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 S. Walker Sr. office complex at the intersection of Interstate 35 and Mann Road is named for the Walker family. Gene Walker Lake, a reservoir near Mirando City in Webb County is named in Walker's honor. A luxury condominium complex in San Antonio, the Simeon of Olmos Park, is named for Walker through his middle name by its developer, his daughter May Kathleen Walker, a Laredo native. On February 4, 2015, State Senator Judith Zaffirini of Laredo introduced a resolution, SR99, in Walker's memory. Gene S. Walker Sr. Gene Simeon Walker Sr. (March 15, 1926 – January 19, 2015), was a rancher, landowner,