Riding Again at the Autry

Actor George Montgomery will be featured along with author Jim Hitt Saturday at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum.

Hitt, who wrote the book “The American West From Fiction (1823-1976) Into Film (1909-1986),” will talk on the permutations that Western books go through on their way to the silver screen.

Montgomery will speak and answer questions from the audience. After the talk, “Riders of the Purple Sage”--the fourth adaptation of the Zane Grey book, which just happens to star Montgomery--will be shown.

Montgomery, 75, came to Hollywood in 1937 from his native Montana. He signed with 20th Century Fox in 1938 and made “Riders of the Purple Sage” during 1939 and 1940. The movie was released in 1941. “We shot it up in Lone Pine, using Mt. Whitney in a lot of the background,” Montgomery said.

The special program will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday at the museum’s Wells Fargo Theater. The museum is in Griffith Park, next to the Los Angeles Zoo, at 4700 Western Heritage Way. Admission is $5 and does not include admission to the museum.