Gene Autry lived just about every boy’s dream. He worked on the railways, as a movie star cowboy, and then owned his own baseball team. He became known as the “singing cowboy” first on the radio, then in films. Here he is with Tumbling Tumbleweeds, from the 1935 film of the same name.
Autry’s films all followed the same production rules. His publicity team began to market these mandates as “Gene Autry’s Cowboy Code”, and fan mags picked them up fast. Among them “The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.” And “He must respect women, parents, and his nation’s laws.” Makes the Wild West sound downright civil.
We’ve got more about Autry, including the whole cowboy code, right here.