On this day back in 1933 The Lone Ranger made its radio debut on Detroit’s WXYZ. Station-owner George Trendle and writer Fran Striker joined forces to give us the Lone Ranger and Tonto. Historical accuracy was the furthest thing from the minds of the creators. They wanted to entertain in a wholesome, moral way.
The constant action kept the kids entertained and Mom and Dad liked the moral code of conduct the pair of heroes followed. As a result, the show became immensely popular and was soon picked up by the Mutual Radio Network where 20 million Americans were tuning in three times a week by 1939. The popularity of the show also led to one of the most effective marketing tie-in strategies. Lone Ranger guns, costumes, books and even a comic strip soon appeared.
The Lone Ranger easily made the transition to motion pictures and then television. With Clayton Moore as the masked man, The Lone Ranger became a big hit on ABC TV in the early 1950’s and remained on the air until 1957. The show ushered in the golden age of the TV Western.
Not bad for a character whose inspiration was Douglas Fairbanks’ Zorro in the silent movie, The Mark of Zorro
From This Day in History
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