The Lone Ranger (serial)

Infobox Film
name = The Lone Ranger


image_size =
caption = Poster for Chapter 3 of The Lone Ranger
director = William Witney
John English
producer = Sol C. Siegel
writer = Franklin Adreon
Ronald Davidson
Lois Eby
Barry Shipman
Fran Striker
George Worthing Yates
narrator =
starring = Lee Powell
Chief Thundercloud
Lynne Roberts
Stanley Andrews
George Cleveland
William Farnum
Hal Taliaferro
Herman Brix
Lane Chandler
music = Alberto Colombo
cinematography = William Nobles
editing = Edward Todd
Helene Turner
distributor = Republic Pictures
released = Flagicon|USA 12 February 1938 "(serial)"cite book
last = Mathis
first = Jack
title = Valley of the Cliffhangers Supplement
origyear = 1995
publisher = Jack Mathis Advertising
isbn = 0-9632878-1-8
pages = pp. 3, 10, 28-29
chapter = ]
Flagicon|USA 10 April 1940 "(feature)"
runtime = 15 chapters (264 minutes) "(serial)"
69 minutes "(feature)"
country = USA
language = English language
budget = $160,315 (negative cost: $168,117)
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Lone Ranger Rides Again
website =
amg_id = 1:29864
imdb_id = 0030382

"The Lone Ranger" (1938) is a Republic Movie serial. It was the ninth of the sixty-six serials produced by Republic, the fourth western (a third of Republic's serials were westerns) and the first of 1938. The serial was lost of a long time but decent versions have been assembled from discovered footage (particularly a Spanish version, in English with subtitles).

Plot

In 1865, Captain Mark Smith of the Confederate Army leads a band of deserters to conquer Texas and rule it as a dictator. In one their first actions, they ambush and apparently wipe out a contingent of Texas Rangers, although they leave one injured survivor. The survivor, nursed back to health by Tonto, swears to avenge the massacre and defeat Captain Smith (who has assumed the identity of Texas' new Finance Commissioner, Colonel Marcus Jefferies, after having the real man murdered).

Cast

Main cast

*The Lone Ranger
*Silver King as Silver. (Silver Chief in the sequelcite book
last = Stedman
first = Raymond William
title = Serials: Suspense and Drama By Installment
origyear = 1971
publisher = University of Oklahoma Press
isbn = 9780806109275
pages = pp. 110 & 113-114
chapter = 4. Perilous Saturdays ] )
*Tonto
*Lynne Roberts as Joan Blanchard, George Blanchard's daughter
*Stanley Andrews as Mark Smith, former Captain in the Confederate Army working under the identity of the murdered Colonel Marcus Jefferies, State Finance Commissioner
*George Cleveland as George Blanchard, emissary from Washington
*William Farnum as Father McKim, local priest and ally of the Lone Ranger who sends messages via carrier pigeon

upporting Cast

*Chief Thundercloud as Tonto
*Hal Taliaferro as Bob Stuart, possibly the Lone Ranger
*Herman Brix as Bert Rogers, possibly the Lone Ranger
*Lee Powell as Allen King, possibly the Lone Ranger
*Lane Chandler as Dick Forrest, possibly the Lone Ranger
*George Letz as Jim Clark, possibly the Lone Ranger
*John Merton as "Kester", one of Smith's henchmen, a deserter and former captain in the Confederate Army
*Sammy McKim as "Sammy"
*Tom London as "Felton", one of Smith's henchmen, a deserter and former sargeant in the Confederate Army
*Raphael Bennet as Black Taggart, one of Smith's henchmen
*Maston Williams as Joe Snead, one of Smith's henchmen
*Frank McGlynn Sr. as Abraham Lincoln, assassinated President of the United States

Additional

*Billy Bletcher as voice of "The Lone Ranger"
*Earle W. Graser as the voice of "The Lone Ranger" when calling "Hi-Yo Silver!", Graser was the voice of the Lone Ranger on the initial radio series.

