Who Was That Masked Man? - January 30, 2009

Return with us now to those thrilling days of the Old West. A gang of outlaws led by the brutal Butch Cavendish has ambushed a group of Texas Rangers, killing five of six of them. The survivor, barely alive, is nursed back to health by a Native American warrior. When fully recovered, that lone ranger dons a mask to fight for truth, justice, and the American way. It's a story familiar to millions, and it all began on January 30, 1933, when WXYZ radio in Detroit broadcast the first of 2,956 episodes of The Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger may have been the world's first costumed superhero (beating Lee Falk's The Phantom by three years and Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Superman by five), and he’s been a familiar presence in American culture for more than three-quarters of a century.  That presence is due in large part to the many pieces of Ranger lore: The faithful sidekick Tonto (actually created so the Ranger could fill radio time with dialogue); the black domino mask (cut from the vest of his dead brother, murdered in the Cavendish ambush); the silver bullets (to remind the Ranger of the preciousness of human life); and the "fiery horse with the speed of light." Most associated with the Lone Ranger was his theme song, Rossini's William Tell Overture. For generations of Americans, it was impossible to hear the opening notes of the Overture without thinking of the Lone Ranger and Tonto. The Ranger’s radio longevity translated into other areas as well. Most obviously, there was the long-running television series starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels, but there have also been comic books, movie serials, and the notorious 1981 feature film, The Legend of the Lone Ranger, starring the forgettable Klinton Spilsbury, whose performance was so inept that all his dialogue was dubbed by James Keach. Even that movie wasn’t enough to kill the Ranger (though it's taken nearly thirty years to recover); Disney is planning a new film featuring Johnny Depp (as Tonto, apparently). While some of the conventions of the Lone Ranger may seem a little dated, there’s something about the basic decency, honesty, and bravery of the character that is as timeless as mom, the flag, and apple pie. "Hi-yo, Silver! Away!" Suggested Sites... You Tube: Jay Thomas' "Lone Ranger" Story - the greatest talk show story ever: Clayton Moore, a Volvo, and a car accident. The Lone Ranger Fan Club - dedicated to the lone gunman of the plains. Clayton Moore - tribute to the "Lone Ranger" actor by his nephew. Wikipedia: The Lone Ranger - lots of information about the Ranger in all media. Old Time Radio Westerns: The Lone Ranger - listen to radio episodes from the '30s to the '50s