''Oh, Susanna!'' is a 1936 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

Joseph Kane Jasper Joseph Inman Kane (March 19, 1894, San Diego – August 25, 1975, Santa Monica, California) was an American film director, film producer, film editor and screenwriter. He is best known for his extensive directorship and focus on Western fi ...

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, and ...

, and

Frances Grant Frances Grant (born Stella Theophane Fortier, February 15, 1909 – February 20, 1982) was an American movie actress and dancer. She appeared as the leading lady of Gene Autry in ''Red River Valley'' (1936) and '' Oh, Susanna!'' (1936) and othe ...

. Written by Oliver Drake, the film is about a cowboy who is robbed and then thrown from a train by an escaped murderer who then takes on the cowboy's identity.

Plot

Singing cowboy Gene Autry (

) is traveling to Mineral Springs Ranch to visit an old friend, Jefferson Lee (

Carl Stockdale Carl Stockdale also known as Carlton Stockdale (February 19, 1874 – March 15, 1953) was one of the longest-working Hollywood veteran actors, with a career dating from the early 1910s. He also made the difficult transition from silent fi ...

), whom he hasn't seen in fifteen years. On the train, he is robbed and then thrown from the train by escaped murderer Wolf Benson (Boothe Howard). Believing Gene to be dead, Wolf plans to travel to Mineral Springs Ranch and pose as the radio celebrity in order to collect the $10,000 that Lee owes Gene. Meanwhile, Gene is rescued by traveling actors Frog Millhouse (Smiley Burnette) and Professor Ezekial Daniels (

Earle Hodgins Earle Hodgins (October 6, 1893 – April 14, 1964) was an American actor. Career Early in his career, Hodgins was active in stock theater, including working in the Ralph Cloninger troupe of Salt Lake City, Utah, and the Siegel Stock compan ...

). Together they travel to Sage City, where Gene gets into a fight with Sheriff Briggs (

Walter James Walter may refer to: People * Walter (name), both a surname and a given name * Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968) * Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 1 ...

), who believes he is Wolf, and chokes the singing cowboy. Arrested for Wolf's crimes, Gene is unable to sing in order to prove his identity. At the trial, Gene mouths the words to his songs while a phonograph plays, and after the jury listens, Gene is set free. Wolf arrives at Lee's Mineral Springs Ranch pretending to be Gene and asks for his money back. Knowing he is an impostor, Lee refuses to give him the money and Wolf shoots him and robs his safe. On his way to Mineral Springs, Gene comes across a posted reward for "Gene Autry", the murderer of Jefferson Lee. Gene meets Lee's niece Mary Ann (

), who is riding with Flash Baldwin (Donald Kirke), Wolf's accomplice. Gene notices that Baldwin is wearing his own suit, and decides to pose as Tex Smith, offering to perform at the Lee ranch in place of Gene Autry. After finding his suitcase in Baldwin's room, Gene overhears Wolf's scheme to rob the ranch safe, but Baldwin recognizes Gene's voice by playing his record while he sings. The next day, while the guests picnic, Wolf and his men crack the ranch safe. Gene pulls a gun on them, but Sheriff Briggs and his posse arrive with Frog and Daniels. He arrests Gene, instead of Wolf, still believing that Gene killed Lee. While the posse locates Mary Ann to implicate Wolf, he deserts his men and Gene overtakes him in his car. Mary Ann then testifies to Gene's innocence and they kiss.

Cast

as Gene Autry / Tex Smith *

as Frog Millhouse *

as Mary Ann Lee *

as Professor Ezekial Daniels * Donald Kirke as Flash Baldwin * Boothe Howard as Wolf Benson * The

Light Crust Doughboys The Light Crust Doughboys is an American Western swing band from Texas, United States, organized in 1931 by the Burrus Mill and Elevator Company in Saginaw, Texas. The band achieved its peak popularity in the few years leading up to World War II. I ...

as Western Band * Champion as Champion, Autry's Horse *

Clara Kimball Young Clara Kimball Young (born Edith Matilda Clara Kimball; September 6, 1890 – October 15, 1960) was an American film actress who was popular in the early silent film era. Early life Edith Matilda Clara Kimball was born in Chicago on Septembe ...

as Aunt Peggy Lee * Edward Peil Sr. as Mineral Springs Sheriff * Frankie Marvin as Henchman Hank *

as Jefferson Lee * Roscoe Gerald as Irate Farmer * Roger Gray as Sage City Judge * Fred Burns as Cottonwood Sheriff Jones *

as Sage City Sheriff Briggs *

Lew Meehan James Lew Meehan (September 7, 1890 – August 10, 1951) was an American film actor. Meehan appeared in more than 200 films between 1921 and 1947. He was often the main villain in silent Westerns, but in sound films he was usually an "anon ...

as Henchman Pete * Fred Snowflake Toones as Train Porter

Production

Stuntwork

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing t ...

