''Colorado Sunset'' is a 1939 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film directed by

George Sherman George Sherman (July 14, 1908 – March 15, 1991) was an American film director and producer of low-budget Western films. One obituary said his "credits rival in number those of anyone in the entertainment industry." Biography George Sherma ...

and starring

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...

Smiley Burnette Lester Alvin Burnett (March 18, 1911 – February 16, 1967), better known as Smiley Burnette, was an American country music performer and a comedic actor in Western films and on radio and TV, playing sidekick to Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, a ...

, and

June Storey Mary June Storey (April 20, 1918 – December 18, 1991) was a Canadian-born American film actress who appeared in 45 films during the 1930s and 1940s. She was leading lady to cowboy singer Gene Autry in 10 films. Early years Storey was bor ...

. Written by

Betty Burbridge Elizabeth Burbridge (December 7, 1895 – September 19, 1987) was an American screenwriter and actress, best known for her Western screenplays. Biography Elizabeth Burbridge was born in San Diego, California on December 7, 1895, the grandd ...

and Stanley Roberts, based on a story by

Luci Ward Luci is an English feminine given name variant of Lucy and an Italian surname derived from the Latin personal name Lucius (from Latin '' Lux'', genitive ''Lucis'', meaning "light"). Luci is also an ancient Norman territorial surname derived from t ...

and

Jack Natteford Jack Natteford (November 27, 1894 – January 7, 1970) was an American screenwriter. He wrote for more than 140 films between 1921 and 1967. He was born in Wahoo, Nebraska and died in Los Angeles County, California. He was married to fellow ...

, the film is about a singing cowboy and his buddies who discover that the ranch they bought is really a dairy farm—and worse, it's subject to intimidation from a protection racket that prevents dairy products from safely reaching the market.Magers, pp. 138–139.

Plot

Tired of traveling around the country performing their music, singing cowboy Gene Autry (

) and his Texas Troubadors decide to purchase a cattle ranch and settle down. When they arrive at the ranch purchased for them by Frog Millhouse (

), they cannot believe that the herd consists of milkcows rather than the cattle they had anticipated. Soon they find themselves in the middle of a dairy war in which various farmers' trucks are being hijacked and destroyed in an attempt to drive them out of business. The town veterinarian, Dr. Rodney Blair (

Robert Barrat Robert Harriot Barrat (July 10, 1891 – January 7, 1970) was an American stage, motion picture, and television character actor. Early years Barratt was born on July 10, 1891, in New York City and was educated in the public schools there. He ...

), suggests that the Hall Trucking Company is behind the raids and proposes the establishment of a protective association. No one suspects that Blair and deputy sheriff Dave Haines (

Buster Crabbe Clarence Linden Crabbe II (; February 7, 1908 – April 23, 1983), known professionally as Buster Crabbe, was an American two-time Olympic swimmer and film and television actor. He won the 1932 Olympic gold medal for 400-meter freestyle swimmi ...

) are in fact the real masterminds behind the sabotage. When Gene vetoes Blair's idea of a protective association, the doctor directs his men to attack Gene's ranch, sending a secret code over the radio station owned by Haines's unsuspecting sister Carol (

). During the raid, Gene captures Clanton (

Jack Ingram Jack Owen Ingram (born November 15, 1970) is an American country music artist formerly signed to Big Machine Records, an independent record label. He has released eleven studio albums, one extended play, six live albums, and 19 singles. Although ...

), one of Blair's men, and turns him over to Sheriff George Glenn (

William Farnum William Farnum (July 4, 1876 – June 5, 1953) was an American actor. He was a star of American silent film cinema and became one of the highest-paid actors during that time. Biography Farnum was born on July 4, 1876, in Boston, Massachus ...

). Soon after, Blair arrives at the jail, kills the sheriff, and frees his henchman. Suspecting that Blair and Haines are involved in the raids, Gene accepts decides to run for sheriff against Haines, and he wins. Gene then convinces the ranchers to contract with the Hall Trucking Company. When he discovers Blair's secret radio messages, he tricks Dr. Blair and his men into an ambush in which the milk trucks are overturned, and the hijackers are caught. Gene and his men emerge victorious in the dairy war.

