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Purchased from Tom Mix, who used the Tennessee Walking Horse as a double for Tony II, the original Champion was a magnificent chestnut with a blaze face and four white stocking. The great horse first worked for the "World's Greatest Cowboy," in Gene Autry's initial sagebrush offering, Tumbling Tumbleweeds (Republic, 1935) which was based on a ditty composed by Bob Nolan of the famed Sons of the Pioneers musical group. While not having the opportunity to be as dashing as the original Tony or Ken Maynard's Tarzan, Champion was trained to perform a wide variety of tricks such as the hesitation waltz, hula, jitterbug, and to kneel in prayer by famed trainer, Johnny Agee.
In an amazingly short time, Gene Autry, astride his horse Champion, had galloped to the top of the popularity list to become a champion at the boxoffice averaging 6 films per year. Since most of the Autry Westerns were set in the "modern" West, employing cars, trains and airplanes, Champion was often seen bounding over a convertible or coming to Gene's rescue just before the plane would roar down the runway. With the decline of B movie Westerns, Gene went into television, producing several successful Western series under his Flying A Productions banner including one which starring his famed co-star, The Adventures of Champion, the Wonder Horse, (CBS, Sept. 30, 1955 - Feb. 3 1956) in which Autry did not appear.
Champion logged hundred of thousands of miles making personal appearances throughout the United States and Europe, each time traveling in luxury. Special trailers were made to support tack and trophy displays with accommodations for the attendant who would travel with the horse to guard against souvenir hunters. Because Autry was a pilot in the war and continued to fly himself to many appearances around the country, he also ordered one of his planes outfitted to accommodate his famed steed. Autry and Champion would appear at special attractions, parades, children's hospitals and orphanages. He was even a featured attraction at Madison Square Gardens in New York City and is the only horse ever to visit the top of the Empire State Building.
The original "World's Wonder Horse" lived to age seventeen but several other Champions followed with little attempt to hide the differences. The third and last of his famed horses lived until 1990 on the historic Melody Ranch Motion Picture Studio facility which Autry had purchased in 1952. The horse had full run of the western studio where earlier hundreds of hard riding shoot-em ups had been filmed including some with legendary cowboy actors such as William S. Hart, Gary Cooper, Tom Mix, Roy Rogers and John Wayne. Autry would visit his friend often until the famous horse's death at the age of 47. Afterwards, he put the ranch where Champion is buried, up for sale. The current owners saved the Santa Clarita-based studio from being turned into a school bus maintenance yard. It is still used today and is one of Hollywood's busiest production facilities.
Still, the horse and the "Signing Cowboy" were the idols to millions of youngsters the world over with only one other horse and rider team to ever challenge their impact and popularity.
Below is an excerpt from a book currently being written by Jim Moore entitled, "Hollywood Hoofbeats,"the story of those amazing equine stars of the movies.
Gene tidbits
* Gene Autry is the only performer to have five stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
* Today's legendary "Outlaw Cowboy," Willie Nelson was such a fan of the "World's Greatest Cowboy," he named one of his favorite guitars "Champion" after his idol.
