The Legend of the Lone Ranger
Encyclopedia
The Legend of the Lone Ranger is a 1981 British
-American
western film directed by William A. Fraker
and starring Klinton Spilsbury
, Michael Horse
and Christopher Lloyd
.
It is based on the story of The Lone Ranger
, a Western character created by George W. Trendle
and Fran Striker
. Its producers outraged fans by not allowing actor Clayton Moore
to wear the character's mask when making public appearances, and created a further bad buzz when the dialogue of leading man Klinton Spilsbury was dubbed by another actor. The film was a huge box-office failure.
) ambushes a party of Texas Rangers, killing all except John Reid (Klinton Spilsbury
) who is rescued by his old childhood Comanche friend, Tonto (Michael Horse
). When he recovers from his wounds, he dedicates his life to fighting the crime that Cavendish represents. To this end, John becomes the great masked western hero, The Lone Ranger. With the help of Tonto, the pair go to rescue President Grant (Jason Robards
) when Cavendish takes him hostage.
This film was shot in New Mexico
, Utah
, and California
. Two of the movie's four screenwriters, Ivan Goff
and Ben Roberts
, previously created the hit TV series Charlie's Angels
; they also worked together on another hit series, Mannix
.
The movie's ballad-narration, The Man In The Mask, was composed by Dean Pitchford
of Footloose and Sing
fame.
Klinton Spilsbury's dialogue was overdubbed for the entire movie by actor James Keach
.
and Bonita Granville
gained the legal rights to the Lone Ranger character and were planning a feature film with a younger actor. In 1979, Wrather obtained an injunction to stop Clayton Moore
from appearing as the character at county fairs, much to fans' displeasure. Wrather anticipated making a new film version of the story, and did not want the value of the character being undercut by Moore's appearances. Also, Wrather did not want to encourage the belief that the 65-year-old Moore would be playing the role in the new picture. This move proved to be a public relations
disaster. Moore responded by changing his costume slightly and replacing the mask with similar-looking wraparound sunglasses, and by counter-suing Wrather. He eventually won the suit, and was able to resume his appearances in costume, which he continued to do until shortly before his death in 1999.
, where a case comes through the courtroom involving: an elderly man who played the "Red Ranger," a famous cowboy of yesteryear that was popular with children; and the producers of a movie that is a modernized remake of the character...turning him into a swearing, womanizing modern action hero. Both parties are clashing over the elderly man appearing in public as his old persona.
In the short-lived series Once a Hero
, Adam West
appeared in the fourth episode "Things Get Ugly" as an actor unable to escape the stereotyping of having played a comicbook hero on television (Captain Justice) and earns a living by making public appearances as that character. In this episode a new movie version of the character is coming out, and the studio files a lawsuit against Adam West
's character to prevent him making any further appearances, echoing Moore's situation exactly.
Additionally humorist Russell Baker
satirized the producers' legal action against Clayton Moore
in his newspaper column. The piece, titled "Bye Bye Silver Bullets," had the Lone Ranger in a swank attorney's office being forced to hand over Silver, his mask and his silver bullets.
receipts were far short of the amount needed to recoup the costs of the film, and critical reviews were almost unanimously negative. Despite the presence of good actors in supporting roles, including Christopher Lloyd
as the villain
, cashiered former Union Army Major Bartholomew "Butch" Cavendish, and Jason Robards
as President
Ulysses S. Grant
, the film vanished from theaters rapidly. The actor who appeared as the Ranger, Klinton Spilsbury
, had not appeared in any other films as of 2011, while the actor portraying Tonto, Michael Horse
, had done somewhat better, appearing in many minor films and as a regular on the Canadian television series North of 60
as well as the American series Twin Peaks
.
A line of action figures created by the toy company Gabriel in 1982 which included Buffalo Bill Cody, Butch Cavendish, George Custer, The Lone Ranger
and Tonto
. Also released by Gabriel were the horses Silver (The Lone Ranger's Horse), Scout (Tonto's Horse) and Smoke (Butch's Horse).
