The Adventures of Champion

Champion, the Wonder Horse

Ricky North

Sandy North

Rebel, the Dog

Show's theme song was sung by (an uncredited) Mike Stewart.

Champion was in fact played by four different horses. The original "Champion" that made Gene Autry famous in the movies is not the same horse that appeared in the 1955-1956 TV series. Champion easily earned his title of "Wonder Horse" by performing a variety of tricks which included kneeling, untying rope knots and dancing and prancing for the public. It died (buried at Autry's Melody Ranch) when Autry was serving in the military during World War II. The others: "Champion" (the horse of the TV series), a chestnut stallion foaled in 1940. The others - "Champion Jr." and "Little Champion" - were all used in Autry's postwar films. "Champion's" hoofprints can be seen in front of Graumann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.