Gene Autry 12 acres. A decade after he purchased Melody Ranch, a brushfire swept through in August 1962, destroying most of the original standing sets. However, the devastated landscape did prove useful for productions such as "Combat!." A complete adobe ranch survived at the northeast section of the ranch. In 1990, after his favorite horse Champion, which lived in retirement there, died, Autry put the remaining 12-acre ranch up for sale. It is now known as the Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio and Melody Ranch Studios on 22 acres. The ranch has Melody Ranch Museum open year-round; and one weekend a year,
Jackie Autry in the 2007 documentary, "Gene Autry: White Hat, Silver Screen", and was the Executive Producer of the 2009 documentary, "When Dream Worlds Collide". On November 25, 2010 (Thanksgiving Day), Autry was driving a car in Palm Springs that hit and killed a pedestrian, Jesus Cardova Diaz, who was a homeless man. She received no civil or criminal charges as she was clearly sober and the man she hit was jaywalking. Jackie Autry Jackie Autry is the former owner of the Los Angeles Angels and widow of Gene Autry, actor, singer and businessman. On October 2, 1941, Autry was born as