The Strawberry Roan (Columbia Pictures) (1948)

Strawberry Roan Mat I-A; Still Gene Autry No. 2 GENE AUTRY Also available in Order Mat No. Y2-column size. V2-A. Strawberry Roan Mat I-G; Prod. Still No. 141 GLORIA HENRY Strawberry Roan Mat I-F; Prod. Still No. 57 CHAMPION Flying Cowboy Gene Autry, currently starring in Columbia’s Cinecolored outdoor drama, “The Strawberry Roan” at the ...... Theatre, should be known as “The Flying Cowboy” as well as “The Singing Cowboy.” In the past year, he has logged 864 flying hours, an average of 72 hours a month, as compared with commercial airline pilots who are not allowed more than 1020 yearly hours or 85 a month. Gloria Henry Looks Cute, Feels Silly When Riding Horse Gloria Henry never could feel completely at ease with horses, so, of course, they put her in a picture with thirty-five of them. “It’s not exactly fun,” said Gloria, “but it’s educational.” The New Orleans girl, who landed a Columbia Pictures’ contract last year via radio dramatics, was referring to her current movie chore, “The Strawberry Roan,” starring Gene Autry and now playing at {en A Sa Theatre. Being leading lady to a top star such as Autry is a nice break for a newcomer, and don’t think that Gloria, a smart gal, doesn’t appreciate it—but those horses! “T was on a horse just once in my life,” she explained, ‘‘and he threw me— right in a mud puddle. From then on, horses were on my black list. I wouldn’t even go to the races.” Miss Henry got along very well without horses, too. She went into radio, then into reporting, little theatre work and back to radio. Then, boom! Columbia snatched her and gave her the feminine lead in her first three pictures. The studio picked up her option and then gave her the part of the cattle rancher’s daughter in “The Strawberry Roan,’ a Western musical involving Gene Autry, his famous sorrel, Champion, and thirty-four other horses. “It was a serious moment,” said Gloria. “I couldn’t say no, and I didn’t want to say yes. So I went to Mr. Autry and told him my problem.” She sighed. “He was cute. He told me that I could ride Champion, and that he would see to it personally that Champ would be very gentle and patient with me. “Finally Mr. Autry made me get on the horse, and off we went up the road, with Gene walking beside us. We passed three mud puddles, and I didn’t land in one of them. That was when I began to relax, “From then on, I did all right. Now, I can even gallop with Champion. But—” she hesitated —“T still don’t trust horses, and I don’t think Champ cares much for me. He only puts up with me because he’s such a gentleman.” Gene Autry Town America’s favorite singing cowboy star, Gene Autry, currently starring in Columbia’s “The Strawberry Roan,” Cinecolor action drama at the _... .... Theatre, is the only Hollywood actor to have an entire town named in his honor. The little town of “Gene Autry, Oklahoma” even has a _ post-office. 4 TTT gs LOCAL ANGLES Addison, Ala. — Birthplace of Pat Buttram. Bakersfield, Cal—Gloria Henry did radio work over station KPMC. Fort Reno, Okla.—Jack Holt spent three years in special army branch here, training horses for war duty. New: Orleans, La. — Gloria Henry's birthplace. Ravia, Okla. — Gene Autry spent childhood here. Sapulpa, Okla——Gene Autry worked as telegraph operator in town's railroad station. Snyder, Tex. — Dick Jones' birthplace. Tioga, Tex. — Gene Autry's birthplace. Winchester, Va.— Jack Holt born here. SE MD OO HO MOD MOE NOD NOD OOD OO OE HUE TOU HUG NUN NON OUD OUT O00 ONT ON On] TO TTY ODE NO UN TOD OT WO NTN WUT NO 0 TEN SUT) Fis msm) (Feature) Today's Stars Smarter, Says Famous Jack Holt Movie stars of today are not as glamorous as the stars of yesterday, contends Jack Holt— a man who should know. “But they’re smarter,” he adds. Mr. Holt, who was one of the screen’s most handsome and virile heroes 20 years ago and is currently playing a lead in Columbia’s Gene Autry starrer, “The Strawberry Roan,” Cinecolored outdoor drama at the aero oe: Theatre, hastens to explain, of course, that there are many exceptions to his comparison. “But the movie world of 20 years ago was more vivid, exciting and wacky,” he contends. “It reflected the tempo and spirit of those giddy days. “Male stars raced up and down Hollywood Boulevard in Dusenbergs, Isotta Fraschinis and Mercedes; feminine stars paraded in shiny black town cars a mile long, driven by haughty chauffeurs in elegant livery. “Now, the film celebrities drive cars fresh off a Detroit assembly line. And they are too smart to risk their valuable necks speeding. I remember,” says Holt, “when Tom Mix was seen everywhere in a pure white car with his name printed on the sides. He had ‘Tom Mix’ spelled out in lights over the gateway to his home, and the clothes he wore made working cowboys blush. “Today’s top Western star, Gene Autry, has four cars, but they’re of standard make and color. Although he wears Western suits at all times, they’re made by a swank Beverly Hills tailor and are ultra-conservative in cut and