The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger was an early, long-running radio and television show based on characters created by George W. Trendle of Detroit, Michigan and developed by writer Fran Striker of Buffalo, New York. The basic premise is that a masked cowboy in the Old West gallops about righting injustices, usually with the aid of a clever and laconic American Indian called Tonto. Karl May's tales of Old Shatterhand and Chief Winnetou may have influenced the creation of the concept.

Other media

The series also inspired numerous comic books, two movie serials, books, a live action television series (1949-1957) best known for starring Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger (though with John Hart as the Lone Ranger from 1952-1954) and Jay Silverheels as Tonto, and a Saturday morning animated cartoon. The TV series featured Fred Foy as the announcer, a role he also served in the later years of the radio series. Later adaptations are notable for their efforts to remove the stereotypical elements of the Tonto character (e.g. his broken English) and change him into a proud and articulate warrior who is treated by the Ranger as an equal partner. So far, no modern remake of The Lone Ranger has proven popular, with 1981's Legend of the Lone Ranger causing much upset among fans when a movie studio filed a suit to prevent Clayton Moore from appearing as the Lone Ranger anywhere else; the film was a spectacular failure. It did not help that the lead actor's lines had to be overdubbed by another actor. A 2003 made-for-TV version was also unsuccessful.

Related Topics:
Comic book - Movie serials - Television series - Clayton Moore - Jay Silverheels - Animated cartoon - Fred Foy - 1981 - Legend of the Lone Ranger - 2003

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The radio series also created a spin-off called the Green Hornet which depicts John Reid's grand nephew, Britt Reid, who in contemporary times fights crime with a similar secret identity and sidekick, Kato. However, the properties have been acquired by different interests and the familial link has been downplayed.

Related Topics:
Green Hornet - Secret identity - Sidekick - Kato

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Each episode begins with the catch phrase "Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear.... The Lone Ranger Rides Again!", and invariably ends with one of the characters lamenting the fact that they never found out the hero's name ("Who was that masked man?"), only to be told, "Why, that was the Lone Ranger!" as he and Tonto ride away. The theme music was the "cavalry charge" finale of Gioacchino Rossini's William Tell overture, now inseparably associated with the series, which also featured many other classical selections as incidental music including Wagner, Mendelssohn, Liszt, and Tchaikovsky.

Related Topics:
Catch phrase - Gioacchino Rossini - William Tell

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