Gene Autry Show: Blackwater Valley Feud

The Gene Autry Show: Blackwater Valley Feud

Originally Broadcast: Sunday, September 3, 1950 at 7 PM ET on CBS

Plot: Gene and Pat become involved in a feud between neighboring ranches over a change in ownership. The feud intensifies when one of the ranch owners is killed and the opposing ranch owner is accused of the murder.

Analysis: It is interesting that, even in 1950, we were getting episodes about urbanization. In any case, pretty good little episode, even if I do think they give away the killer too soon, but then again, only have a half hour to play with.

Of note: the DVD box cover says the episode aired on September 10, 1950, but two sites (imdb.com and tv.com) cite the September 3, 1950 date. Don’t know if there is any way to know for sure who is right and who is wrong, but I’ll go with the websites for now, pending evidence one way or the other.

Bottom Line: Good plot, if settled a bit easily for my tastes, but like I said, a half hour Western in 1950 isn’t going to be Gunsmoke, so I shouldn’t be asking for that. We’ll get there eventually.

Blackwater Valley Feud is one of four episodes included on Gene Autry Show – The Double Switch (http://www.amazon.com/Gene-Autry-Show-Double-Switch/dp/B00005B6KF/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1285101803&sr=1-1). Copies are hard to come by since Image discontinued the DVD, but can be located either on eBay.com or on Amazon Sellers.

Tomorrow, our last Gene Autry Show episode. Promise.