Champion the Wonder Horse

Champion the Wonder Horse was the on-screen companion of singing cowboy Gene Autry in 79 films between 1935 and 1952, and 91 television episodes of The Gene Autry Show between 1950 and 1955. In addition, Champion starred in 26 episodes of his own television series The Adventures of Champion in 1955 and 1956. Throughout these years, Autry used three horses to portray "Champion": the original Champion who appeared in Autry films from 1935 to 1942, Champion Jr. who appeared in Autry films from 1946 to 1950, and Television Champion, who appeared in Autry's films from 1950 to 1953, and in the television series during the 1950s. Several other "Champion" horses were used as stunt doubles and for personal appearances throughout the years.

There were three official Champions that appeared in Gene Autry films. The original Champion was a dark sorrel with a blaze face and white stockings on all his legs except the right front. The original Champion first appeared on screen with Autry in Melody Trail (1935) and went on to co-star in 51 additional Autry films. The horse was previously owned by Tom Mix and was used during the filming of The Phantom Empire series; he was one of several horses that Autry rode in that production. After learning about the horse through stunt man and movie horse wrangler Tracey Layne, Autry paid $75 for the original Champion, whose sire was a Morgan trotting horse from Ardmore, Oklahoma. Trained to perform numerous tricks, Champion could untie knots, fall, roll over and play dead, come at Autry's whistle, bow, and shake his head yes and no. In one film he pushes Autry into the arms of his leading lady June Storey. By 1939 his reported worth was $25,000. The original Champion died in 1943, at the age of 17, from apparent heart attack while Gene was in the army. He was buried at Melody Ranch by Autry's horse trainer John Agee, who had previously worked for 14 years for Tom Mix.

Autry's second screen horse was Champion Jr., a lighter sorrel with four stockings and a narrow blaze ending in an arrow tip. This horse appeared in Autry's films from 1946 to 1950. For his Republic Pictures film appearances he was credited as the "Wonder Horse of the West"; for his Columbia Pictures film appearances he was credited as the "World's Wonder Horse". He appeared with Autry at Madison Square Garden in 1946. Champion Jr. was over 30 years old when he died in August 1977. In the late 1940s, a well-trained trick pony named Little Champ, with a blaze-face and four stockings, joined Gene's stable and appeared in three Autry films and joined him in various personal appearances.

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