Television
The Gene Autry Show
Silver Dollars
Flying A Pictures
Season 2, Episode 3 (2-03)
Production #34
Network: CBS
Running Time: 30 minutes
Black and White
Original Air Date:
Saturday, October 20, 1951
Sponsor: Wrigley's Doublemint Chewing Gum
Brief Synopsis:
Gene and Pat join forces with a sheriff to uncover the murdering outlaws behind a silver dollar counterfeiting ring.
Detailed Synopsis:
Two masked riders attack a buckboard driver and steal the five bars of silver bullion he is carrying. Texas Rangers Gene Autry and Pat Buttram hear gunshots and see the two riders. Gene races after them, while Pat attends to the driver. After an impressive fight, Gene corners one of the men, but the other comes up behind the Cowboy and knocks him unconscious. Pat finds Gene with a terrible headache and tells him that the driver is dead. They examine a piece of paper found in the driver's pocket and realize he was carrying silver. A visit to Sheriff Bailey reveals that it was the fourth robbery and second murder in a matter of months. While the three men are talking, Dorrie Tyler, a newcomer to town, enters the sheriff's office looking for a ride to her uncle Steve's ranch, the Box-T. Gene offers to drive her, but on their way out to the ranch, they see a masked rider attack and kill another rider, who turns out to be Uncle Steve. Gene and an upset Dorrie continue to the Box-T, where they meet the seemingly sympathetic housekeeper, Mrs. Ada Mitchell. Unbeknownst to them, Mrs. Mitchell is actually the ringleader of a counterfeiting gang run out of the ranch's barn. She warns her henchman about Gene, who, back at the sheriff's, examines the contents of Uncle Steve's pockets. Gene picks up a silver dollar and notices that it only has twelve stars as opposed to the thirteen on the silver dollar in his own pocket. He and Pat head to the Box-T to check things out. Meanwhile, Dorrie has saddled up a horse to head into town, but the heavies kidnap her to "keep her out of circulation" in case she gets too close to the barn. During the scuffle, she drops her wallet and a silver dollar she found at the ranch. Later, Gene notices them and the signs of the struggle. Pat continues to the Box-T, while Gene follows the tracks and is ambushed by three men. During the struggle, one of the outlaws is accidentally killed by the other two. When Pat tells Gene and Sheriff Bailey that one of the ranch hands has loaded up a hay wagon, Gene immediately figures out that the counterfeit coins are being shipped out. They round up the crooks, including Mrs. Mitchell, and rescue Dorrie.
Cast:
| Character: | Performer: |
| Gene Autry | Gene Autry |
| Pat Buttram | Pat Buttram |
| Dorrie Tyler | Wendy Waldron |
| Mrs. Ada Mitchell | Louise Lorimer |
| Steve Tyler | George J. Lewis |
| Sheriff Eben Bailey | William Fawcett |
| Nick Hatfield | Ray Bennett |
| Chuck | Kermit Maynard |
| Mike | Art Dillard |
| Champion | Champion, World's Wonder Horse |
Songs:
| I Want to Be Sure | Gene Autry |
Crew:
| Executive in charge of Production |
Armand Schaefer |
| Directed by | Frank McDonald |
| Producer | Louis Gray |
| Screenplay | Elizabeth Beecher |
| Director of Photography | William Bradford, A.S.C. |
| Film Editor | Richard G. Wray |
| Musical Director | Carl Cotner |
| Music Supervisor | Irving Friedman |
| Musical Score | Walter Greene |
| Assistant Director | Stanley Neufeld |
| Recorded by | Glen Glenn Sound Company |