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
-American
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
western film directed by William A. Fraker
William A. Fraker
William Ashman Fraker, A.S.C., B.S.C. was a cinematographer, film director, and producer. He has been nominated five times for the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. In 2000, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society of Cinematographers honoring his career...
and starring Klinton Spilsbury
Klinton Spilsbury
Klinton Spilsbury is an American actor, born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His lone known acting credit is the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger , in which he played the title role....
, Michael Horse
Michael Horse
Michael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
and Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
.
It is based on the story of The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. The character has become an enduring icon of American culture....
, a Western character created by George W. Trendle
George W. Trendle
George Washington Trendle was a Detroit lawyer and businessman, best known as the producer of the Lone Ranger radio and television programs along with The Green Hornet. He is entombed in Detroit's Woodlawn Cemetery.-Movie theaters:...
and Fran Striker
Fran Striker
Fran Striker was an American writer for radio and comics, best known for creating The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet, and Sgt...
. Its producers outraged fans by not allowing actor Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
to wear the character's mask when making public appearances, and created a further bad buzz when the dialogue of leading man Klinton Spilsbury was dubbed by another actor. The film was a huge box-office failure.
Plot
The outlaw Butch Cavendish (Christopher LloydChristopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
) ambushes a party of Texas Rangers, killing all except John Reid (Klinton Spilsbury
Klinton Spilsbury
Klinton Spilsbury is an American actor, born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His lone known acting credit is the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger , in which he played the title role....
) who is rescued by his old childhood Comanche friend, Tonto (Michael Horse
Michael Horse
Michael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
). When he recovers from his wounds, he dedicates his life to fighting the crime that Cavendish represents. To this end, John becomes the great masked western hero, The Lone Ranger. With the help of Tonto, the pair go to rescue President Grant (Jason Robards
Jason Robards
Jason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
) when Cavendish takes him hostage.
Cast
- Klinton SpilsburyKlinton SpilsburyKlinton Spilsbury is an American actor, born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His lone known acting credit is the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger , in which he played the title role....
as The Lone RangerThe Lone RangerThe Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. The character has become an enduring icon of American culture.... - Michael HorseMichael HorseMichael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
as TontoTontoTonto may mean:* Tonto, a band of Apache native Americans.* Tonto, the fictional sidekick to the Lone Ranger.* "Tonto", a song by the American math rock band Battles, from their album Mirrored.** "Tonto+", the EP centered around said song.... - Christopher LloydChristopher LloydChristopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
as Butch Cavendish - Jason RobardsJason RobardsJason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
as Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America... - John Bennett PerryJohn Bennett PerryJohn Bennett Perry is an American actor and former model. He is the father of actor Matthew Perry.-Life and career:Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, the son of Maria Schaefer and Alton L. Perry. He married twice...
as Ranger Captain Dan Reid - John HartJohn Hart (actor)John Hart was an American motion picture and television actor, born in Los Angeles, California. In his early career, he appeared mostly in Westerns...
as Lucas Striker - Richard FarnsworthRichard FarnsworthRichard W. Farnsworth was an American actor and stuntman. His film career began in 1937; however, he achieved his greatest success for his performances in The Grey Fox and The Straight Story , for which he received a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actor.- Early life :Farnsworth was born...
as Wild Bill HickokWild Bill HickokJames Butler Hickok , better known as Wild Bill Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West. His skills as a gunfighter and scout, along with his reputation as a lawman, provided the basis for his fame, although some of his exploits are fictionalized.Hickok came to the West as a stagecoach... - Lincoln Tate as George A. Custer
- Ted Flicker as Buffalo Bill Cody
Production
Many attempts had been made to create a Lone Ranger movie that would appeal to a modern audience, including making Tonto an equal partner, and mentor to the Lone Ranger. In the movie Tonto teaches the hero how to shoot, and is also (mainly) responsible for training Silver. (Moreover, Tonto speaks whole sentences, while in the radio and TV series he had quite a limited vocabulary.) Also, in another change to established canon, Reid is (at first) not an actual Texas Ranger but a civilian observer (and younger brother of the Rangers' captain) who survives Cavendish's massacre.This film was shot in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Two of the movie's four screenwriters, Ivan Goff
Ivan Goff
Ivan Goff was an Australian screenwriter, best known for his collaborations with Ben Roberts including White Heat , The Man of a Thousand Faces and the pilot for Charlie's Angels .-Biography:...
and Ben Roberts
Ben Roberts
Benjamin Roberts is a British professional poker player based in London.-Poker career:Roberts began playing poker in the mid 1970s, and claims to have won every year....