color. “In the old days,” Holt reminisces, “stars gave in more to their exhibitionistic tendencies. They played in public, fought in public and sometimes loved in public—and they did all three colorfully. Whether discreet or not, it certainly was glamormaking. “Nowadays, it seems that most stars are more conservative about their private lives than business people. They work hard, stay at home nights and save their money.” Paradoxically, however, Jack Holt has always been an interesting person to the public— and even a bit glamorous—and look at these quotes from fan magazines of “the old days.” Nina Wilcox Putnam wrote: “Off the screen he (Holt) has, so far as Hollywood knows, no existence whatsoever.” Harriet Parsons wrote: “Whoever does this guy think he is—Garbo with a mustache?” (Reader) Action Star Holt Gets Plenty of It Typical of the excitement that’s always a part of the Hollywood scene is the way veteran character actor Jack Holt received an important role in Columbia’s Gene Autry starrer, “The Strawberry Roan,” Cinecolored Western drama now playing at the Theatre. In the middle of the night, while Holt was on his way to El Paso, Texas, to judge a horse show, the train’s porter delivered a telegram asking him to return to Hollywood immediately. He got off at Niland, a whistle stop in the middle of the desert, and had the next west-bound train flagged down. It was full, and Holt might have been out of luck if the conductor hadn’t been a fan of his from ’way back and let the actor sit in the men’s lounge! He arrived at the studio just in time for wardrobe fittings before flying out with the Autry company for Sedona, Arizona, where the picture was to be filmed. (Reader) Autry Saves Day When Horse Bolts During the filming at Sedona, Arizona, of Columbia’s Gene Autry starrer, “The Strawberry Roan,” now playing at the .... Theatre, several hundred spectators saw the movie cowboy suddenly prove himself a real cowboy, and a good one, to boot. It happened when a _highspirited mare, unused to movie work, bolted from in front of the camera and took off for the hills. Autry and three local wranglers who work in the picture jumped on their horses and gave chase. Autry’s famous sorrel, Champion, quickly gained on the mare, and Autry made a perfect 20-foot throw with his lariat to stop the runaway. The cowboy star was relieved and delighted with the result. “That would have been a heck of a spot to have failed in,” he said. (Reader) Jack Holt Advises Autry on Horse Care Although Gene Autry, star of Columbia’s Cinecolored “The Strawberry Roan,” at the .... Theatre, is an authority on horses, he always went to another member of the cast for final advice on any question regarding the thirty-five horses used in the picture. That person was veteran actor Jack Holt, recognized judge cf equines, who spent four years during the war in the U. S. Army Remount, a_ specialized branch of the service which trained horses for war work. Holt was last seen on the screen in a featured role of “They Were Expendable.” 30 Autry Horses Gene Autry used thirty of his own horses in “The Strawberry Roan,” thrilling outdoor drama in Cinecolor now playing at the Theatre. The animals were trucked over from Autry’s ranch to the film’s location site near Sedona, Arizona and were called on for exciting wild horse sequences. eC 1& Humane Society Praises Autry A letter recently received by the Gene Autry Producing Company made the cowboy star one of the proudest men in Hollywood. The note came to the famous Westerner right after he had completed work in Columbia's "The Strawberry Roan," his first color film, and it was sent by The American Humane Association Autry has always valued all animals very highly and never has permitted any horse to suffer an indignity in his films. Hence, his extreme pleasure at the letter which termed the picture, currently on view at theyre it Theatre, "far above the average" and then went on to give "The Strawberry Roan" the society's complete endorsement and approval. PET OL TO OE NOE UE OY NOY OT OTN OE STN OT UTY UD TET TUE WY TOT NTT Tu) ON TT OTN 0) SOTO NTS TUT PL EEE TOE TOD MED TOE COE OEY OTN TOE TOT TOY WD OE TOT TON O00 TOE TU UNTO) 0 TY OTTO OTST YO YT TTT CT eT a TY) Strawberry Roan Mat |-D; Prod. Still No. 89 JACK HOLT Strawberry Roan Mat |-C; Prod. Still. No. 82 DICK JONES Strawberry Roan Mat |-B; Prod. Still PAT BUTTRAM No. 74 (Reader) Autry Sings Five Songs in New Film A ‘‘must” in every Gene Autry film is a generous number of songs by America’s favorite singing cowboy. In_ his latest, Columbia’s “The Strawberry Roan’” a mighty outdoor drama filmed in Cinecolor and now playing at the Theatre, Autry warbles prairie ballads. They include “The Strawberry Roan,” ‘‘When the White Roses Bloom in Red River Valley,” “The Angel Song,” “Can’t Shake the Sands of Texas from My Shoes” and “Texas Sandman.” Autry’s famous stallion, Champion, also stars in the picture, with featured roles taken by Gloria Henry, Jack Holt, Dick Jones and Pat Buttram. five Page 1]