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,
The Strawberry Roan The Strawberry Roan The Strawberry Roan is a 1948 American Western film directed by John English and starring Gene Autry, Gloria Henry, and Jack Holt. Based on a story by Julian Zimet, the film is about a singing cowboy who prevents the shooting of a horse that bucked a young boy off, paralyzing him. The cowboy trains the horse hoping to return it to the boy and help him overcome his disability. Joe is paralyzed by a wild horse, a strawberry roan. His father, Walt, tries to kill the horse in anger but is unsuccessful and the horse escapes. Autry,