The Lone Ranger

Storyline

There was an American West, a fictional renegade lawman character of American radio and television programs, books, films, and comics. He was the Lone Ranger. So, the story goes John Reid was the sole survivor of a group of Texas Rangers in the mid-19th century who was ambushed by outlaws who killed five rangers, including his older brother, Daniel. An Indian named Tonto found him and brought him back to health. It was at then when Reid began to wear a black mask made from his dead brother's vest and with his white horse, Silver, went all over the West as the Lone Ranger to looking to fight evil, and to establish justice wherever he and Tonto went. The character was created in the Lone Ranger radio program by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker back in 1933, the radio program made "Hi-yo, Silver, away!" so famous among children and adults. It was in 1949 a television version of the radio show debuted on the ABC network, and Clayton Moore became so synonymous with the characters they play that they're forever known as that character played the Lone Ranger and really embraced it. Moore also starred in three Lone Ranger movies - 1955 The Lone Ranger Rides Again, 1956 The Lone Ranger, and 1958 The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold. The Lone Ranger's adventures continued in various forms, including the movies The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981) and The Lone Ranger (2013). Jay Silverheels became his companion Tonto. Later after TV and the big Screen Moore became the Lone Ranger full-time. Along with a white horse he called Silver, wearing the black mask and his silver six-gun revolvers and appearing at charity events, fairs and festivals, and in paid advertisements. Everywhere he went, he always took time out to talk to youngsters about staying away from drugs, alcohol, smoking, and swearing. The crowds loved him, and he was in high demand for years to come. Much later after a year-long court battle, Moore lost the right to wear the mask in 1979, devastated him and receiving almost 500,000 support letters from many fans. Moore was quoted as saying, "It felt like a slap in the face." Sadly, when Universal Pictures' the Legend of the Lone Ranger was released in 1981, Moores fans stayed far away. The picture was a box office flop. True to the spirit of the character he loved, Moore, Was That Masked Man, and without any presence from him added to the film's poor reception. Moore went back to court and sued the copy and trademark owner Wrather, hoping to regain the right to wear the mask again and the proceedings went on for many years until September 20, 1984, when Jack Wrather suddenly dropped the case with no official reason. Then Wrather died a month later. On October 17, Moore's agent received a letter from Bonita Wrather, Jack's wife, that read, "please be advised that Wrather Corporation hereby grants to Clayton Moore the rights to wear the Lone Ranger mask." Finally, the Lone Ranger could ride again. Clayton Moore continued to appear as the Lone Ranger for many years, before dying of a heart attack on December 28, 1999. As any Hollywood icon should, he received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1987. However, his is the only star to feature both his name and the name of the character he personified. The show itself personified a time in America when everyone knew right from wrong. They knew when someone was bad and needed to be hunted down, captured and do their time after a fair trial. This was a great time in the USA and many of his fans respect and miss the Lone Rangers and those great times. - Martin Snytsheuvel