''The Lone Ranger'' is a 1938 American Republic Movie serial based on the radio program of the same name. It was the ninth of the sixty-six serials produced by Republic, the fourth

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that i ...

(a third of Republic's serials were Westerns) and the first Republic serial release of 1938. The following year a sequel serial ''

The Lone Ranger Rides Again ''The Lone Ranger Rides Again'' is a 1939 American Republic serial. It was a sequel to Republic's 1938 serial ''The Lone Ranger'', which had been highly successful, and the thirteenth of the sixty-six serials produced by Republic. The serial w ...

'' was released. The fifteen chapters of the serial were condensed into the film '' Hi-Yo Silver'', which was released in 1940.

Plot

In 1865, Captain Mark Smith of the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighti ...

leads a band of

deserter Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which a ...

s to conquer

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

and rule it as a

dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in ti ...

. In one of his first actions, he captures and assumes the identity of Texas's new Finance Commissioner, Colonel Marcus Jeffries, after having the real man murdered. When a contingent of Texas Rangers enters the territory, Snead, one of Smith's men, leads them into an ambush by Smith's "troopers". The Rangers are apparently wiped out, although one injured survivor is left. The survivor, nursed back to health by Tonto, swears to avenge the massacre and defeat "Colonel Jeffries" and his men. When he is not operating as the Ranger, he appears under an assumed identity as one of a group of Texans resisting Smith's rule. Smith, through a henchman, has narrowed the field of suspects down to five specific members of the resistance. One of these five—Allen King, Bob Stuart, Bert Rogers, Dick Forrest, and Jim Clark—actually is the Ranger, but only Tonto and the other four Texans know which one it is. Together, they operate as an effective team attempting to end Smith's rule.

Cast

;Main cast * Lee Powell as Allen King, a Texan fighting against Smith who may be the Lone Ranger *

Chief Thundercloud Victor Daniels (April 12, 1899 – December 1, 1955), known professionally as Chief Thundercloud, was an American character actor in Westerns. He is noted for being the first actor to play the role of Tonto, the Lone Ranger's Native-Americ ...

as Tonto, or "Wild One" in Native American language *Silver King as

Silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

. (Silver Chief in the sequel) *

Hal Taliaferro Floyd Taliaferro Alderson (November 13, 1895 – February 10, 1980) was an American film actor who specialized in westerns. After serving in the Great War, he began his career in the era of silent films, when he frequently used the name Wally ...

as Bob Stuart, a Texan fighting against Smith who may be the Lone Ranger * Herman Brix as Bert Rogers, a Texan fighting against Smith who may be the Lone Ranger *

Lane Chandler Lane Chandler (born Robert Clinton Oakes, June 4, 1899 – September 14, 1972) was an American actor specializing mainly in Westerns. Biography Early life Chandler was raised on a ranch near Culbertson, Montana, the son of a horse ranc ...

as Dick Forrest, a Texan fighting against Smith who may be the Lone Ranger * George Montgomery billed as George Letz as Jim Clark, a Texan fighting against Smith who may be the Lone Ranger *

Lynne Roberts Lynne Roberts, also credited as Mary Hart, born Theda May Roberts (November 22, 1922 – April 1, 1978) was an American film actress during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She appeared exclusively in what were referred to as B-movies. Early ...

as Joan Blanchard, George Blanchard's

daughter A daughter is a female offspring; a girl or a woman in relation to her parents. Daughterhood is the state of being someone's daughter. The male counterpart is a son. Analogously the name is used in several areas to show relations between ...

Stanley Andrews Stanley Andrews (born Stanley Martin Andrzejewski; August 28, 1891 – June 23, 1969) was an American actor perhaps best known as the voice of Daddy Warbucks on the radio program '' Little Orphan Annie'' and later as "The Old Ranger", the firs ...

as Mark Smith, former

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the

working under the identity of the murdered Colonel Marcus Jefferies, State Finance Commissioner *

George Cleveland George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954. Career Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stage ...

as George Blanchard, emissary from Washington * William Farnum as Father McKim, local

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...

and ally of the Lone Ranger who sends messages via

carrier pigeon The homing pigeon, also called the mail pigeon or messenger pigeon, is a variety of domestic pigeons (''Columba livia domestica'') derived from the wild rock dove, selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long dist ...

