The Adventures of Champion (TV series) Wonder Horse!"<br> In 1991, the song was re-issued on Frankie Laine's album "On the Trail Again". During the years 1953 to 1960, comic annuals were published by World Distributors, Daily Mirror and Purnell. Second-hand copies of these may be obtained. 'Ricky North' became 'Ricky West' in these, as with the radio serial. Champion also had his own comic book, "Gene Autry's Champion", published by Dell Comics from 1951 to 1955, which continued as "Gene Autry and Champion" from 1955 to 1959. Starting from the issue dated 4 June 1966, "Champion the Wonder Horse" ran as a comic strip in the
Gene Autry was encouraged to sing professionally by a customer, the famous humorist Will Rogers, who had heard him singing. As soon as he could save money to travel, he went to New York. In the autumn of 1928 he auditioned for Victor Records, shortly before purchase by David Sarnoff's RCA Corporation. According to Nathaniel Shilkret, director of Light Music for Victor at the time, Autry asked to speak to Shilkret when Autry found that he had been turned down. Shilkret explained to Autry that he was turned down not because of his voice, but because Victor had just made contracts with