, previously created the hit TV series Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels
Charlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
; they also worked together on another hit series, Mannix
Mannix
Mannix is an American television detective series that ran from 1967 through 1975 on CBS. Created by Richard Levinson and William Link and developed by executive producer Bruce Geller, the title character, Joe Mannix, is a private investigator. He is played by Mike Connors...
.
The movie's ballad-narration, The Man In The Mask, was composed by Dean Pitchford
Dean Pitchford
Dean Pitchford is an American songwriter, screenwriter, director, actor, and novelist. His work has earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three additional Oscars, two more Golden Globes, seven Grammy Awards and two Tony Awards.-Early life:Pitchford was born in...
of Footloose and Sing
Sing (1989 film)
Sing is a 1989 film, starring Lorraine Bracco, Peter Dobson and Jessica Steen. The movie is about a fictional New York City SING! production...
fame.
Klinton Spilsbury's dialogue was overdubbed for the entire movie by actor James Keach
James Keach
James Keach is an American actor, producer, and director. He is the younger brother of actor Stacy Keach, Jr., and son of actor Stacy Keach, Sr.-Background:...
.
Clayton Moore Lawsuit
In 1978 Jack WratherJack Wrather
John Devereaux "Jack" Wrather, Jr. , was a petroleum millionaire who became a television producer and later diversified by investing in broadcast stations and resort properties...
and Bonita Granville
Bonita Granville
Bonita Granville was an American film actress and television producer.-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Granville was the daughter of stage actors, and made her film debut at the age of nine in Westward Passage...
gained the legal rights to the Lone Ranger character and were planning a feature film with a younger actor. In 1979, Wrather obtained an injunction to stop Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
from appearing as the character at county fairs, much to fans' displeasure. Wrather anticipated making a new film version of the story, and did not want the value of the character being undercut by Moore's appearances. Also, Wrather did not want to encourage the belief that the 65-year-old Moore would be playing the role in the new picture. This move proved to be a public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
disaster. Moore responded by changing his costume slightly and replacing the mask with similar-looking wraparound sunglasses, and by counter-suing Wrather. He eventually won the suit, and was able to resume his appearances in costume, which he continued to do until shortly before his death in 1999.
Allusions
These events were later satirized in the episode "Who Was That Mashed Man" of the TV sitcom Night CourtNight Court
Night Court is an American television situation comedy that aired on NBC from January 4, 1984, to May 20, 1992. The setting was the night shift of a Manhattan court, presided over by the young, unorthodox Judge Harold T. "Harry" Stone...
, where a case comes through the courtroom involving: an elderly man who played the "Red Ranger," a famous cowboy of yesteryear that was popular with children; and the producers of a movie that is a modernized remake of the character...turning him into a swearing, womanizing modern action hero. Both parties are clashing over the elderly man appearing in public as his old persona.
In the short-lived series Once a Hero
Once a Hero
Once a Hero was an ABC 1987 science fiction comedy television series. The series starred Milo O'Shea as Abner Bevis, a down on his luck comic strip artist whose life is turned upside down when his creation, Captain Justice , comes to life...
, Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
appeared in the fourth episode "Things Get Ugly" as an actor unable to escape the stereotyping of having played a comicbook hero on television (Captain Justice) and earns a living by making public appearances as that character. In this episode a new movie version of the character is coming out, and the studio files a lawsuit against Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
's character to prevent him making any further appearances, echoing Moore's situation exactly.