;Supporting cast *

John Merton John Merton (born Myrtland F. LaVarre; February 18, 1901 – September 19, 1959) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1927 and 1959, mostly as a villain. He was the brother of filmmaker André de la Varre an ...

as "Kester", one of Smith's henchmen, a

and former

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the

Sammy McKim Sammy McKim (December 20, 1924 – July 9, 2004) was a Canadian film actor and artist. He graduated from Los Angeles Art Center with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He died in Burbank, California from ...

as "Sammy" *

Tom London Tom London (born Leonard T. Clapman; August 24, 1889 – December 5, 1963) was an American actor who played frequently in B-Westerns. According to ''The Guinness Book of Movie Records'', London is credited with appearing in the most films in ...

as "Felton", one of Smith's henchmen, a

and former sergeant in the

*Raphael Bennet as Black bart Taggart, one of Smith's henchmen * Maston Williams as Joe Snead, one of Smith's henchmen *

Frank McGlynn Sr. Frank McGlynn Sr. (October 26, 1866 – May 18, 1951) was an American stage and screen actor who, in a career that spanned more than half a century, is best known for his convincing impersonations and performances as Abraham Lincoln in both ...

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation thro ...

, assassinated President of the United States (scene deleted from serial release, only appears in feature version "Hi Yo Silver") ;Additional *

Billy Bletcher William Bletcher (September 24, 1894 – January 5, 1979) was an American actor. He was known for voice roles for various classic animated characters, most notably Pete in Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse short films and the Big Bad Wolf in Disney ...

as voice of ''The Lone Ranger'' (uncredited) * Earle 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.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") 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 Pictures the right to do whatever it pleased with the character. Republic was notorious for making changes in its adaptations, the worst case of which was ''

Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in '' Captain America Comics'' #1 ( cover dated March 1941) from T ...

'' (1944), 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 ''The Masked Marvel'' (1943) is a 12-chapter film serial created by Republic Pictures, who produced many other well known serials. It was Republic's thirty-first serial, of the sixty-six they produced. Plot In ''The Masked Marvel'', a hero dress ...

'' (1943). After the second Lone Ranger serial, which featured Robert Livingston as the title character, who appeared in a mostly unmasked state, George Trendle decided to dissolve his relationship with Republic and offer the property to another studio. After apparently ordering all prints of both Republic serials to be destroyed to prevent further exhibition, Trendle took with him the Ranger's origin story as presented in the serial, and rights to the serial's music, both of which were later used on the radio and other media versions of the character's adventures. ''The Lone Ranger'' was budgeted at $160,315 although the final

negative cost Negative cost is the net expense to produce and shoot a film, excluding such expenditures as distribution and promotion. Low-budget movies, for example ''The Blair Witch Project ''The Blair Witch Project'' is a 1999 American supernatural ...

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 ''Zombies of the Stratosphere'' is a 1952 black-and-white Republic Studios serial directed by Fred C. Brannon, with a screenplay by Ronald Davidson, and special effects by Republic's Lydecker brothers. It was intended to be Republic's second seri ...

'' in

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh ...

. The serial's production number was 794. The bulk of the outdoor action in the serial ''The Lone Ranger'' was filmed at the

Iverson Movie Ranch Iverson may refer to: Computing * Iverson Award, an ACM honour for APL contributions * Iverson bracket, a mathematical notation * Iverson Notation, the syntactic basis of APL (programming language) Other uses * Iverson Movie Ranch, Chatsworth, Ca ...

in Chatsworth, Calif., where Republic shot virtually all of its serials, along with most of its B-Westerns, during the studio's life span — and where the later TV series ''

The Lone Ranger 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 ...