Production

A contract between Republic and George W. Trendle for a Lone Ranger serial, and the right to release a condensed version, was signed in June 1937. Trendle and The Lone Ranger Inc. were paid $18,750 plus 10% of any rental share above a $390,000 minimum. [http://www.b-westerns.com/triolost.htm B-Westerns] , from Valley of the Cliffhangers, retrieved 26 March 2007]

There was some disagreement between Republic and Trendle but the contract gave Republic authority over the script and characters. Republic planned that the Lone Ranger would unmask in the last chapter, revealing himself to Joan Blanchard (Lynn Roberts) as Allen King (Lee Powell). Prior to this the issue was confused by two voices for the Lone Ranger (mainly Billy Bletcher but with Earle Graser from the radio series providing the signature cry of "Hi-Yo Silver"cite book
last = Harmon
first = Jim
coauthors= Donald F. Glut
authorlink = Jim Harmon
title = The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury
origyear = 1973
publisher = Routledge
isbn = 9780713000979
pages = pp. 304-307, 309
chapter = 12. The Westerns "Who Was That Masked Man!" ] ) and his stunt double (Dave Sharpe). Trendle objected to Republic's plans for the serial. However, he could not prevent it as the contract gave Republic the right to do whatever they pleased with the character. Republic were notorious for making changes in their adaptations, the worst case of which was Captain America (1944), [cite book
last = Harmon
first = Jim
coauthors= Donald F. Glut
authorlink = Jim Harmon
title = The Great Movie Serials: Their Sound and Fury
origyear = 1973
publisher = Routledge
isbn = 9780713000979
pages = pp. 258
chapter = 10. The Long-Underwear Boys "You've Met Me, Now Meet My Fist!" ] Prior to the reveal, the audience had been presented with several candidates who may have been the Lone Ranger but only one survived to the end. A similar approach was taken with "The Masked Marvel" (1943).

The dispute between Republic and Trendle was solved by Republic giving Trendle the rights to the serial's music, which was later used on the radio.

"The Lone Ranger" was budgeted at $160,315 although the final negative cost was $168,117 (a $7,802, or 4.9%, overspend). It was the most expensive Republic serial until the release of "Dick Tracy Returns" later in 1938.

It was filmed between 28 November and 31 December 1937. At nineteen days, this was the shortest production for a Republic serial until "Zombies of the Stratosphere" in 1952. The serial's production number was 794.

"The Lone Ranger" was the biggest serial event since Universal's Flash Gordon.

Following the end of his contract with Republic, Lee Powell toured with a small circus as "The Lone Ranger of the Movies". This was not successful, possibly because he had never actually been billed as the Lone Ranger due to the element mystery in the script. He was eventually forced to stop by the copyright holders.

tunts

*David Sharpe as The Lone Ranger
*Yakima Canutt
*Ken Cooper
*Duke Green
*Eddie Juaregui
*George Magrill
*Loren Riebe
*Duke Taylor
*Bill Yrigoyen
*Joe Yrigoyen

Release

Theatrical

"The Lone Ranger"'s official release date is 12 February 1938, although this is actually the date the seventh chapter was made available to film exchanges.

A 69-minute feature film version, created by editing the serial footage together, was released on 10 April 1940. It was one of fourteen feature films Republic made from their serials. The working title of this film was "Return of the Ranger" but it was released as "Hi-Yo-Silver".

"The Lone Ranger" was a huge financial success for both Republic and Trendle. The serial also created new interest in the radio version and an additional hundred or so stations picked up the show. King Features even came out with a comic strip.

Critical reception

In the words of Harmon and Glut, the serial contains "tight plotting that became certainly "atypical" of Republic serials." Most serials introduced all the characters and plot elements in the first chapter. "The Lone Ranger", however, added new elements during the course of the serial. In chapter eight the outlaw Jeffries substitutes Confederate money for the local taxes. The tax silver then becomes one of the main focal points of the plot. Another development occurs in chapter ten when Jeffries tries to force Joan to marry him, which was an unusual plot element for a sound serial.

The Lone Ranger was superior in terms of plot and execution when compared to the average western serial, although it contained many features standard to the genre such as explosions, runaway stagecoaches and falls from a great height.

According to Cline, The Lone Ranger was probably the best of the Western serials [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 38
chapter = 3. The Six Faces of Adventure ] and that it should be included in "any list of the ten best sound serials of all." [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 78
chapter = 5. A Cheer for the Champions (The Heroes and Heroines) ]

