GAIL DAVIS: TV's Forgotten Super Hero
She was the only female TV Western star in the 1950s
The first role model for young woman in the 1950s on Television! In the 1950s she was the only female western star on television. Her Annie Oakley character was the only single career woman on television. This is her amazing story.
Before her TV role she made 32 movies, which included In Room 303 (1947), Merton of the Movies (1947), The Far Frontier (1948), Law of the Golden West (1949), West of Wyoming (1950), Texans Never Cry (1951), Flying Leathernecks (1951), The Old West (1952), and Winning of the West (1953).
She may have been just over five feet tall and under 100 pounds, but Davis was a fearless as the hero on the Annie Oakley TV show. She wore pigtails and stopped bad guys by outsmarting them and never once did she kill anyone. Additionally, she did many of her own stunts.
Many young women would later say they were influenced by Gail Davis in her female character in a traditionally male role.
Above: THE ONLY DOCUMENTARY ON GAIL DAVIS
David the Bruce narrates this amazing story.
Below: Annie Oakley TV Shows
ANNIE OAKLEY: GUNPLAY (1954) with Commentary
ANNIE OAKLEY AND THE LILY MAID (1954) with Commentary
ANNIE OAKLEY: AMBUSE CANYON (1954) with Commentary
RESOURCES:
Do You Remember “Annie Oakley”
westernclippings.com
Gail Davis (1925–1997) aka: Betty Jeanne Grayson
encyclopediaofarkansas.net
Gail Davis "I Was Annie Oakley"
by Boyd Magers
Gail Davis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gail Davis
IMDb Bio
TV's First Female Hero: Annie Oakley
By Robert Moore
popmatters.com
Public Cowboy No. 1 The Life and Times of Gene Autry
By Holly George-Warren
Oxford University Press
The First Official TV Book
By Neil Summers
Old West Shop Publishing
Annie Oakley and Tagg dell Comics 1955-59
Annie Oakley TV series