The Lone Ranger (animated TV series)

The Lone Ranger
Genre Western
Created by George W. Trendle
Fran Striker
Developed by Format Films
Written by Tom Dagenais
L.L. Goldman
Ken Sobol
Directed by Rudy Larriva
Bill Tytla
Art Babbitt
John Halas
Stan Green
Mike Mills
Tom Halley
Cam Ford
Harold Whitaker
Jackie Huie
Raymond Leach
Starring Michael Rye
Shepard Menken
Narrated by Marvin Miller
Music by Vic Schoen
Country of origin United States
No. of episodes 26
Production
Executive producer(s) Arthur P. Jacobs
Producer(s) Herbert Klynn
Running time 30 minutes
Release
Original network CBS
Original release September 10, 1966 (1966-09-10) – September 6, 1969 (1969-09-06)

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.

Story elements

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, whose voice was provided by Dick Beals; he was an analogue to James T. West's major enemy, Dr. Miguelito Loveless. Guest star Agnes Moorehead, who voiced the villain Black Widow, also played a villain on The Wild Wild West in a second season episode, "The Night of the Vicious Valentine".

Episodes

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 had a dark style which set the show apart from all the other cartoon TV series on at that time. The distinct atmospheric music was composed by Vic Schoen, who also provided the powerful arrangement of 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.

Cast

References

  1. ↑ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming From 1948 to the Present (4 ed.). Penguin Books. p. 489. ISBN 978-0-14-024916-3.
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