ArizonaRealCountry.com 65 December 2018 After two Republic serials and two heavily edited features derived from the cliffhangers, Trendle settled for radio and print media to tell any tales of the Ranger and Tonto. In 1949, Trendle saw the perfect way to control his property and tell the story he and writer Fran Striker envisioned. Television had been around in one form or another for decades, but in 1949 the B cowboy stars knew their time in movie houses was coming to the end of the trail. Gene, Roy, Hoppy, and Cisco would find new life on TV. They had all been popular properties on the silver screen so it was natural to take the next step; the ranger had no significant feature time to prove his value on the small screen. Although Trendle was the catalyst for the Lone Ranger’s television success, it was his inspired casting of Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels which brought his characters to life. This was proven when John Hart replaced Moore for 52 episodes in 1952 and 1953. Moore and Silverheels made the Lone Ranger and Tonto their own for every generation; there would be two failed TV pilots and two unsatisfying major films, but these two have never been replaced. To be fair, it would be very hard capturing the essence of the 1950’s series without making it a satire. The premise with Moore’s flashy, tight, powder blue costume and Indian companion, would cause laughter the minute they hit town. But you never know, regulating the old with new there might be a perfect Lone Ranger film yet. Nevertheless, when all is said and done, who’s the real Lone Ranger? Fans knew the answer all along. It’s Clayton Moore. By Charlie LeSueur Charlie LeSueur, AZ’s Official Western Film Historian. Encore Fellow @ Western Spirit, Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. 480.358.5178, azfilmhistorian@gmail.com, silverscreencowboyz.com In Search of the Real LONE RANGER – Part 3 Clockwise from top: 1st Lone Ranger Film (1956); John Hart as the ranger; 2nd Lone Ranger film (1958); Classic TV show.