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 This page intentionally left blank 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. 