By this time, Chertok had established his own television production company and was busy producing other programs. Another big change, not readily detectable by the viewers, was replacing Jack Chertok with producer Sherman A.
#The lone ranger wiki series#
Otherwise, the series was mostly filmed on a studio sound stage. Wrather also went outdoors for action footage. Wrather invested money from his own pocket to film in color, although ABC telecast only in black and white. The final season saw a number of changes, including an episode count of 39, which had become the industry standard.
#The lone ranger wiki full#
Once again, they were broadcast as a full year of new episodes followed by a full year of reruns. Wrather immediately rehired Clayton Moore to play the Lone Ranger, and another 52 episodes were produced. Īt the end of the fifth year of the television series, Trendle sold the Lone Ranger rights to Jack Wrather, who bought them on August 3, 1954. Despite expectations that the mask would make the switch workable, Hart was not accepted in the role, and his episodes were not seen again until the 1980s. Once again, the 52 new episodes were aired in sequence followed by 52 weeks rerunning them. When it came time to produce another batch of 52 episodes, there is speculation of a wage dispute with Clayton Moore (although he stated in his autobiography "I Was That Masked Man" that he never really knew exactly why he was dismissed), and John Hart was hired to play the role of the Lone Ranger.
#The lone ranger wiki movie#
The rock seen next to Silver is known as Lone Ranger Rock and remains in place today on the site of the former movie ranch. Much of the series was filmed on the former Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California, including the iconic opening sequence to each episode, in which the cry of "Hi-yo Silver" is heard before the Lone Ranger and Silver gallop to a distinctive rock and Silver rears up on his hind legs. All were shot in Kanab, Utah and California. Then the entire 78 episodes were shown again before any new episodes were produced. The first 78 episodes were produced and broadcast for 78 consecutive weeks without any breaks or reruns. Chertok served as the producer for the first 182 episodes. For this, he hired veteran MGM film producer Jack Chertok. Trendle retained the title of producer, although he recognized that his experience in radio was not adequate for producing the television series. The person then responds that it was the Lone Ranger, who is then heard yelling "Hi-Yo Silver, away!" as he and Tonto ride away on their horses. At the end of most episodes, after the Lone Ranger and Tonto leave, someone asks the sheriff or other person of authority who the masked man was. The episode ends with him on the cliff but slipping.Ī silver mine in the second episode supplies The Lone Ranger with the name of his horse as well as the funds required to finance his wandering lifestyle and the raw material for his signature bullets.
In the first episode they are attacked from above just after he recovers and Tonto distracts the attacker from above as the Lone Ranger first shoots the attacker then tries to climb the cliff he is on. The "lone" surviving ranger thereafter disguises himself with the black mask Tonto made and travels with Tonto throughout Texas and the American West to assist those challenged by the lawless elements. Tonto tends to health and complies with his wish to make him a mask from his brother's clothes and to create an empty sixth grave to appear that he is dead. He is found by a native Indian, Tonto, who buries the five other rangers, one of whom is the survivor's brother. In the hot sun one lives and crawls to a pool and cool water which saves his life. Ī group of six Texas Rangers is ambushed and all are shot, apparently dead. The series finished number 7 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1950–1951 season, number –1952 and number –1953. The Lone Ranger was the highest-rated television program on ABC in the early 1950s and its first true "hit". Gerald Mohr was originally employed as the narrator for the television series, but story narration was dropped after 16 episodes. Fred Foy, who had been both narrator and announcer of the radio series from 1948 until its ending, was the announcer. John Hart replaced Moore in the title role from 1952 to 1953 owing to a contract dispute.