• Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center
• Archive & Finding Aids

Introduction
Biography
Scope & Content Note
Subject Terms
Accession Information
Processing Information
Ownership & Literary Rights
Restrictions on Access
Preferred Citation

Container List

GUIDE TO THE
JOHN RAO JR. WESTERN ENTERTAINERS COLLECTION, 1900-1972
JOHN RAO JR. Collection, 1900-1972.
8.2 cubic feet (4 document boxes, 6 sound recording boxes, 2 flat boxes, 4 oversized folders).
Location: 0474-0476; 0657-0658; 0669-0670; Flat File 2, Drawer 4.

Introduction:

Gene Autry sound recording discs, movie/publicity photographs, book covers, and clippings, ca. 1940s-ca. 1970s, compose the majority of holdings within the John Rao Jr. collection. Rare sound recording discs from Gene Autry's earliest recordings and a multitude of publicity photographs underscore the collection's significance. The collection also includes sound recording discs of Smiley Burnette, Jimmie Rodgers, Eddie Dean, and Tex Ritter dating from 1927 through the 1970's. A collection of ca. 1930s-ca. 1950s reproduced publicity stills of cowboy movie stars Roy Rogers, Tom Mix, Allan "Rocky" Lane, Fuzzy Knight, and Smiley Burnette completes the stills photograph collection.

Biography:

John Rao Jr. collected singing cowboy sound recordings and memorabilia, particularly items related to Gene Autry.

Scope and Content:

Gene Autry sound recording discs, movie/publicity photographs, book covers, and clippings, ca. 1940s-1970s comprise the bulk of the materials within this collection. Rare sound recording discs from Gene Autry's earliest recordings and a multitude of publicity photographs underscore this collection's significance. The collection also includes sound recording discs of Smiley Burnette, Jimmie Rodgers, Eddie Dean, and Tex Ritter dating from 1927 through the 1970s. Reproduced publicity photographs of cowboy movie stars Roy Rogers, Tom Mix, Allan "Rocky" Lane, Fuzzy Knight (John Forest Knight), and Smiley Burnette cover their careers between the 1930s-1950s. The collection is organized into seven series.

Book Covers (ca. 1940s-1950s) series includes forty-six Gene Autry comic and book covers and three Smiley Burnette comic book covers.

Clippings (ca. 1950s-1972) documents the careers of Gene Autry, Smiley Burnette, and John Wayne through a variety of newspaper and magazine clippings.

Photographs (ca. 1930s-ca. 1970s) series contains movie stills and publicity photographs of Gene Autry. Other photographs include those of Rex Allen, Smiley Burnette, Eddie Dean, Hoot Gibson, Tom Mix, Tex Ritter, Roy Rogers, and John Wayne.

Posters (ca. 1970s) contains reproduced black and white images on poster sized paper of Hopalong Cassiday (William Boyd), Hoot Gibson, Tom Mix, and Tex Ritter.

Sound Recording Discs (1927-ca. 1970s) includes 146 78 rpm and 4 45 rpm records by Gene Autry. Also included are 10 Smiley Burnette, 5 Eddie Dean, 22 Jimmie Rodgers and 12 Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys recordings. Included in the series are rare original recordings of Gene Autry. "My Alabama Home" on Velvet Tone, and "High Steppin' Mama," and "Wildcat Mama Blues," on Oriole Records. The Conqueror disc #8157, "A Cowboy's Best Friend" recorded by George Gobel, lists Johnny Dobbs, a pseudonym used by Gene Autry, as the accompanying guitarist. Also notable within the collection are recordings with his original singing partner, Jimmy Long: Conqueror disc # 7910, "Under the Apple Tree and My Old Pal of Yesterday." In searching for any sound discs of Gene Autry, be aware of the many pseudonyms used: Johnny Dodds, Gene Johnson, Jimmie Smith, Sam Hill, Clayton and Green, Long Brothers, Overton Hatfield, and Tom Long. At least one orf each pseudonym is represented in this collection.

Sound Recording Disc Sleeves (1927-ca. 1970s) contains the original record sleeves of the records in the Sound Recording Discs series.

