The Phantom Empire

Mascot's Phantom Empire, billed as the first Musical Western was singer Gene Autry's initial starring role. Autry and his young friends find themselves up against evil scientist and super-scientific underground world, Murania, complete with robots, death rays and other sci-fi creations. Science fiction, country music and the elements of pure Western are combined into a classic picture that was fully twenty five years ahead of its time. The action is split between the Radio Ranch, Autry's home base for cowpunchin' and singin' antics, and the underground kingdom of Murania, ruled by a despotic Queen bent on protecting her turf by destroying any interlopers from the outerworld. Radio yodeler (and million-copy record seller) Gene Autry stars, as none other than Gene Autry, radio yodeler. Gene's broadcast stooge, Smiley, was brought along and the new chapter play would feature plenty of music to please Autry's fans.