Hi-Yo, Silver! It’s the Long Ranger!

by Guy Belleranti

The Lone Ranger was one of the earliest television westerns. The program began in 1949 and ran for 221 episodes, ending after the 1957 season.

Created by writer Fran Striker and producer George W. Trendle, as a program for a local Detroit radio station in 1933, The Lone Ranger soon became a national radio hit. Movie serials followed in the latter 1930’s.

When the medium of television came on the scene the series was a natural fit. Who can forget Gioacchino Rossini’s famous William Tell Overture as the program’s theme music? And who can forget the narrator’s opening pronouncement: “A fiery horse with the speed of light. A cloud of dust and a hearty Hi-Yo, Silver! The Lone Ranger!”

Clayton Moore played the white clothed, black masked title character for most of the television series’ run, although he was spelled a while by John Hart in 1952-1953. And Jay Silverheels played the Ranger’s Native American friend, Tonto.

The Lone Ranger’s beautiful white horse was Silver, and when he was ready to ride he would call out “the famous words “Hi-Yo, Silver, away!” Tonto’s horse, meanwhile was the spotted palomino, Scout, a pretty good horse in its own right. Together the two men rode the range, bringing law and order in the old west.

The Lone Ranger’s real name was John Reid. One of six Texas Rangers ambushed by Butch Cavendish and his gang of outlaws, Reid was the only one to survive thanks to his friend, Tonto. In fact, when Tonto was young Reid had saved Tonto’s life, so the two had a friendly history going way back.

Donning a mask to hide his identity from Cavendish, Reid becomes The Lone Ranger, and together he and Tonto set out to make the West a better place for all. The two made a great partnership, and their heroic characters were fine role models for younger viewers. They demonstrated how men of different races could work together as a team for justice. In fact, Tonto called the Long Ranger “kemo sabe” which meant “trusted scout” or “faithful friend”.

The Lone Ranger was a smash during its time, and was rerun in the latter 50’s and 1960’s. Lone Ranger toys, comic books, Golden Books and more were favorites of children. There were even a couple of Lone Ranger movies (in 1956 and 1958) starring Moore and Silverheels. And to this day the characters remain a part of our culture.

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