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It was impossible not to love and enjoy ‘The Lone Ranger’
I would bet there's never been a television or radio Western LESS like life in the real Old West than "The Lone Ranger," but that was perfectly okay to a generation of us growing up back in the 1940s and '50s and carefully, breathlessly following actor Clayton Moore's every masked move.
Clayton Moore became the Lone Ranger, just as Native American actor Jay Silverheels (who actually was a Canadian by birth) became his faithful sidekick, Tonto. Moore and Silverheels, who were paired in more than 200 episodes of "The Lone Ranger" on television from 1949-57, both had many other roles in television and movies. But unless you're a real Moore or Silverheels fan, I'll bet you can't name one for either man.
Life in the Old West of "The Lone Ranger" was filled with hard-riding, straight-shooting good guys and despicable bad guys. Truth and justice always triumphed in the end. Typically, the people helped in each episode ended the segment with, "Who was that masked man?" Someone always explained, "Why, he's the Lone Ranger!"
Sure, each episode of the TV series was more than a little "cheesy," and, sure, each episode worked hard to highlight a pretty obvious, simplistic moral point. But that was part of the fun -- and, really, what kid didn't grow up a better person for having been pointed toward clean, right-thinking, right-living Americanisms by Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels?? We all wanted to emulate them, to try hard to live by "The Lone Ranger's Creed" ourselves, which happened to go like this:
"I believe.....
That to have a friend, a man must be one.
That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there, but that every man must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
That 'this government of the people, by the people, and for the people' shall live always.
That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
That sooner or later...somewhere...somehow...we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man."
Cheesy? Sure. But hard not to love it.
As for Clayton Moore, the "real" Lone Ranger to a generation of Americans, he continued to portray the character in public appearances for many years after the series ended. In 1979, the owners of the Lone Ranger franchise successfully sued Moore, forbidding him to portray the character in public appearances. He continued, however, to wear a slightly different appearing mask and to win fans everywhere. He died of a heart attack in 1999.
I offer you below a very funny -- somewhat "adult rated" -- video below. In the video, a clip from David Letterman's late-night show, character actor/comedian Jay Thomas tells of a time early in his career when he was working as a disc jockey in Charlotte, North Carolina, when he met Clayton Moore, who was making a guest appearance at a local car dealership. It is probably one of the funniest "Lone Ranger" stories you'll ever hear. Enjoy:
Find Lone Ranger Collectibles, Memorabilia on eBay!
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Topics: Television Westerns, Videos | No Comments »