The Adventures of Champion (TV series) of Champion". The radio serial told of young Ricky West (rather than Ricky North), who was raised on a ranch by his adoptive Uncle Sandy. Ricky was often accompanied by his German Shepherd, Rebel. Beginning in 1950, "The Gene Autry Show", a western/cowboy television series, aired for 91 episodes on CBS. "The Adventures of Champion" was a prime time spinoff for the 1955-1956 season. In real life, the Wonder Horse, Champion, was owned by Gene Autry who over many years owned a succession of celebrity horses bearing the same name. The horse starring in "The Adventures of Champion" was known
Gene Autry's Melody Ranch fire." Two episodes of the program featured notable variations from the standard format. One involved the changing of the name of Berwyn, Oklahoma, to Gene Autry, Oklahoma. From there, on November 16, 1941, the "Melody Ranch" program aired as a part of the name changing ceremony. An Oklahoma Gazette article from September 3, 2009, included the following information:He is also the namesake of an Oklahoma town, population 99. Born in Texas, Autry was raised north of the Red River near Ravia after his parents moved there in the 1920s. Autry's Flying A Ranch, where the famous cowboy kept his rodeo