The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought
outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend,
Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American
culture.He first appeared in 1933 in a radio show on WXYZ (Detroit),
conceived either by station owner George W. Trendle or by Fran
Striker, the show's writer. The radio series proved to be a hit and
spawned a series of books (largely written by Striker), an equally
popular television show that ran from 1949 to 1957, comic books, and
several movies. The title character was played on the radio show by
Earle Graser for some 13,000 episodes but three others preceded him,
according to The New York Times: "a man named Deeds, who lasted only a
few weeks; a George Stenius [actually George Seaton according to the
Los Angeles Times] and then Brace Beemer; the latter became the
narrator of the program.He first appeared in 1933 in a radio show on
WXYZ (Detroit), conceived either by station owner George W. Trendle or
by Fran Striker, the show's writer. The radio series proved to be a
hit and spawned a series of books (largely written by Striker), an
equally popular television show that ran from 1949 to 1957, comic
books, and several movies. The title character was played on the radio
show by Earle Graser for some 13,000 episodes but three others
preceded him, according to The New York Times: "a man named Deeds, who
lasted only a few weeks; a George Stenius [actually George Seaton
according to the Los Angeles Times] and then Brace Beemer; the latter
became the narrator of the program.Clayton Moore portrayed the Lone
Ranger on television although, during a contract dispute, Moore was
replaced temporarily by John Hart, who wore a different style of mask.
On the radio, Tonto was played by, among others, John Todd and Roland
Parker; and in the television series, by Jay Silverheels, who was a
Mohawk from the Six Nations Indian Reserve in Ontario, Canada.The Lone
Ranger is the sole survivor of a group of six ambushed Texas Rangers.
While details differ, the basic story of the Lone Ranger's origin is
consistent in most versions of the franchise. A posse of six members
of the Texas Ranger Division, led by Captain Dan Reid, pursued a band
of outlaws led by Bartholomew "Butch" Cavendish, but are betrayed by a
civilian guide named Collins, who was secretly working with Cavendish,
and led the unsuspecting rangers into an ambush at the canyon known as
Bryant's Gap. Later, a Native American named Tonto stumbles onto the
grisly scene. He discovers one of the rangers, Captain Reid's younger
brother, John, barely alive, and he nurses the man to health. In some
versions, Tonto recognizes the lone survivor as the man who had saved
his life when they both were children. According to the television
series, Tonto gave John a ring and the name Kemo Sabe, which he said
means "trusty scout". John Reid then tells Tonto that he intends to
hunt down Cavendish and his men and to bring them to justice. To
conceal his identity and honor his fallen brother, John fashions a
black domino mask using cloth from his late brother's vest. To aid in
the deception, Tonto digs a sixth grave and places at its head a cross
bearing John Reid's name so that Cavendish and his gang will believe
that all the Rangers had been killed. Lone Ranger Top Movies & Young Movies