Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Joseph Kane
Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette
Lucille Browne
George Hayes
Norma Taylor
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Gene Autry's cattle baron father is one of many "nesters" in the West, however, he is murdered when he has a conflict with his landlord. Gene returns after a five-year absence as a singer with a group of strolling players that includes Smiley and Eightball, who sell Dr. Parker's Painless Panacea. While at an abandoned nester's cabin, the group is held up by Harry Brooks, whom Gene recognizes as his old friend. Harry, wounded and semi-delirious, induces Gene to hide him from the posse headed by Sheriff Manley. The deputy later returns and tries to shoot Harry, but Gene chases him away. In town, the deputy reports to Barney Craven, leader of a gang which is trying to silence Harry. Gene and his friends, meanwhile, set up a performance in town, but it is interrupted by Craven's men, who report that Harry is wanted for the murder of Gene's father. Hastening to Harry's home, Gene confronts his former sweetheart Janet, now Harry's wife, and meets Janet's younger sister Jerry, whom he had only known as a girl. They assure Gene of Harry's innocence and reveal that that Harry and Gene's father were about to sign a settlement over disputed water rights. Now suspicious of Craven, Gene captures Craven, the deputy, and their cohorts by a series of clever ruses that land them in jail, and thereby vindicates Harry. Gene and Jerry marry and join Smiley and Eightball on the departing Parker wagon.
Director
Joseph Kane
Cast
Gene Autry
Smiley Burnette
Lucille Browne
George Hayes
Norma Taylor
Edward Hearn
Eugene Jackson
Jack Rockwell
George Chesebro
Frankie Marvin
Charles King
The Sons Of The Pioneers
Charles Whitaker
George Burton
Tom London
Cornelius Keefe
Cliff Lyons
Tracy Layne
Tommy Coates
Bud Pope
Joseph Girard
Henry Hall
Champion
Crew
Gene Autry
Ford Beebe
Bill Bradford
Smiley Burnette
Roy Granville
Terry Kellum
Nat Levine
Joseph H. Lewis
Alan Ludwig
Ernest Miller
Bob Nolan
Lester Orlebeck
Armand Schaefer
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
This is 'Autry, Gene' 's first picture for Republic, and also the first directing job at Republic for long-time Autry and Roy Rogers director, Joseph Kane.
Notes
Tumbling Tumbleweeds was radio star Gene Autry's first feature film in a lead role. By 1938, Autry became the only western star to be listed among the ten top money makers in motion pictures, a position he held until 1942. A news item in Daily Variety noted that some scenes were filmed on location in Victorville, CA. According to modern sources, Roy Rogers, a member of The Sons of the Pioneers singing group made his motion picture debut with them in the film. Bob Nolan, another member of the group, was also the composer of the popular ballad "Tumbling Tumbleweeds," which became their signature song. Modern sources also include the following in the cast: Tex Cooper, Herman Hack, Chick Hannon, Tom Smith, Bud McClure, George Morrell and Oscar Gahan.