Chapter Titles

#Hi-Yo Silver "(30 min 17s)"
#Thundering Earth "(18 min 22s)"
#The Pitfall "(16 min 43s)"
#Agent of Treachery "(16 min 39s)"
#The Steaming Cauldron "(16 min 17s)"
#Red Man's Courage "(16 min 28s)"
#Wheels of Disaster "(15 min 58s)"
#Fatal Treasure "(16 min 54s)"
#The Missing Spur "(16 min 35s)"
#Flaming Fury "(16 min 33s)"
#The Silver Bullet "(16 min 18s)"
#Escape "(16 min 22s)"
#The Fatal Plunge "(16 min 37s)" -- Re-Cap Chapter
#Messengers of Doom "(16 min 49s)"
#The Last of the Rangers "(17 min 03s)"_Source: [cite book
last = Cline
first = William C.
title = In the Nick of Time
origyear = 1984
publisher = McFarland & Company, Inc.
isbn = 078640471X
pages = pp. 221
chapter = Filmography ]

Cliffhangers

Cliffhangers

#"Hi-Yo Silver:" The Lone Ranger is trampled by the Confederate deserters.
#"Thundering Earth:" The Lone Ranger, Joan and George Blanchard are caught in a landslide casued by an explosion.
#"The Pitfall:" The Lone Ranger falls into a spiked pit trap.
#"Agent of Treachery:" With the Lone Ranger knocked unconscious, one of Smith's henchmen attempts to remove his mask. This is "one of the weaker cliffhangers of modern serials" in which the Lone Ranger is hit on the head by a hand thrown rock.
#"The Steaming Cauldron:" Rescuing Smith's ungrateful henchman, Taggart, the Lone Ranger is caught in the eruption of a geyser.
#"Red Man's Courage:" Attempting to rescue Tonto, being burned at the stake by Comanches who have found silver bullets at the scene of a killing, the Lone Ranger is thrown from Silver and attacked.
#"Wheels of Disaster:" The Loan Ranger and Joan are blown up while aboard a wagon full of gunpowder.
#"Fatal Treasure:" Bob Stuart and Dick Forrest, both potentially the Lone Ranger, are caught in a well as Kester fires on it with a cannon.
#"The Missing Spur:" Kester rips off one of the Lone Ranger's spurs and notices it's absence on one of his captives.
#"Flaming Fury:" The Lone Ranger and Tonto barricade themselves inside a barn, which catches fire and collapses.
#"The Silver Bullet:" Bob Stuart is badly wounded in a gun fight and about to be finished off by one of Smith's henchmen.
#"Escape:" Losing control of the reins of a stagecoach, the Lone Ranger (with Joan and George Blanchard), fall over an cliff.
#"The Fatal Plunge:" Dick Forrest tackles Felton from a cave ledge and both fall to the floor below.
#"Messengers of Doom:" The Lone Ranger is caught in a cave-in caused by gunfire.

Resolutions

#"Thundering Earth:" The Lone Ranger disrupts the oncoming stampede with gunfire.
#"The Pitfall:" The Lone Ranger takes cover under a ledge. Joan and George Blanchard outrace the landslide in their coach.
#"Agent of Treachery:" The Lone Ranger escapes by clinging to the walls of the trap and climbing out.
#"The Steaming Cauldron:" Tonto rescues the Lone Ranger.
#"Red Man's Courage:" Silver rears, puching Taggart into the geyser, while the Lone Ranger pulls himself the safety by lassoing Silver's saddle.
#"Wheels of Disaster:" The chief Dark Cloud releases both as ordinary lead bullets have been found in the bodies.
#"Fatal Treasure:" The team of horses breaks free, taking Joan and the Loan Ranger with them.
#"The Missing Spur:" Bob Stuart and Dick Forrest crawl through a pipe to another well and escape.
#"Flaming Fury:" All four captives (Bob, Bert Allen and Dick) are missing a spur each.
#"The Silver Bullet:" Both take cover in a pit and then escape on horseback.
#"Escape:" The henchman menacing Bob Stuart is shot by the Lone Ranger.
#"The Fatal Plunge:" The Lone Ranger, Joan and George jump clear.
#"Messengers of Doom:" Felton is killed but Dick survives with a back injury.
#"The Last of the Rangers:" The Lone Ranger takes cover but Dick Forrest is buried alive.

References

External links

*imdb title|id=0030382|title=The Lone Ranger
*imdb title|id=1:29864|title=The Lone Ranger
* [http://www.b-westerns.com/triolost.htm The Lone Ranger serials at B-Westerns]

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box
title=Republic Serial
before=Zorro Rides Again (1937)
years=The Lone Ranger (1938)
after=The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938)succession box
title=Witney-English Serial
before=Zorro Rides Again (1937)
years=The Lone Ranger (1938)
after=The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938)