I have seen every Autry flick growing up or as an adult. I used to go to a matinee as a kid for 25 cents on Saturday mornings. They had cartoons and a triple feature. Looking back on it now, it was all about giving parents some time away from the kids. I am sure my parents ran back home to the bedroom. The movies they showed were all old at the time, but the kids loved it. There was always a western short, often Gene Autry, and many repeats. But that didn't matter. We (the kids) had a blast together. I guess this is similar to going to the mall today for kids, but much better.
“I have seen every Autry flick growing up or as an adult.”
There’s always John Wayne. ;)
“Looking back on it now, it was all about giving parents some time away from the kids.”
One can assume so. Not that you would let your kids run off to a matinee now anyway since today’s wisdom holds that they’re going to have an unplanned date with a guy in a van labeled “Free Candy”.
“I am sure my parents ran back home to the bedroom.”
And then, a few weeks after you saw Stardust on the Sage, your parents announced that you had a new brother or sister coming.