Developer Charles B. Hopper named this street in 1941 on his Mayfair tract’s “Columbia Unit”, as in the Columbia Broadcasting System – CBS, then primarily a radio network. As a publicity stunt, Hopper christened several avenues after CBS personalities and shows, including Pearce, Premiere, Lorelei, Fidler, Hedda, Hersholt, and Dagwood. Even Amos ‘n’ Andy got a tribute. Autry Avenue thus honors singing cowboy Gene Autry (1907-1998), who hosted Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch, a mix of Western stories and songs, on CBS from 1940 until 1956. (The program paused for a year during World War 2; Autry himself served.) Orvon “Gene” Autry was born in Texas and came of age in Oklahoma. With a career helped along by his future wife Ina’s (1911-1980) songwriter uncle Jimmy Long, Autry became a superstar in the 1930s, both on records and on the silver screen. In 1934, the childfree Autrys came to Hollywood, where their wealth would increase many times over. Among his many contributions to Southland culture, Autry founded the Los Angeles Angels in 1960-1961 and the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum (at Griffith Park) in 1988.
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