On this historic day, January 30, 1933, “The Lone Ranger” makes its debut, trotting through American cultural traditions
The champion of justice “The Lone Ranger” and the faithful steed Silver walked through the Wild West and into American lore for the first time on this day in history, January 30, 1933.
Lone Ranger was soon joined by his Native American sidekick Tonto to become the original multi-media acclaimed dynamic crime-fighting duo.
The program debuted on WXYZ in Detroit – the first of over 3,000 radio episodes over the next two decades.
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“‘The Lone Ranger’ was an instant hit, and the character became known for his black domino mask, code of honor, signature silver bullets, and silver horse,” notes the Smithsonian Institution.
“According to his moral code, the Lone Ranger tries to avoid violence, shooting only to disarm, not kill, and using silver bullets to remind people of the value of human life.”
The Lone Ranger rides again and again – as generations of Americans recognize the familiar theme and hearty “Hi-yo, Silver!” of the famous masked man. Over the years, some 18 actors have portrayed the larger-than-life hero on radio and television.
(Getty Images)
The radio show quickly found a nationwide audience of millions of listeners. Aimed at children, it enjoyed equal appeal to adults.
“Over the next 80 years, ‘The Lone Ranger’ would appear in comic books, TV shows and movies, not to mention a wide range of merchandise including action figures, costumes, books and toy guns,” writes Indian Country Times, a Native American culture media site.
“He’s a vigilante vigilante…a hero made for Great Depression radio audiences.” – NPR
“The show also helped define the TV western, inspiring dozens of other titles.”
“The Lone Ranger” made its television debut in 1949 and was one of the first hits of the television era for ABC before ending in 1957. Other television adaptations followed.
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Lone Ranger and Tonto spawned several series of novels, the first in 1935, and first appeared in comic book form in 1939.
Arnie Hammer starred as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp played Tonto in the latest of several Hollywood versions of the duo’s adventures in 2013.
‘The Lone Ranger Rides Again’ lobby card, left to right: Robert Livingston, Chief Thundercloud in ‘Chapter 1: The Lone Ranger Returns’, 1939.
(LMPC via Getty Images)
Many voice and screen actors have played the roles over the years.
Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels are most closely associated with Lone Ranger and Tonto for their years playing the characters on television.
A dramatic story brought together the masked lawman and his Comanche friend.
“It is obvious to the child who listens that great men have no racial or religious bias.” — Fran Striker Jr.
Lone Ranger was one of six Texas Rangers ambushed and shot by outlaws.
“After the shooting was over, an Indian arrived at the scene of the ambush. The ranger, who was injured but still clinging to life, had rescued this Indian from outlaw raiders a few years earlier early, when they were just boys.” writes NPR in a history of the historical program.
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“The Indian recognized his childhood companion, carried him to a nearby cave and treated him. Four days later, the surviving Ranger came to. And he asked his savior what had happened to his comrades. The Indian showed him the graves of the other five Rangers… ‘You remain only Ranger… You Lone Ranger.'”
Armie Hammer, Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp attend the UK Premiere of ‘The Lone Ranger’ at Odeon Leicester Square on July 21, 2013 in London.
(Karwai Tang/WireImage)
The experience strengthened their friendship and commitment to fighting crime and proved fundamental to the program’s appeal. Lone Ranger wore a mask to help trick archenemy Butch Cavendish into thinking he was killed in the ambush.
The Lone Ranger was created for radio by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker.
Trendle owned WXYZ and produced the show. Striker created the characters and wrote the script.
They crafted the origin story of the ambush after 10 episodes of the show, when the masked ranger riding alone needed a sidekick to add some dialogue to the show.
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The main characters presented racial unity in action rather than words – or without the social media demagoguery that privileges preaching over the practice so common today.
“If the Lone Ranger accepts the Indian as his closest companion, it is obvious to the child who listens that great men have no racial or religious biases,” said the creator’s son, Fran Striker Jr. , to NPR.
“The Lone Ranger,” among other influences, gifted the nation with several additions to American English.
Clayton Moore (1914-1999), American actor, in costume as he sits on his rearing horse, Silver, in a still-running advertisement for the television series ‘The Lone Ranger’, circa 1950. The series featured starred Moore as the Lone Ranger.
(Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
“Kemosabe”, Tonto’s affectionate word for Lone Ranger, is a colloquialism for “friend”.
The word originated in the Ojibwe language.
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The Lone Ranger’s shout “Hi-yo, Silver!” – heard in every episode – could be uttered before any flippant and fearless charge into action.
The term “lone ranger” itself is a common American idiom for anyone pursuing something alone.
“I believe in my Creator, my country, my neighbour.” — Creed of the Lone Ranger
“The Lone Ranger” also helped popularize for generations of Americans “The William Tell Overture”, used as the theme song.
The creators of the program created another masked hero, The Green Hornet, who also became a radio, television, comic book and film superhero.
“The Lone Ranger” (1949-57), the adventures of the masked hero, The Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore) and his Native American partner, Tonto (Jay Silverheels).
(ABC Photo Archive/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
They gave the vigilante a moral code, commonly referred to as the Lone Ranger Creed, intended to illustrate the faith of troubled Great Depression-era listeners in core American values.
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“I believe,” Striker wrote on behalf of Lone Ranger, “that to have a friend a man must be one; that all men are created equal and that each has within him the power to make this world a better place; that this government “of the people, by the people and for the people” will always live.”
The Lone Ranger 10 Values Creed ends with “I believe in my Creator, my country, my neighbour.”
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