'' would also shoot much of its outdoor footage. Additional footage for the serial was shot in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California, giving the serial a strikingly different overall look from that of the more widely seen television version. ''The Lone Ranger'' was the biggest serial event since Universal's ''

Flash Gordon Flash Gordon is the protagonist of a space adventure comic strip created and originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by, and created to compete with, the already established '' Buck Rogers'' ad ...

'' (1936). 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 of mystery in the script. He was eventually forced by the copyright holders to stop.

Stunts

* David Sharpe as The Lone Ranger *

Yakima Canutt Enos Edward "Yakima" Canutt (November 29, 1895 – May 24, 1986) was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director. He developed many stunts for films and the techniques and technology to protect stuntmen in performing t ...

* Ken Cooper * Duke Green * Eddie Juaregui *

George Magrill George Magrill (January 5, 1900 – May 31, 1952) was an American film actor who appeared in more than 320 films between 1923 and 1952. Magrill performed on stage before he began to work in films. Besides his acting, Magrill worked as a s ...

* Loren Riebe *

Duke Taylor Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

* Bill Yrigoyen * Joe Yrigoyen

Release

Theatrical

''The Lone Rangers 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 A working title, which may be abbreviated and styled in trade publications after a putative title as (wt), also called a production title or a tentative title, is the temporary title of a product or project used during its development, usually ...

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 and should be included in "any list of the ten best sound serials of all."

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:

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 Landslides, also known as landslips, are several forms of mass wasting that may include a wide range of ground movements, such as rockfalls, deep-seated slope failures, mudflows, and debris flows. Landslides occur in a variety of environments, ...

caused by an

explosion An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are kno ...

. #''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 A henchman (''vernacular:'' "hencher"), is a loyal employee, supporter, or aide to some powerful figure engaged in nefarious or criminal enterprises. Henchmen are typically relatively unimportant in the organization: minions whose value lies prim ...

, Taggart, the Lone Ranger is caught in the eruption of a

geyser A geyser (, ) is a spring characterized by an intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by steam. As a fairly rare phenomenon, the formation of geysers is due to particular hydrogeological conditions that exist only ...

. #''Red Man's Courage:'' Attempting to rescue Tonto, being burned at the stake by Comanches who have found

silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

bullet A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. Bullets are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. Bullets are made in various shapes and ...

s 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 Gunpowder, also commonly known as black powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, carbon (in the form of charcoal) and potassium nitrate ( saltpeter) ...

. #''Fatal Treasure:'' Bob Stuart and Dick Forrest, both potentially the Lone Ranger, are caught in a

well A well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. T ...

as Kester fires on it with a

cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder duri ...

. #''The Missing Spur:'' Kester rips off one of the Lone Ranger's

spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...

s and notices its 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 a

cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on ...

. #''The Fatal Plunge:'' Dick Forrest tackles Felton from a

cave A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...

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 A stampede () is a situation in which a group of large animals suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are excited or frightened. Non-human species associated with stampede behavior include zebras, cattle, elephants ...

with gunfire. #''The Pitfall:'' The Lone Ranger takes cover under a ledge. Joan and George Blanchard outrace the

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, punching Taggart into the

, while the Lone Ranger pulls himself the safety by

lasso A lasso ( or ), also called lariat, riata, or reata (all from Castilian, la reata 're-tied rope'), is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the Spanish a ...

ing Silver's

saddle The saddle is a supportive structure for a rider of an animal, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is equestrian. However, specialized saddles have been created for oxen, camels and other animals. It is not kno ...

. #''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

* * *
''The Lone Ranger''
at Internet Archive
The Lone Ranger serials at The Serial Squadron

Iverson Movie Ranch: History, vintage photos.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lone Ranger, The 1938 films American black-and-white films 1938 Western (genre) films Films based on radio series 1930s English-language films Republic Pictures film serials Lone Ranger films Films directed by William Witney Films directed by John English Films set in 1865 Films set in Texas Articles containing video clips Films produced by Sol C. Siegel American Western (genre) films 1930s American films