Sheet Music and Songbooks (1900-1952) features sheet music and songbooks including Home on the Range, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, Your Cheatin' Heart, and Cowboy Sue.

Subject Terms:

Personal Names:
Allen, Rex, 1924-
Autry, Gene, 1907-
Autry, Ina
Boyd, William, 1895-1972
Burnette, Smiley, 1911-1967
Boyd, William, 1895-1972
Dean, Eddie
Gibson, Hoot, 1892-1962
Gobel, George
Knight, Fuzzy, 1901-1976
Long, Jimmy
Mix, Tom, 1880-1940
Rao, John Jr.
Ritter, Tex
Rodgers, Jimmie, 1897-1933
Rogers, Roy, 1911-
Shore, Dinah, 1917-1994
Wayne, John, 1907-1979
Wills, Bob 1905-1975

Corporate Names:
ARA (Record company)
Bluebird (Record company)
Bullet (Record company)
Capitol Records, Inc.
Cass County Boys (Musical group)
Columbia Records, Inc.
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Conqueror (Record company)
Country Music History (Record company)
Encore (Record company)
Frontiersmen (Musical group)
Gold Seal (Record company)
Golden Age (Record company)
GRT (Record company)
Majestic (Record company)
MCA Inc.
Melotone (Record company)
Okeh Records, Inc.
Oriole (Record company)
Perfect (Record company)
Pickwick (Record company)
Pinafores (Musical group)
Radiola (Record company)
Radio Corporation of America - RCA Victor Division
Regal (Record company)
Republic Pictures Corporation
Romeo (Record company)
Royal (Record company)
Sage & Sand (Record company)
Starday (Record company)
Starr Piano Company - Gennett Record Division
Supertone (Record company)
Sunshine Girls (Musical group)
Texas Playboys
United Artists Corporation
Velvet Tone (Record company)
Victor (Record company)
Vocalion (Record company)
Zonophone Company, New York

Subject Headings:
Country music - United States
Cowboy - Songs and music
Motion picture actors and actresses - United States
Popular music - United States
Popular songs - United States
Singers - United States

Accession Information:

The collection was accepted in 1982 and stored until formal accessioning in 2001. Catalog numbers were assigned at the time of acceptance and used in the formal accessioning completed by Pam Bell in December of 2001.

Processing Information:

The John Rao Jr. Western Entertainers Collection was accepted in 1982 and assigned catalog numbers on acceptance. Series 1: Book Covers, Series 2: Clippings, Series 4: Posters, and Series 6: Sound Recording Disc Sleeves do not contain catalog numbers. Series 3: Photographs, Series 4: Sheet Music, and Series 5: Sound Recording Discs contain individual catalog numbers. Series 3 and Series 5 items missing catalog numbers were assigned at the time of processing.

Series 3: Photographs are divided into artist sub-series, and further organized by movies, publicity and personal sub-series. Series 5: Sound Recording Discs are organized into sub-series by rpm, artist and catalog number.

The container list for Series 5 notates each disc's catalog number, publisher, publisher number, and artist. The 33 1/3 rpm sub-series container list also contains the titles of all songs recorded on the disc with duration time, if provided by the publisher.

All 45 and 78 rpm record discs sleeves are stored separately from the disc in boxes 3 and 4. The 33 1/3 rpm sound recording discs sleeves are stored inside the record disc cover which if found in the same container box as the disc.

Ownership & Literary Rights:

The John Rao Jr. Western Entertainers Collection is the property of the Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Literary right, including copyright, belongs to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, with the exception of copyrighted images and published literary works, which are the property of the respective copyright holders. It is the responsibility of the researcher, and his/her publisher, to obtain publishing permission from individuals pictured, relevant copyright holders, and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.

Restrictions on Access:

This collection is open for research. Researchers are advised to discuss their research prior to visiting the Center. Equipment may not be available for playing some recording discs.

Preferred Citation:

John Rao Jr. Western Entertainers Collection, Box ##, Folder ##, Dickinson Research Center, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Ok.