Singing cowboy Sandy's elaborate costumes. While other western actors, such as John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, only dabbled in singing roles, some actors became known mainly for their parts as singing cowboys. The most famous of them was Gene Autry, and the moniker "the singing cowboy" usually refers to him in particular. When Wayne declined further singing cowboy roles, Republic looked for a replacement. Former rodeo rider Autry was chosen because he was the one candidate who could both sing and ride a horse, namely Champion the Wonder Horse. The choice was so successful that, at the time of his death in
Robert L. May speaks in anapestic tetrameter), written in 1947 but only published posthumously as "Rudolph's Second Christmas" (1992), and subsequently with the title "Rudolph to the Rescue" (2006). The second sequel is entirely in anapaestic tetrameter like the original: "Rudolph Shines Again" (1954). May also published four other children's books: "Benny the Bunny Liked Beans" (1940), "Winking Willie" (1948), "The Fighting Tenderfoot" (1954), and "Sam the Scared-est Scarecrow" (1972). May told his story of the writing of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in his article "Robert May Tells how Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer Came into Being" from the "Gettysburg Times" published on