Well, ‘tis the time of the year for quick reviews, because I’ve got a backlog I want to get in before the end of the year.
This book covers (in exhaustive detail) Autry’s amazing career as a performer. The Angels (baseball), radio and TV station ownerships, and his namesake museum on Los Angeles are barely mentioned. Autry went, in the 1920’s, from live performances at rodeos to songwriting to radio to the movies to TV, successfully managing each field with pretty minimal skills as a horseman and actor (he always played himself, which made things easier) but with a seductively pleasing voice that was perfectly suited to what he sang, and a cheerful smile. The title is the name of one of his pictures, and that is what he was for decades.
He was also a very astute businessman and at the very beginning of his career, he teamed up with Sears to carry a line of children’s products with his name. His fondness for children was real, though, as he never had any of his own (mumps). Every time he got to a new town in his endless tours, he would first visit a children’s hospital or orphanage, usually without press coverage. Ironically, for all his very many hits, by far the biggest, towards the end of his career, was Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, followed by Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. Seems fitting. He was indeed America’s fantasy cowboy most of his life.
Rated at a 4 because as mentioned above, exhaustive. Fortunately I do have a background in his repertoire. South of the Border, Down Mexico Way anyone?