The Lone Ranger on Radio, Film and Television

189 Pages·2018·6.14 MB·English

by  Ed Andreychuk

The Lone Ranger
on Radio, Film
and Television
ALSOBYEDANDREYCHUK
ANDFROMMCFARLAND
American Frontiersmen on Film and Television:
Boone, Crockett, Bowie, Houston, Bridger
and Carson(2005; softcover 2011)
Louis L’Amour on Film and Television(2010)
Burt Lancaster: A Filmography
and Biography(2000; softcover 2005)
The Golden Corral: A Roundup
of Magnificent Western Films(1997)
The Lone Ranger
on Radio, Film
and Television
E A
D NDREYCHUK
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina
ISBN (print) 978-0-7864-9972-4
ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4766-2971-1
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
BRITISHLIBRARYCATALOGUINGDATAAREAVAILABLE
© 2018 Ed Andreychuk. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Front cover: poster art for The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold, 1958
(United Artists/Photofest)
Printed in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
ONE 19th Century Texas Rangers 3
TWO Radio History 10
THREE The 1938 Serial The Lone Ranger 17
FOUR The 1939 Serial The Lone Ranger Rides Again 36
FIVE The 1949–1957 TV Series The Lone Ranger 50
SIX The 1956 Film The Lone Ranger 96
SEVEN The 1958 Film The Lone Ranger and the Lost
City of Gold 109
EIGHT The Animated Cartoons 122
NINE The 1981 Film The Legend of the Lone Ranger 132
TEN The 2003 TV Movie The Lone Ranger 148
ELEVEN The 2013 Film The Lone Ranger 156
Epilogue 168
Bibliography 171
Index 173
v
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Introduction
Afieryhorsewiththespeedoflight,acloudofdust
and a hearty “Hi-yo, Silver!” The Lone Ranger!
—narration fromThe Lone Rangerseries, 1949–1957
Those were the opening lines of the popular television series that
first excited me as a boy. I’ll never forget him and his companion Tonto,
righting injustices and then riding off on their horses, Silver and Scout.
Making everything even more exciting was the music of TheWilliam
Tell Overture.
From his debut on radio in 1933 to the most recent motion picture
released in 2013, the Lone Ranger has withstood the test of time. Part
of our entertainment culture for more than 80 years, like superheroes
Captain America and Superman, he stands for “truth, justice and the
American way.” The TV series (1949–57) took a number of its stories
from those originally written for the radio show created by George W.
Trendle.
The radio show was still on the air during part of the TV run. In
the late 1930s, two 15-chapter serials were filmed by Republic Pictures,
The Lone Ranger and The Lone Ranger Rides Again. In the first, Lee
Pow ell played the Lone Ranger. Robert Livingston was our hero in the
latter. Chief Thundercloud played Tonto in both.
When the TV series The Lone Rangerbegan a decade later, Clayton
Moore became the most beloved Lone Ranger of all. In the midst of
the series’ run, John Hart took over the part for a short time. Jay Sil-
verheels played Tonto opposite both actors. Moore and Silverheels
reprised their roles in a pair of motion pictures, The Lone Ranger,
released by Warner Brothers in 1956, and The Lone Ranger and the
Lost City of Gold released by United Artists in 1958. Moore and Hart
1
Introduction
also made guest appearances in character on other TV shows over the
years, and Silverheels made a cameo appearance as Tonto in the 1959
Bob Hope comedy Alias Jesse James.
Animated programs for children were also seen on television.
Clayton Moore continued wearing his costume, which included the
mask, for personal appearances; and this caused problems with Jack
Wrather, who by this time had taken over all Lone Ranger rights from
George Trendle. This was especially evident when a new and younger
Ranger and Tonto, played by Klinton Spilsbury and Michael Horse,
came to the screen in Universal’s 1981 feature The Legend of the Lone
Ranger. It was more than 20 years before the Ranger appeared in another
television production, and then 10 more before there was another fea-
ture film. Chad Michael Murray and Nathaniel Arcand played the
Masked Man and Tonto in TNT’s 2003 cable broadcast The Lone
Ranger. The Disney film The Lone Ranger(2013) starred Johnny Depp
as Tonto and Armie Hammer in the title role.
A number of entries in this book cover the Lone Ranger’s origin.
As John Reid, he joined his brother Dan, a Texas Ranger captain, and
four other Rangers in pursuit of Butch Cavendish’s outlaw gang. When
the Rangers rode into a canyon called Bryant’s Gap, they were ambushed
and shot down by the outlaws. The only survivor was a badly wounded
John Reid. Found by the Indian, Tonto, he was nursed back to health.
Making a mask from Dan’s vest, John became the Lone Ranger, deter-
mined to bring all outlaws to justice, aided by Tonto.
Pardon any shortcomings in this book, particularly in the chapter
on the early history of the Texas Rangers. It is not in any way a definitive
one, but only meant to capture highlights of some of the brave men
and their obstacles in making the west a better place.
2
One
19th Century Texas Rangers
Nomaninthewrongcanstandagainst
a man in the right who keeps on a- coming.
—William McDonald, one of the four
great Ranger captains
When Stephen Austin began colonizing Texas with settlers, it was
still part of Mexico. For protection against marauding Indians, they
formed a company of ten armed men. The commander was Lt. Moses
Morrison.
Three months later, the summer of 182, a proclamation by Austin
used the word “rangers” to describe the company. This was the basis
in 1998 for the 175th anniversary of the Texas Rangers. During the
Texas Revolution, the first formal body, a Corps of Rangers, was created
by the so- called Permanent Council. It was November 185. Robert
Coleman was chosen as the first Ranger captain. Three additional cap-
tains, John Tumlinson, Isaac Burton and William Arrington, were soon
appointed. Their commander was Major Robert Williamson. Both Wil -
liamson and Burton were also privates in General Sam Houston’s army
in the last battle of the Revolution. It was fought at San Jacinto in April
186; Texas won its independence from Mexico with the defeat of Santa
Anna.
After Texas became a Republic, its first president was Houston.
Sym pathetic to the Indians, yet aware of the threat they posed, in
December 186 he helped establish a Ranger service for 280 mounted
riflemen. Considered the strongest Indians on horseback, the Coman -
che also proved the strongest against Texans. Second Texas president
Mirabeau Lamar wanted to annihilate any Indian threat. Those in line
with Lamar’s views included Colonel John Moore and his men, the
most prominent Rangers of the late 180s.
