mericun l/Uedtern ^auorit IDING at the head of the pro- Jg) [vV cession this year again, Roy Rogers, with "Trigger" in parade gait, swings into every small town American Main street. He has maintained the front-and-center spot for nine years of undisputed rule over the affections of small boys and their g.-ownup counterparts. And for those nine years his footsteps have been persistently dogged by his contemporary, Gene Autry. Proving the love of the public for the "Toby" since tent show days, is the redoubtable George "Gabby" Hayes, representing tops in that necessary ingredient to all successful films, comic relief. Just behind the leading trio, and climbing steadily, is young Tim Holt. He seems to be taking the steps two at a time, since last year in sixth place, he settles into fourth as of 1951. It is high time to polish up the saddle and the bridle and slick up the cowboys themselves for, riding full tilt into the rodeo arena, are a couple of gals ready to whoop it up v/ith the best of the male stars. Dale Evans and Judy Canova in fifth and sixth place respectively. The old bromide that 'there is nothing new under the sun" about Westerns was blown into a cocked hat in 1951. Not that the tried and true formulas were found wanting. But for reasons unknown, producers of the sagebrush-and-tumbleweed epics shifted their six-shooters and launched out in several new directions. These innovations seem to have met with the approval of the fans and it may well be that their ROY ROGERS THE 1. Roy Rogers 2. Gene Autry LEADERS 3. George "Gabby" Hayes 4. Tim Holt 5. Dale Evans 6. Judy Canova 7. Smiley Bumette 8. "Wild Bill" Elliott 9. Rex Allen 10. Charles Starrett numbers will have been increased thereby. To those who follow Westerns there has been a noticeable number of additions in story content. New situations, formerly considered proper grist for the standard featurewriting mill, have been lifted to embellish and enrich the old herornasquerades-as-a-villian theme. Historical incidents have, in more than a few instances, furnished the starting point for the standard exploits of the hero. The hero has even, on occasion, been given a new role to play. Invading the realms of the professions, he has become a doctor or a lawyer, albeit a hard-riding and hard-shooting doctor or lawyer. Like the music which goes round and round and comes out here, the performances are usually the same, but certainly the element of change has been introduced. Women, formerly delegated to a position below that of the hero's horse in importance in Westerns, have been given a new prominence. More women and children are being cast as supernumeraries as a routine measure. Leading women, in particular, have been given more to do and more to say. In fact, for the first time the names of women appeared on the ballot of AII-American favorites. Achieving this recognition, of c standing with the fans in their own right, were Dale Evans, Judy Canova and the moppet, Eilene Janssen. In the case of Miss Evans, a better share of the honors has been evident since her marriage to Roy Rogers. The publicity tour she made with her husband added to her popularity, and to his. The leavening ingredient introduced into the standard fare has made the Western a betterbalanced article of the motion picture diet. Judy Canova was launched during 1951 in a picture, "Honeychile," which is the first of a series designed to give her prominence as the Queen of the Cowgirls. Certainly a new departure m that, for the first time in a long while, a woman is to be the star of a western series, and her producers display such confidence that hers is the only "name" in the cast. This would seem to bear out the fact that woman's sphere is definitely no longer the home and the sunset. The same studio has sponsored still another innovation, that of a well-planned, long-range operation in exploiting tv/o youngsters, Eilene Janssen and Michael Chapin, as western stars. The idea being that they be given experience and buildup as child stars, with the hope that such buildup will result in adult popularity in a few years. So far three pictures starring the pair have been released, "Buckaroo Sheriff of Texas," "Arizona Manhunt" and "The Dakota Kid." With public acceptance of these departures from precedent a wellestablished fact, who can say what new and wonderful things may be added in the realm of this old, but greatly loved, field of motion picture entertainment. The task of the producers will be to keep all the "old" that is good and to sift carefully and discard or accept those new things which will add interest and. color to the product. In so doing, they may find that they have tapped a flood of new audiences which will assure an even greater degree of success for this perennial favorite. GENE AUTRY
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GTuddroo 16 f roduce by CHESTER FRI
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Prospects Are Brighter In Britain (
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I Q O o 6 M GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (Mus
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\NDROCLES AND THE LION (Costume Com
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Robert Sparks Producer R K O RADIO
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II O I— H I— H < •J < H < < >
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• . C/3 O K Director: Williom KeJ
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Cyclone Fury. ...368... (54) _ Aug.
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(68) (67) age, David Bruce, Steven
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(85) 1 Lynn, Greg Martell. Director
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(95). (92) O'Donnell. Henry Wilcoxo
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to find guns stolen from arsenal. W
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Damian O'Flynn. Director: Prank Mc-
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Robert RKO Radio (July 29, 1950 thr
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Communist sabotage. He is assisted
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(86) Werewolf of London... (76) Mar
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guest stars Rex Allen, Allan "Rocky
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Joseph engaged. After many complica
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(70) .226... world is against him,
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Charles of events surrounding the d
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Hudson, Joyce Holden. Director: Jos
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) Bad Lord Byron. ,..1A..., (85) In
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Derek Bond. Director: Charles Prank
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queen discovers her husband's infid
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Treasured Earth... Hungarian (100)
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I I Preparations 3103 Canadian Snow
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Royal Rodeo 7002 ... (20) Nov. 4, '
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Casino ) First Polkas... (12'/i) Ho
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p\CTUft^ Century-Fox ACKNOWLEDGES W