Cast

as Gene Autry *

as Frog Millhouse *

as Carol Haines *

Barbara Pepper Barbara Pepper (born Marion Pepper; May 31, 1915 – July 18, 1969) was an American stage, television, radio, and film actress. She is best known as the first Doris Ziffel on the sitcom '' Green Acres''. Early life and career Marion Pepper ...

as Ginger Bixby *

as Dave Haines *

as Dr. Rodney Blair *

Patsy Montana Rubye Rose Blevins (October 30, 1908 – May 3, 1996), known professionally as Patsy Montana, was an American country music singer, songwriter and actress. Montana was the first female country performer to have a million-selling single with her ...

as Patsy * The Texas Rangers as Texas Troubadors *

Purnell Pratt Purnell Pratt (October 20, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1914 and 1941. He was born in Bethel, Illinois and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography * ''The Great D ...

as Mr. Hall *

as Sheriff George Glenn *

Kermit Maynard Kermit Maynard (September 20, 1897 – January 16, 1971) was an American actor and stuntman. Early years Born in Vevay, Indiana, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Maynard and a lookalike younger brother of actor Ken Maynard; they were ...

as Cyrus Drake *

as Henchman Clanton *

Elmo Lincoln Elmo Lincoln (born Otto Elmo Linkenhelt; February 6, 1889June 27, 1952) was an American stage and film actor whose career in motion pictures spanned the silent and sound eras. He performed in over 100 screen productions between 1913 and 1952 and ...

as Dairyman Burns * Frankie Marvin as Ranch Hand *

Slim Whitaker Charles Orbie "Slim" Whitaker (July 29, 1893 – June 27, 1960) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 340 films between 1914 and 1949. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and died in Los Angeles, California, from a heart at ...

as Exploding Cigar Recipient (uncredited) * Champion as Gene's Horse (uncredited)

Production

Stuntwork

* Joe Yrigoyen (Gene's double) * Jack Kirk (Smiley's double) * Jimmy Van Horn * Clem Fuller * Vernon Harrington * Jack Shannon * Ted Wells * Willard Willingham * Buell Bryant * Nick Nichols * Bill Yrigoyen

Filming locations

* Keen Camp, State Highway 74, Mountain Center, San Jacinto Mountains, California, USA * Corriganville, Ray Corrigan Ranch, Simi Valley, California, USA * Morrison Ranch * Garner Ranch, Mountain Center, California, USA

Soundtrack

* "Colorado Sunset" (Con Conrad, L. Wolfe Gilbert) by Gene Autry, June Storey, and Cowboys at the end * "On the Merry Old Way Back Home" (Walter G. Samuels) by Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and The Texas Rangers * "Cowboys Don't Milk Cows" (Smiley Burnette) by Smiley Burnette and The Texas Rangers * "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" (Patsy Montana) by Patsy Montana and The Texas Rangers * "Poor Little Dogie" (Gene Autry, Johnny Marvin, Fred Rose) by Gene Autry (guitar and vocal) * "

Beautiful Isle of Somewhere "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere" is a song with words by Jessie Brown Pounds and music by John Sylvester Fearis, written in 1897. The song gained huge popularity when it was used in William McKinley's funeral. It was subsequently a staple at funera ...

" (John S. Fearis, Jessie B. Pounds) by Gene Autry and Townsfolk at the funeral * "Autry's the Man – Vote for Autry" by Smiley Burnette and The Texas Rangers during electioneering * "Autry's the Man – Vote for Autry" (Reprise) by Smiley Burnette and townsfolk after the election * "Seven Years with the Wrong Woman" (Bob Miller) by Gene Autry (guitar and vocal)

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * *

External links

* * * {{George Sherman 1939 films 1939 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films 1930s English-language films American black-and-white films Republic Pictures films Films directed by George Sherman Films scored by Raoul Kraushaar 1930s American films