(From Old Corral image collection) TUMBLING TUMBLEWEEDS (Republic, 1935) was Gene Autry's first starring B-western, and the above title lobby card shows Gene on the original Champion (with that unique face blaze and three white socks). About six months earlier, his first starring film was released, THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (Mascot, 1935) serial.

During a film and TV career that spanned about twenty years, Gene Autry had a variety of horses which were billed as some variation of 'Champion'. And Champ was the only hoss of a western film hero to have a TV series. THE ADVENTURES OF CHAMPION was produced by Autry's Flying A production company, and starred Barry Curtis as Ricky North, Jim Bannon as Uncle Sandy North, Francis McDonald as Will Calhoun, and Ewing Mitchell as Sheriff Powers. The program first aired on the CBS television network, and ran from September, 1955 through February, 1956. There was also a Champion comic book (but Gene's horse wasn't the only one to have a comic series - Roy Rogers' Trigger also had a comic book run).

Shown below are the main Champion and several of the primary Champion variations. Autry had many others.

Special thanks to Sky Corbin for providing most all of the caption information and details under the following pictures of Gene's primary hosses ... and to Leon Jackson for his investigation into Autry's acquisition of Champion Jr.

(From Old Corral image collection) Above and below, Gene with the original Champion.  This was the horse Gene rode during his glory days from 1935 until he went into the service in 1942.  The original Champion came off a ranch in the Ardmore, Oklahoma area, not far from where Gene grew up.  He had only three stocking feet, a distinctively shaped head, and a large 'I'd know him anywhere' blaze down his face. (From Old Corral image collection) (From Old Corral image collection) Gene strums his guitar and serenades pretty June Storey, while the original Champion looks on (probably thinking "c'mon Gene, let's hit the trail!".) (From Old Corral image collection) Above, Polly Rowles and Gene on the original Champion in a scene from SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES (Republic, 1937). (From Old Corral image collection) Above is Champion Jr., the second of Gene's fulltime steeds.  His distinctive, narrow, well-designed blaze makes him easy to identify.  He was Gene's main mount in the years following his return to the movies after WW2.  He first appeared in SIOUX CITY SUE (Republic, 1946). Leon Jackson resides in Coalgate, Oklahoma, and during September '99, we exchanged some e-mails about the origin of Champion Jr.  The story goes that Gene Autry purchased a four year old named 'Boots' from a Charles Auten around 1946 for $2,500 or so.  Auten lived in Ada, Oklahoma, and he exhibited 'Boots' at various fairs and rodeos.  He learned that Gene was looking for a new 'Champion' and that the cowboy film star was doing personal appearances including a rodeo in or near Fort Worth, Texas.  The two met, struck a deal, and 'Boots' became 'Champion Jr.'.  Leon was able to contact Charles Auten's nephew Melvin Auten, who confirmed that his uncle did sell 'Champion Jr.' to Autry, and one of Auten's ranches was the Echo Ranch in Ada, Oklahoma.  Seems that Auten and Gene Autry also became good friends.  In later years, Auten had a ranch in Sulphur, Oklahoma where he trained and sold horses --- this included some Roman style riding horses for Monty Montana (who would spend time at the ranch), as well as one or more of the 'Silvers' used in the LONE RANGER TV show and THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER (1981) movie which starred Klinton Spillsbury. (From Old Corral image collection) After returning from WW2 service, Autry made a few pictures for Republic before he formed his own production company and moved over to Columbia Pictures.  Above is Gene on Champion Jr. with sidekick Sterling Holloway in a lobby card from TWILIGHT ON THE RIO GRANDE (Republic, 1947).  Champion Jr. was Gene's first post WW2 steed.  Note the narrow blaze with the 'arrowhead' tip.  He was a Tennessee Walking Horse and pranced prettily down the trail as Gene sang a mighty fine song. (Courtesy of Minard Coons) Above is Gene Autry putting one of his Champions through his paces, doing one of their rodeo tricks (possibly the 'End of the Trail' routine). I had originally thought this was Lindy Champion, but decided to investigate further after doing a blowup of the face blaze (shown below) which seems to be off center and toward the left eye on the horse in this photo. If the various Champion identifications are correct at the the Gene Autry website, this horse is probably Touring Champion: http://www.geneautry.com/geneautry/champion/touringchampion.html If you'd like to see Touring Champion up close, look at the scenes where Gene, Smiley, June Storey and Mary Lee camp near the lake in GAUCHO SERENADE (1940). (From Old Corral image collection) Above is Gene and Champion III (called just Champion or Champ or the TV Champion), the last of Gene's three main horses.  This horse was used in the feature films of the 1950s and for the TV shows, THE GENE AUTRY SHOW and THE ADVENTURES OF CHAMPION.  Champion III even had his own comic book! (Courtesy of Leo Pando) Above is Gene atop his TV Champion. (From Old Corral image collection) Above, Tom Mix on the white Tony II chatting with Gene Autry riding ??? during their 1939 Christmas Parade appearance in Hollywood. (Courtesy of Les Adams) Above is Gene Autry atop one of the white hosses used by the Muranian Thunder Riders in THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (Mascot, 1935) serial.

The official Gene Autry website has a nice writeup on the many Champions: http://www.geneautry.com/geneautry/champion/index.html

Henry Crowell did an interesting article on his work and association with Gene Autry, Champion and Melody Ranch from about 1949-1990: http://scvleon.com/newhall/crowell.htm