Gene Autry starring role by Levine in 1935 in the 12-part serial "The Phantom Empire." Shortly thereafter, Mascot was absorbed by the newly formed Republic Pictures Corp. and Autry went along to make a further 44 films up to 1940, all B Westerns in which he played under his own name, rode his horse, Champion, had Burnette as his regular sidekick, and had many opportunities to sing in each film. Pat Buttram was picked by Gene Autry, recently returned from his World War II service in the United States Army Air Forces, to work with him. Buttram would co-star with Gene Autry
Gene Autry filmography shows were produced by Autry's Flying A Pictures production company and were 30 minutes in length. Fifteen episodes were filmed in color. "The Gene Autry Show" continued to be broadcast in syndication well into the 1970s. Gene Autry filmography This Gene Autry filmography lists the films and television episodes starring the American singing cowboy Gene Autry. From 1934 to 1953, Autry appeared in 93 films. Discovered by film producer Nat Levine in 1934, Autry and his sidekick Smiley Burnette made their film debut for Mascot Pictures in "In Old Santa Fe" as part of a singing cowboy quartet. In 1935,