so he a Chill go out to bring them in. It turns out their leader had stolen a US Marshal Badge. Chill, still trying to make it rain, is captured by the outlaws, but Gene rides to the rescue, fighting them, while rain finally comes.

Episode 24 - T.N.T.

Release Date: 1950-12-31

New neighbors, the Townes arrive out west. Little Theodora (who is called Teddy by her father) hears about Gene Autry living around here. She runs away to find her cowboy hero. She tells him that she's homeless, so Gene takes her in. After her father finds her, Theodora tells him that Gene kidnapped her. Colonel Towne has Gene and Sagebrush arrested, but when Gene ends up in a dispute with an outlaw trying to own water rights, Theodora tells the truth, and Sagebrush washes her mouth out.

Episode 25 - The Raiders (color)

Release Date: 1951-04-14

A charming belle, Faith Harding comes to the west from Ohio, to visit her fiance, Johnny. Unbeknownst to her, Johnny is an outlaw gang leader, who's planing to overtake a payroll. He and his gang hold up a traveling wagon, only to find a big surprise when instead of carrying payroll, the wagon hides, Gene, Sagebrush, and the sheriff.

Episode 26 - Double Barrelled Vengeance (color)

Release Date: 1951-04-21

Gene poses as a masked outlaw to gain the trust of a real outlaw. Gene robs a stage and it's passengers of it's valuables. When in town, Gene talks with a man at a bar, who is really one of the outlaws. After Gene picks a fight with one of the visitors, he is jailed. After he is alone, he explains to the sheriff of his plan. Gene is released, and has Sagebrush cover for him. When Sagebrushes stolen watch's alarm goes off, the bar manager Yvette suddenly puts 2 and 2 togehter. Sagebrush and the outlaw ride out to bury some stolen treasures, when the sheriff kills the outlaws. As it turns out, the sheriff is in fact the ringleader. When he isn't suspecting, Gene ambushes him, and with the bumbling help of Sagebrush, he is brought in.