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
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys is a 2001 American-Canadian Christmas computer-animated adventure musical film directed by Bill Kowalchuk for GoodTimes Entertainment. It was released on video and DVD on October 30, 2001. The film uses the characters from the 1964 Rankin/Bass TV special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and takes place several years after the events of that special (despite Rudolph and Clarice appearing younger in this film than they did at the end of the original special). The film thus revisits classic characters like Hermey