The Old Barn Dance (1938)

Autry and his buddies have a horse selling business which is threatened by a tractor company which claims horses are out of date.

Director:

Joseph Kane

Writers:

Bernard McConville (original screen play), Charles F. Royal (original screen play)

Stars:

Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, Joan Valerie

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Autry	...	Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette	...	Frog Millhouse
Joan Valerie	...	Sally Dawson (as Helen Valkis)
Sammy McKim	...	Johnny Dawson
Walt Shrum and His Colorado Hillbillies	...	Musicians (as Walter Shrum and his Colorado Hillbillies)
The Stafford Sisters	...	Trio of Comic Singers (as Stafford Sisters)
Maple City Four	...	Comic Singers
Roy Rogers	...	Singer (as Dick Weston)
Ivan Miller	...	Mr. Thornton
Earl Dwire	...	Clem Handley
Hooper Atchley	...	Maxwell
Ray Bennett	...	Henchman Buck (as Raphael Bennett)
Carleton Young	...	Peabody
Frankie Marvin	...	Cowboy
Earle Hodgins	...	Terwilliger

Storyline

Sally Dawson gets Gene to sign a contract to sing on her struggling radio station. Gene is selling horses and unknown to him the sponsor of his program is the tractor company he is competing against. When the ranchers that bought tractors can't make their payments and Maxwell forecloses, the ranchers blame Autry.

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Plot Keywords:

horse | tractor | contract | radio station | song | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Music | Western

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 January 1938 (USA)

Also Known As:

En el viejo corral

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 54 min (edited) 60 min (original)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Victor 'High Fidelity' Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Cal Shrum.

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Connections

Featured in Golden Saddles, Silver Spurs (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Old Chisholm Trail (Come a Ti Yi Yippee Yippee Yay)"
(uncredited)
Traditional
Performed by Gene Autry

User Reviews

Gene fights dishonest tractor salesmen

Pretty standard early Gene Autry. Horse Traders, Gene and sidekick Smiley, find themselves suckered into a tractor peddling scheme, designed to swindle the local landowners, by unsuspecting radio station saleslady Sally Dawson (Joan Valerie). When the town blames them Gene and Smiley must prove their innocence and bring the bad guys to justice.

Gene cranks out a fair amount of tunes and Smiley contributes more than a fair share of comic relief in an average oater. This one is really more of a Musical with appearances by Walt Shrum and his Colorado Hillbillies and the Stafford Sisters.

The Old Barn Dance is also notable because it gave rise to bit player "Dick Weston" AKA Roy Rogers who would soon become Republics number one Singing Cowboy.