Singer Gene Autry doubles for Western movie star Tom Ford. When Ford goes on vacation during the Texas Centennial celebration in Dallas, at which he is supposed to make a guest appearance, publicity manager Lee Wilson convinces Gene to appear in Ford’s place. En route to Dallas from Hollywood, Gene meets Marion, who is on her way to the centennial with her show steer, when his trailer collides with her wagon. Gene adeptly retrieves all her cattle, and Marion is impressed that a movie star can perform like a real cowboy. In Dallas, Gene, as Ford, sings over the air waves and is a national hit, and Ford’s producer, Swartz, decides to launch a series of musical westerns starring Ford, even though Ford cannot sing a note. Gene and Marion’s engagement is then announced in the newspapers, and Ford’s fiancée is infuriated. Meanwhile, gambler Rico and his companion, Blackie, arrive to collect Ford’s $10,000 debt, and Wilson is forced to pay it, plus $25,000 to keep Rico from revealing Gene’s identity. Ford finally reports to Swartz, but he would rather appease the blackmailers than replace Gene with the talentless Ford. Marion and Gene then perform in the “Cavalcade of Texas” as part of the centennial, and Ford’s fiancée shows up, causing Marion to leave. To save his romance, Gene takes a risk by confessing his real identity over the air waves, but discovers the audience prefers him to the real Ford. Gene’s confession ruins Rico’s blackmail attempt, and he and his men escape with the blackmail money by dressing up as cowboys and joining the cavalcade act. Marion returns, and Gene chases the outlaws in real western style and eventually arrests them. In the chase, the money is lost by Gene’s sidekick, Frog, in a lagoon. Back in Hollywood, Gene sings to Marion on the set of his new movie, where Ford works as his double, and she and Gene kiss. More on Wikipedia or Mubi
Watch The Big Show (1936)