Additionally humorist Russell Baker
Russell Baker
Russell Wayne Baker is an American Pulitzer Prize-winning writer known for his satirical commentary and self-critical prose, as well as for his autobiography, Growing Up.-His career:...
satirized the producers' legal action against Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an American actor best known for playing the fictional western character The Lone Ranger from 1949–1951 and 1954-1957 on the television series of the same name.-Early years:...
in his newspaper column. The piece, titled "Bye Bye Silver Bullets," had the Lone Ranger in a swank attorney's office being forced to hand over Silver, his mask and his silver bullets.
Reception
The film was released to massive publicity in 1981 and did poorly. Box officeBox office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
receipts were far short of the amount needed to recoup the costs of the film, and critical reviews were almost unanimously negative. Despite the presence of good actors in supporting roles, including Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
as the villain
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
, cashiered former Union Army Major Bartholomew "Butch" Cavendish, and Jason Robards
Jason Robards
Jason Nelson Robards, Jr. was an American actor on stage, and in film and television, and a winner of the Tony Award , two Academy Awards and the Emmy Award...
as President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, the film vanished from theaters rapidly. The actor who appeared as the Ranger, Klinton Spilsbury
Klinton Spilsbury
Klinton Spilsbury is an American actor, born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His lone known acting credit is the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger , in which he played the title role....
, had not appeared in any other films as of 2011, while the actor portraying Tonto, Michael Horse
Michael Horse
Michael Heinrich Horse is an American actor, jeweler, and ledger painter.-Early life:Michael Horse was born in a Yaqui Native American reserve near Tucson, Arizona, and is of Yaqui, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, European and Latino descent...
, had done somewhat better, appearing in many minor films and as a regular on the Canadian television series North of 60
North of 60
North of 60 is a mid-1990s Canadian television series depicting life in the sub-Arctic northern boreal forest . It first aired on CBC Television in 1992 and was syndicated around the world. It is set in the fictional community of Lynx River, a primarily Native-run town depicted as being in the...
as well as the American series Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
.
Awards and nominations
- Golden Raspberry AwardsGolden Raspberry AwardsA Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie for short, is an award presented in recognition of the worst in movies. Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J.B. Wilson in 1981, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day...
- Won: Worst ActorRazzie Award for Worst ActorThe Razzie Award for Worst Actor is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst actor of the previous year. The following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, along with the film for which they were nominated....
(Klinton SpilsburyKlinton SpilsburyKlinton Spilsbury is an American actor, born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His lone known acting credit is the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger , in which he played the title role....
) - Won: Worst New StarRazzie Award for Worst New StarThe Razzie Award for Worst New Star is an award presented at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst new actor or actress of the previous year from 1982 to 1989 and again from 1991 to 1999. The category has since been discontinued.-1982–1989:...
(Klinton SpilsburyKlinton SpilsburyKlinton Spilsbury is an American actor, born in Chihuahua, Mexico. His lone known acting credit is the film The Legend of the Lone Ranger , in which he played the title role....
) - Won: Worst Musical Score
- Nominated: Worst PictureRazzie Award for Worst PictureThe Razzie Award for Worst Picture is an award given out at the annual Golden Raspberry Awards to the worst film of the past year. Following is a list of nominees and recipients of that award, including each film's distribution company and producer.-1980s:...
- Nominated: Worst "Original" Song (The Man in the Mask)
Merchandise
A novelization of the movie was released in 1981, written by Gary McCarthy and published by Ballantine Books (ISBN 0345294386).A line of action figures created by the toy company Gabriel in 1982 which included Buffalo Bill Cody, Butch Cavendish, George Custer, The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked Texas Ranger who, with his Native American companion Tonto, fights injustice in the American Old West. The character has become an enduring icon of American culture....
and Tonto
Tonto
Tonto may mean:* Tonto, a band of Apache native Americans.* Tonto, the fictional sidekick to the Lone Ranger.* "Tonto", a song by the American math rock band Battles, from their album Mirrored.** "Tonto+", the EP centered around said song....
. Also released by Gabriel were the horses Silver (The Lone Ranger's Horse), Scout (Tonto's Horse) and Smoke (Butch's Horse).