Shooting High (1940)

Gene Autry B-Western Series ... Shooting High (1940) ... 20th Century Fox"

20th Century Fox presents "SHOOTING HIGH" (1940) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- relive those thrilling days when the "First Singing Cowboy" Gene Autry took us down the dusty trails with hard riding and straight shooting hitting the bull's eye with excitement every time ... the Gene Autry series of B-Westerns were a staple of Saturday matinees in the 1930s and 1940s ... don't miss any of the Singing Cowboy's Gene Autry features loaded with action that will leave you wanting more of his B-Western adventures

Under Alfred E. Green (Director), John Stone (Producer), Lou Breslow (Screenwriter), Owen Francis (Screenwriter), Ernest Palmer (Cinematographer), Gene Autry (Songwriter), Felix Bernard (Songwriter), Fred Glickman (Songwriter), Samuel Kaylin (Musical Direction/Supervision / Composer (Music Score), Johnnie Marvin (Songwriter), Charles Newman (Songwriter), Harry Tobias (Songwriter), Paul Francis Webster (Songwriter), Nick De Maggio (Editor) --- released April 26, 1940 --- Jane Withers admired Gene Autry and asked her studio if she could appear in a movie with him. Withers was under contract to 20th Century Fox, and would not be allowed to work on a Republic picture. She was able to convince the studio to work out a deal so she could appear with Gene Autry, and this film was the result --- Gene Autry plays Will Carson in the middle of his family's generation-old feud with the Pritchard's. A motion picture company comes to make a movie about Will's grandfather Wild Bill Carson. When the real star of the movie(Robert Lowery)is scared out of town, Will takes the part of his beloved ancestor --- Feuding, singing, a bank robbery all while motion picture is being filmed --- songs include "There's Only One Love in a Lifetime", "Shanty of Dreams" and "Little Old Band of Gold".

the cast includes
Gene Autry ... Will Carson
Jane Withers ... Jane Pritchard
Marjorie Weaver ... Marjorie Pritchard
Frank M. Thomas ... Calvin Pritchard
Robert Lowery ... Bob Merritt
Kay Aldridge ... Evelyn Trent (as Katharine Aldridge)
Hobart Cavanaugh ... Clem Perkle
Jack Carson ... Gabby Cross
Hamilton MacFadden ... J. Wallace Rutledge
Charles Middleton ... Hod Carson
Ed Brady ... Mort Carson
Tom London ... Eph Carson
Eddie Acuff ... Andy Carson
Pat O'Malley ... Sam 'Lem' Pritchard
George Chandler ... Bank Teller Charley
Ivan Miller ... County Attorney Sanders
LeRoy Mason ... Russ, lead bank robber
George Chesebro ... Man Getting a Shave

BIOS:
1. Gene Autry
Date of Birth: 29 September 1907 - Near Tioga, Texas
Date of Death: 2 October 1998 - Studio City, Los Angeles, California

Special footnote, Orvon Gene Autry was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television --- Discovered by film producer Nat Levine in 1934, he and Burnette made their film debut for Mascot Pictures Corp. "In Old Santa Fe" as part of a singing cowboy quartet; he was then given the starring role by Levine in 1935 in the 12-part serial "The Phantom Empire" --- Shortly thereafter, Mascot was absorbed by the formation of 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 --- Autry became the top Western star at the box-office by 1937, reaching his national peak of popularity from 1940 to 1942. His Gene Autry Flying "A" Ranch Rodeo show debuted in 1940 --- Gene Autry is the only celebrity to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one in each of the five categories maintained by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce --- Radio, Films, Recordings, Television and Live Theater.

Check out a new book from Empire Publishing - "GENE AUTRY WESTERNS" (Hardcover) - by author Boyd Magers, like no other book on Gene Autry --- all of Gene's Mascot, Republic and Columbia westerns included, as well as his half-hour TV Episodes --- each segment contains the release date on each film ... major production credits ... complete cast (including character played) ... all songs included, songwriter and who performed them in the film ... running time of each film ... dates of the filming ... bios on the cast and major players (Smiley, Pat Buttram, Cass County Boys, Herbert J. Yates, directors, leading ladies, songwriters and various heavies, etc.) ... locations that were used ... budgets and negative cost ... stunt people involved ... analysis and synopsis on each film ... notes and comments (including film and cast background info, salaries paid, working titles, etc) ... comments from Gene and many other cast members on each film ... theater exhibitors comments at the time of the films release ...this tribute was written from the heart and it shows.

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns ... order your copy now from Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD --- stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out Image Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 66 min on DVD ~ Image Video #4005. ~ (11/11/2003) July 17, 2007

shootig high

Jane Withers is the young teen who is trying to get her sister to marry Will played by Gene Autrey. A Hollywood company arrives in the small western town and Will ends up with the leading role.Jack Carson plays the producer in this comedy classic.
Jane Withers is so witty and up to her old tricks,always trying to scheme,getting in some kind of trouble. Great movie for the whole family and very clear to watch. 9 out of 10. March 21, 2006

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