* Tommy Coats * Jay Wilsey * Joe Yrigoyen

Filming locations

Alabama Hills The Alabama Hills are a range of hills and rock formations near the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada in the Owens Valley, west of Lone Pine in Inyo County, California. Though geographically separate from the Sierra Nevada, they are part of ...

Lone Pine, California Lone Pine is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. Lone Pine is located south-southeast of Independence, at an elevation of . The population was 2,035 at the 2010 census, up from 1,655 at the 2000 census. T ...

, USA *

Kernville, California Kernville is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Sierra Nevada, in Kern County, California, United States. Kernville is located northeast of Bakersfield, at an elevation of . The population was 1,395 at the 2010 census, down from 1,7 ...

, USA * Saugus Train Depot, Saugus, California, USA

Soundtrack

* "Oh! Susanna" (

Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known also as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Minstrel show, minstrel music during the Romantic music, Romantic ...

) opening credits medley * "Oh! Susanna" (Stephen Foster) by Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Earle Hodgins (a cappella) * "Oh! Susanna" (Stephen Foster) by Smiley Burnette (accordion) * "Oh! Susanna" (Stephen Foster) by The Light Crust Doughboys * "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" (Stephen Foster) opening credits medley * "Gwine to Rune All Night (De Camptown Races)" (Stephen Foster) opening credits medley * "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)" (Stephen Foster) opening credits medley * "Dear Old Western Skies" (Gene Autry) by Gene Autry * "Honeymoon Trail" by Gene Autry * "Tiger Rag" (

Edwin B. Edwards Edwin Branford "Eddie" Edwards (May 22, 1891 – April 9, 1963) was an early jazz trombonist who was a member of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. Life and career A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Edwards started on violin at age 10 and mo ...

Nick LaRocca Dominic James "Nick" LaRocca (April 11, 1889 – February 22, 1961), was an American early jazz cornetist and trumpeter and the leader of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. He is the composer of one of the most recorded jazz classics of all-time ...

Tony Sbarbaro Antonio Sparbaro, known professionally as Tony Sbarbaro or Tony Spargo (June 27, 1897 – October 30, 1969) was an American jazz drummer associated with New Orleans jazz. He was the drummer of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band for over 50 years. ...

Henry Ragas Henry W. Ragas (January 1, 1891 – February 18, 1919) was a jazz pianist who was a member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the first jazz band to record commercially. Background He played piano with the Original Dixieland Jass Band on t ...

Larry Shields Lawrence James Shields (September 13, 1893 - November 21, 1953) was an early American dixieland jazz clarinetist. He was a member of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, the first jazz band to record commercially. Background Shields was born int ...

, Harry DeCosta) by The Light Crust Doughboys * "They Never Come Through with the Ring" by Smiley Burnette and Earle Hodgins with The Light Crust Doughboys * "Ride On Vaquero" (

Abel Baer Abel Baer (March 16, 1893 – October 5, 1976) was an American songwriter, associated with Tin Pan Alley. Biography Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Baer graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, specialising in dentistry. Baer left ...

L. Wolfe Gilbert Louis Wolfe Gilbert (August 31, 1886 – July 12, 1970) was a Russian Empire–born American songwriter of Tin Pan Alley. He is best remembered as the lyricist for "Ramona" (1928), the first movie theme song ever written. Biography Born i ...

) by The Light Crust Doughboys * "Water Wheel" (

Sam H. Stept Samuel Howard Stept (aka Sammy Stept; 18 September 1897 – 1 December 1964) was an American songwriter who wrote for Broadway, Hollywood and the big bands. He became known simply as Sam Stept or Sam H. Stept – he rarely used his full middle n ...

) by Gene Autry and Frances Grant with Autry on guitar * "As Our Pals Ride By" by The Light Crust Doughboys

Memorable quotes

* Gene Autry Tex Smith: But I tell you, I'm Gene Autry! :Deputy Sheriff: And I'm Bing Crosby. ingingBoo-boo-boo-boo! :Frog Millhouse: Boo-boo yourself.

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * * *

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oh, Susanna! 1936 films 1936 Western (genre) films 1930s romance films American Western (genre) films American black-and-white films American romance films Films produced by Nat Levine Republic Pictures films Films directed by Joseph Kane 1930s English-language films 1930s American films