Gene Autry's journey began after high school, where he worked as a laborer for the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad in Oklahoma, before transitioning to a telegrapher role. In 1928, he started his career in radio, singing on a local station, and by 1931, he had his own show and was making his first recordings. Three years later, he made his film debut in Ken Maynard's "In Old Santa Fe" (1934),and in 1935, he starred in a 13-part serial, "The Phantom Empire", for Mascot Pictures. The following year, he signed a contract with Republic Pictures and began producing westerns, cementing his status as the quintessential "singing cowboy" of the 1930s and 1940s. His films often grossed ten times their average production costs of $50,000.
During World War II, Autry enlisted in the US Army and was assigned as a flight officer from 1942-46 with the Air Transport Command. After his military service, he returned to making movies, this time with Columbia Pictures, and later with his own company, Flying A Productions. The 1950s saw him produce his TV series "The Gene Autry Show" (1950),"The Adventures of Champion" (1955),and "Annie Oakley" (1954). Autry's prolific songwriting skills resulted in over 200 songs. A shrewd businessman, he retired from acting in the early 1960s and built a multi-million-dollar fortune through his investments in hotels, real estate, radio stations, and the California Angels professional baseball team.
