Gold Mine in the Sky

1938 film by Joseph Kane, Betty Burbridge

Betty Burbridge
Jack Natteford

Story byBetty BurbridgeProduced byCharles E. Ford (associate)Starring

Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette
Carol Hughes

CinematographyWilliam NoblesMusic byAlberto Colombo

Production
company

Republic Pictures

Distributed byRepublic Pictures

Release date

July 4, 1938 (1938-07-04) (U.S.)

Running time

60 minutes^[1]CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

Gold Mine in the Sky is a 1938 Western film directed by Joseph Kane and starring Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Carol Hughes. Based on a story by Betty Burbridge, the film is about a singing cowboy and ranch foreman who, as executor of the owner's will, must see that the daughter and heiress does not marry without his approval.^[2]

Plot

Gene Autry plays a singing ranch foreman who, as executor of the will of the property's owner, must ensure that Cody, the daughter/heiress (played by Hughes) doesn't marry without his approval. Cody wishes to marry Larry Cummings (Craig Reynolds), but Gene refuses, prompting Cummings to attempt to have Gene killed. When this fails, Cummings then demands money so Cody stages a fake kidnapping to raise the funds. However, her plan backfires after Cummings learns about it and turns it into a real kidnapping.

Cast

Gene Autry as Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette as Frog
Carol Hughes as Cody Langham
J.L. Franks' Golden West Cowboys as Musicians and Cowhands
Craig Reynolds as Larry Cummings
Helen Ainsworth as Jane Crocker
LeRoy Mason as Red Kuzak
Frankie Marvin as Cowhand Joe
Robert Homans as 'Lucky' Langham
Eddie Cherkose as Sykes
Ben Corbett as Spud Grogan
Milburn Morante as Mugsy Malone
Jim Corey as Henchman Chet
George Guhl as Constable Cy
Maudie Prickett as customer (uncredited)
The Stafford Sisters as The Levinsky Trio
Champion as Gene's Horse (uncredited)^[2]

Production

Stuntwork

Nellie Walker
Joe Yrigoyen^[2]

Filming locations

Jack Garner Ranch
Action Railway Depot
Keen Camp, State Highway 74, Mountain Center, San Jacinto Mountains, California, USA
Lake Hemet, State Highway 74, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA^[1]

Soundtrack

"There's A Gold Mine in the Sky" (Charles Kenny, Nick Kenny) by Gene Autry and Cowhands
"Hummin' When We're Comin' Round the Bend" (Eddie Cherkose, Alberto Colombo) by Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, Fred 'Snowflake' Toones, Jack Kirk and Cowhands
"There's No Place Like Home (Home, Sweet Home)" (H.R. Bishop, John Howard Payne) by Smiley Burnette (a cappella) and Helen Ainsworth (whistling)
"That's How Donkeys Were Born" (Eddie Cherkose, Smiley Burnette) by Smiley Burnette, Frankie Marvin, and J.L. Franks' Golden West Cowboys
"Frühlingslied (Spring Song) Op.62 #6" (Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy) by The Stafford Sisters
"Dude Ranch Cowhands" (Gene Autry, Fred Rose, Johnny Marvin) by Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, The Stafford Sisters, and J.L. Franks' Golden West Cowboys
"I'd Love to Call You My Sweetheart" (Joe Goodwin, Larry Shay, Paul Ash) by Gene Autry
"Hike Yaa Move Along" (Smiley Burnette) by Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and Cowhands
"Tumbleweed Tenor" (Eddie Cherkose, Smiley Burnette) by Smiley Burnette, Frankie Marvin, and J.L. Franks' Golden West Cowboys
"As Long as I Have My Horse" (Gene Autry, Fred Rose, Johnny Marvin) by Gene Autry^[1]

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c Magers, p. 109.
^ ^a ^b ^c Magers, pp. 109–110.

Bibliography

George-Warren, Holly (2007). Public Cowboy no. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195177466.
Green, Douglas B. (2002). Singing in the Saddle: The History of the Singing Cowboy. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press. ISBN 978-0826514127.
Magers, Boyd (2007). Gene Autry Westerns. Madison, NC: Empire Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-0944019498.