Gene Autry Show: The Star Toter

The Gene Autry Show: The Star Toter

Originally Broadcast: Sunday, August 20, 1950 at 7 PM ET on CBS

Plot: When a local sheriff is killed in a stagecoach hold-up, Autry takes over as sheriff to bring the killer to justice. At the same time, Autry has to help set the son of the killer back on the right side of the law.

Analysis: The story will become, if it wasn’t already by this time, a standard television cliché: Boy of a bad guy thinks Dad loves him and wants to fight the law to bring his father down, but sees the error of his ways through the kind heartedness of the strangers who befriend him and taste betrayal at the hands of those he once followed. That being said, I personally like these kinds of stories and even if it is overdone, it’s done pretty well here. Only real complaint on the episode is this is the first one where, in spite of restoration, you notice a bit of fine grain, especially against the sky in some of the scenes. Not a big deal, but noticeable.

Bottom Line: Like I said, it’s a story we’ll see repeated often as we go through the shows, but it’s one that works if they keep going back to it. Autry does the story quite well in that regard, so worth your time to check out.

The Star Toter is included with three other Gene Autry Show episodes 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). Like the Gold Dust Charlie DVD, this too has been discontinued by Image, but can still be tracked down on either the Amazon Sellers website or on eBay if you are interested in getting a copy.