The Lone Ranger (animated TV series)

The Lone Ranger is the central character of an American animated television series that ran 26 episodes on CBS from September 10, 1966, to September 6, 1969.^[1] The series was produced by Herb Klynn and Jules Engel of Format Films, Hollywood, and designed and made at the Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Film studios in London, England & Artransa Park Studios in Australia.

Overview

The adventures in this Lone Ranger series were similar in tone and nature to CBS' prime-time Weird Western, The Wild Wild West, in that some of the plots were bizarre and had elements of science-fiction and steampunk technology included in the story. One of the Lone Ranger's archenemies in the animated series was a dwarf named Tiny Tom; an analogue to The Wild Wild West's Dr. Miguelito Loveless.

Cast

• Michael Rye — Lone Ranger
• Shepard Menken — Tonto
• Dick Beals — Tiny Tom
• Agnes Moorehead — Black Widow
• Hans Conried — Mephisto

Production

The Lone Ranger's voice was provided by Michael Rye {r.n. John Michael Riorden Billsbury}, and Shepard Menken provided that of Tonto. The narrator in the opening titles was Marvin Miller, whose narration ran:

When the factories first began to send their pall of smoke over the cities, and farmlands of the East offered only the barest living, Americans turned their faces toward the West. They poured into the new territory by the thousands--fording the mighty rivers, climbing the mountains, fighting Indians and outlaws--praying...toiling...dying.

It was a hard land, a hostile land. Only the strong survived...a new American breed--the pioneer.
In this forge upon this anvil was hammered out a man who became a legend...a daring and resourceful man who hated thievery and oppression.
His face masked...his true name unknown...with his faithful Indian companion at his side, he thundered across the West on his great white stallion, appearing out of nowhere to strike down injustice and outlawry...and then, vanishing as mysteriously as he came.
His sign: a silver bullet.
His name: The Lone Ranger!!!

Other guest voices were provided by Paul Winchell, Agnes Moorehead, and Hans Conried.

The animation was limited. But the backgrounds had a dark style, with blocks of color elided from the line, which visually set the show apart from many other cartoon TV series of the time. The distinct atmospheric music was composed by Vic Schoen, who also provided the powerful arrangement of Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture for the show's memorable opening sequence. Along with the Halas and Batchelor animators, the background department, led by Tom Bailey, Ted Petengel and designer Chris Miles, were responsible for setting the graphic style. The drawings were produced by chinagraph pencil on cell. Colored papers were cut or torn under or against the lines of the background, producing a dramatic and rich textural effect.

Episodes

1. The Trickster / The Crack of Doom / The Human Dynamo (Original air date 1966-09-10)
2. Ghost Riders / Wrath of the Sun God / Day of the Dragon (Original air date 1966-09-17)
3. The Secret Army of General X / The Cat People / Night of the Vampire (Original air date 1966-09-24)
4. Bear Claw / The Hunter and the Hunted / Mephisto (Original air date 1966-10-01)
5. Revenge of the Mole / The Frog People / Terror in Toyland (Original air date 1966-10-08)
6. Black Mask of Revenge / The Sacrifice / Puppetmaster (Original air date 1966-10-15)
7. Valley of the Dead / Forest of Death / The Fly (Original air date 1966-10-22)
8. A Time to Die / Ghost Tribe of Commanche Flat / Attack of the Lilliputians (Original air date 1966-10-29)
9. Circus of Death / The Brave / Cult of the Black Widow (Original air date 1966-11-05)
10. El Conquistador / Snow Creature / The Prairie Pirate (Original air date 1966-11-12)
11. Man of Silver / Nightmare in Whispering Pine / Sabotage (Original air date 1966-11-19)
12. Mastermind / The Lost Tribe of Golden Giants / Monster of Scavenger Crossing (Original air date 1967-01-07)
13. The Black Panther / Thomas the Great / Island of the Black Widow (Original air date 1967-01-14)
14. Paddle Wheeling Pirates / A Day at Death's Head Pass / The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Scientist (Original air date 1967-09-09)
15. The Kid / Stone Hawk / Sky Raiders (Original air date 1967-09-16)
16. The Man From Pinkerton / Tonto and the Devil Spirits / The Deadly Glassman (Original air date 1967-09-23)
17. Black Knight / Taka / Fire Rain (Original air date 1967-09-30)
18. The Secret of Warlock / Wolfmaster / Death Hunt (Original air date 1967-10-07)
19. The Terrible Tiny Tom / Fire Monster / The Iron Giant (Original air date 1967-10-14)
20. Town Tamers, Inc. / Curse of the Devil Doll / It Came From Below (Original air date 1967-10-21)
21. Black Arrow / The Rainmaker / Flight of the Hawk (Original air date 1967-10-28)
22. The Avenger / Battle at Barnaby's Bend / Puppetmaster's Revenge (Original air date 1967-11-04)
23. Reign of the Queen Bee / Kingdom of Terror / Quicksilver (Original air date 1967-11-11)
24. The Legend of Cherokee Smith / The Day the West Stood Still / Border Rats (Original air date 1967-11-18)
25. Lash and the Arrow / Spectre of Death / Mr. Happy (Original air date 1968-01-06)
26. Mr. Midas / Unknown / Unknown (Original air date 1968-01-13)

Home video availability

The 1960s animated cartoon TV series version of The Lone Ranger was not available on home video as of the middle of January 2017. This was partially explainable as a result of confusion over the ownership of the copyright to it. However, Universal Television, which had been partially responsible for the show's production in the sense of having commissioned Format Films and Halas and Batchelor Animation to work on it with the permission of Jack Wrather Productions, then owners of the Lone Ranger copyright, could be said to have a legitimate copyright-ownership claim.

References

External links

• The Lone Ranger on IMDb
• Lone Ranger Fanclub
• Description at Pazaz Entertainment