Creative Lessons from The Lone Ranger!

One of the most popular children’s television shows of all time is The Lone Ranger, originally broadcast from 1949 to 1957. The Lone Ranger was played by Clayton Moore and Tonto by Jay Silverheels. The Lone Ranger was created by George Trendle and Fran Striker, and the television show first produced by Trendle and Jack Chertok.

If you have young children, I highly recommend that you introduce them to the Lone Ranger and Tonto. All children need to see heroes succeeding in a benevolent world and are inspired in life by that vision. A good place to start enjoying the Lone Ranger is with the two color films that were produced and released after the television series was completed. These films are The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958.)

Further, cut from episodes of the series, there also is The Legend of the Lone Ranger, a black and white compilation of the Lone Ranger’s origin story.

As an appreciation of The Lone Ranger, following is (a slightly edited version) of what I wrote in my article, The Meaning of Westerns. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/meaning-western-scott-mcconnell-the-story-guy/

Values of The Lone Ranger

Benevolence was a trademark of television (and film) classic westerns. Each week viewers would see the Cartwrights succeed on their ranch and Matt Dillon win for the good guys, for example. And there were many benevolent western heroes beloved by children. Standing tall among them were Hopalong Cassidy, Wild Bill Elliott, the Cisco Kid, and the most famous of them all, the Lone Ranger. Clayton Moore lived that role, imbuing the Ranger with the elegance and gravitas of a matinee idol in a benevolent world. The Lone Ranger walked with decisive purpose and was handsome and poised. He looked nifty in his sky-blue outfit with black gun-belt, boots and mask, and of course he used only silver bullets. The Lone Ranger wasn’t shy to state a moral lesson along the way, often speaking in principles or aphorisms suitable for kids. Tonto was equally stylised and benevolent, from his distinctive visage to his attractive buckskin outfit, to his loyalty to the Ranger and all he and the Lone Ranger stood for. The derring-do of the Lone Ranger and Tonto was heightened by rousing classical music and was dramatically introduced each week by Rossini’s “William Tell Overture”. And, of course, at the close of each show, the Lone Ranger and Tonto would ride confidently away, off to another adventure: “Hi ho Silver, away!” Justice had been achieved and the good had triumphed.

The Ethics of The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger like most classic westerns was a morality tale. It taught children what was right and how to live. There was no greater example for children in westerns of “the battle of good and evil”, of explicit American moral lessons, than The Lone Ranger. Often during their adventures, the Ranger would declare to Tonto the importance of fighting for law and order and progress or some other important ideal. “The Letter Bride” episode, written by Wells Root, dramatised the ideal that all races are equal. A Chinese “good friend” of the Ranger and Tonto is being terrorised by racists who kidnap his Chinese fiancée. The Ranger explains why the kidnappers have taken Lee Po’s girl: “The lowest reason the human heart is capable of … Because their skin is a different colour to yours.” When one racist kidnapper later snaps at the Lone Ranger, “What’s wrong with it?” The Ranger replies, “I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. Chinese are people and have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that you have.”

Clayton Moore once stated: “I like playing the good guy. I’ll wear the white hat for the rest of my life. The Lone Ranger is a great character, a great American. Playing him made me a better person.” Millions of children around the world who learned ethics from the Lone Ranger understood what Moore meant.

Creator Takeaways

Of course, every creator wants to produce what he or she loves. Your art is your expression of your deepest values and spiritual beliefs. It is, however, a simple box office fact that benevolent television shows and films generally have done much better than malevolent ones. Think about that when you are creating your next story. Also, think about if you have a hero in your story -- a person of great virtues who bravely achieves great deeds. Heroes today might be decried by many but they still are, I believe, the top box office draw and inspiring to many of us, especially children.

So try to think of original traits and story angles for your hero and his or her world. For inspiration look, for example, at some of the key trademarks underlying the originality of the Lone Ranger: The Western and Texas Ranger setting, the friendly partnership of a white man and Indian, the values of justice, equality and progress, the beautiful and brave horses of the heroes, the unique and inspirational theme music and show opening and close, a memorable origin tale, and the striking costumes and looks of the leads. And of course those emblematic silver bullets.

Stories and shows like The Lone Ranger become legendary for a reason. So must your creations.

“Scott McConnell is an excellent Script Editor.” Snorri Þórisson, CEO Pegasus Pictures 

Stories are ideas in action!

© 2022 COPYRIGHT SCOTT MCCONNELL