The Golden Age of television westerns took place during the 1950s and one of the top programs was "Annie Oakley," which ran from 1954 through 1956 on CBS. This story about a legendary female sharpshooter starred Gail Davis along with Brad Johnson and Jimmy Hawkins as major characters. Davis also appeared in thirty-two feature films and guest starred on a number of television shows. Because of such a successful career, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Gail Davis was born Betty Jeanne Grayson on October 5, 1925 and her hometown is McGehee in Desha County, Arkansas. After her father received a job at the state capital, the family moved to Little Rock, where she attended high school. This move to a larger city opened doors for the talented teenager, who won various beauty titles and musical shows. In fact, she sang and danced from the time she was eight. In 1945, Betty Jeanne married Robert Davis and the couple soon moved to Hollywood. After being discovered, the young lady from Arkansas appeared in her first film in 1947. Her career then began to take off and she soon started working with Gene Autry. He was so impressed with her that he cast her to star in a new TV series titled "Annie Oakley." She also changed her name to Gail Davis. Over the next decade, Davis would appear along side such famous actors as Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Roy Rogers, James Garner and Fess Parker.
As Annie Oakley, Gail Davis took the lead in a role that was usually cast for men. Because of that, many young ladies were influenced by her. Annie Oakley wore pigtails and stopped the bad guys by using her brain or outshooting them. She rode horses and did most of her own stunts. Davis was the first woman to star in TV western and impressed Gene Autry, who was looking for a female western start. He once said, " Little boys have had their idols -Tom Mix, William Hart, Roy Rogers and me. Why not give the girls a western star of their own?" Gail Davis as Annie Oakley was the perfect fit.
Gail Davis appeared in such films as "In Room 303", "Law of the Golden West", "Flying Leathernecks", and "Alias Jesse James." Her television appearances included "The Lone Ranger", "The Gene Autry Show" and "Maverick." She even appeared in the Andy Griffith Show on episode 37 in 1961. This episode was titled "The Perfect Female" and her character played a shooting expert who was a potential love interest of Andy.
Although she had a bright career, her personal life was filled with ups and downs. In 1952, Gail divorced Robert Davis, but the couple did have a daughter. Later, she married Carl Guerriero, who was a car dealer. He passed away in 1982. Even though Gail Davis retired to California, the actress continued to appear at film festivals. In 1994, she won the Golden Boot Award from the Motion Picture and Television Fund for positive portrayals in Westerns. Gail Davis passed away on March 15, 1997 and is remembered as one of the best Western actresses in history. #gaildavis#annieoakley#arkansashistory#famousarkansans#WesternStar#HistoryTuesday