Despite those modern misconceptions, The Lone Ranger radio program was never recorded on a regular basis until 1938. While the program premiered in 1933, the radio program was heard locally and known at that time -- like all radio programs originating out of Detroit -- a throw-away medium. Moments after the radio broadcast concluded, the scripts were tossed into a box in the corner of the studio and the actors vacated to make room for the next program, news commentary or singer. Thankfully, producer George W. Trendle saved two sets of radio scripts. Author Fran Striker saved a copy of each radio script himself. While we have no extant recordings to hear a more primitive rendition of The Lone Ranger and Tonto, more blood-thirsty than the renditions we would come to know by 1938, the radio scripts exist.
I am pleased to report that almost every radio script pre-1938 has been reviewed, digitized, catalogued and documented for a future publication now in the hands of proof readers for a late 2020 or early 2021 publication. An accumulation of three decades of research, THE LONE RANGER: THE EARLY YEARS, 1933-1937 will document everything about the masked vigilante and fill in a gap that was sorely needed. While many books have been published, documenting The Lone Ranger program, none have fully documented those early (and almost unknown) years. More importantly, the book will also debunk myths and misconceptions, clarify conflicting information found on the Internet, and correct all the errors from prior publications. Scans of archival documents will back up the facts.
While we have to wait a few months for publication, here is a sample from the episode guide cut and pasted from the manuscript. Yes, here are a few "lost" adventures. (Note that the radio broadcasts never had script titles back in 1934.) Enjoy!
Episode #200, Broadcast May 11, 1934
Plot: In the Mogollon Mesa region of Arizona was the home of Ira Hawks and his wife, Carrie, who while arguing about whether or not to move to a place that was more civilized, an outlaw named Scar Winslow had snuck into the bedroom of their six-year-old daughter, Babe, with intent to kidnap. Ira sought help from men in town to ride in search of the kidnapper. Later, a half-breed showed up at the Hawks homestead to tell Ira that he knew the location of Scar’s hideout, and in exchange for $5,000, he would lead Ira and his friend, Gord Manning, to the hideout in one of the many tunnels of the Alamo Cave. A disguised Lone Ranger, observing the events, rode out to his camp to meet Tonto and discuss a plan. Ira, meanwhile, placed the ransom money into a block of wood. After the half-breed received the package of cash, the masked man posed as an outlaw and secretly trailed the half-breed to the cave entrance. From a distance the Lone Ranger shot at a rock, creating a diversion long enough to warrant Tonto shooting his silver-tipped arrow into the block of wood. The half-breed, believing the masked man was an outlaw, escorted the stranger inside to meet Scar Winslow in the hopes a man shrewd enough to follow him should become a member of the gang. Ira was dumb enough to pay the ransom, Scar laughs, before plotting how to get rid of Babe. When Scar noticed the arrow stuck in the package of money, he questioned momentarily until The Lone Ranger explained that the string attached, not the arrow itself, would lead the posse members to Scar’s whereabouts through the maze of tunnels. Sure enough, Manning led men into the hideout, the outlaws were captured, and Babe was rescued. With the reward for the outlaw capture, Manning bought Ira’s business. Ira and Carrie now had enough money to move back to the city. The Lone Ranger rode to the Hawks homestead to return Babe’s doll that was left behind in the cave. Ira offered the reward money to The Lone Ranger for saving his daughter, but the masked man suggested putting the money away until Babe was all grown up.
Episode #201, Broadcast May 14, 1934
Plot: For weeks Potters Corners had been under a reign of merciless terror of banditry and murder by a group of outlaws. One night in his office, aged Sheriff Cal Bixby confessed to his deputies that he has all but given up; there were no clues to the outlaws’ identities. A stranger walked in to the office, disguised, and volunteered to be a deputy. The lawmen suspected he was one of the outlaws and attempted to capture him. An arrow flew through the window and smashed the oil lamp, giving the stranger an escape route. It was Tonto who shot a silver-tipped arrow and it was The Lone Ranger who fled the scene. Under the care of the vigilantes was Mrs. Sellers, whose husband was killed by the hooded outlaws, and it was she who recognized the voice of one of the outlaws named “Half Breed” Vancia. Gambler Cephus Snodgrass, meanwhile, ordered Vancia to find and kill Mrs. Sellers. After Cephus was elected as the new sheriff, and the heat died down, he would divide the stolen loot among the gang members. One by one, The Lone Ranger caught six of the outlaws and held them captive in his camp. Then he left the men’s horses straying and scattered some of their personal articles and equipment to be found by the Sheriff. After an unsuccessful search for the missing men the Sheriff returned to his office where he was met by Tonto. Tonto identified himself with a silver-tipped arrow and urged the Sheriff to follow him. Cephus, however, accused Tonto of belonging to the outlaw gang. The Lone Ranger rode Silver into the sheriff’s office, momentarily putting shock and surprise to all within while he captured Cephus and rode away. In his camp, the masked man posed as an outlaw telling Cephus he had killed those six men in his gang. The masked man then threatened the gambler with torture (a hot branding iron) if he did not confess to the crimes and reveal the location of the stolen loot. Out of fear, the crooked gambler confessed to the crimes and where the loot could be found. The sheriff and his posse, who were hidden within earshot of the camp, overheard the confession and jumped in to arrest Cephus and the outlaws. Sheriff Cal Bixby offered The Lone Ranger a job as his deputy but the masked man and his Indian companion rode away into the sunset.
Episode #202, Broadcast May 16, 1934
Plot: Madge Davis rode into the Lone Ranger’s camp one night, explaining how the outlaws who murdered her father were chasing her and required assistance to get to Sheriff Perkins in the town of Sand Mine. Tonto rode off to the Davis house to investigate while Madge rode with The Lone Ranger to town, together on top of the great horse Silver. The outlaws, however, set logs on the trail to trap them but the heroes escaped ambush when Silver leapt over the logs. At the sheriff’s house, Madge was surprised to recognize him as the killer of her father. Because Madge went east to school when she was very young, she did not remember Perkins as her father’s former mining partner. Her father gave all of his money to the sheriff for safe keeping, legally entitled to the money if Madge was dead. Just as the crooked lawman was going to murder Madge, The Lone Ranger burst in and tied him up. “I’m sorry that I can’t shoot you, in the same way that you planned to kill this girl,” the masked man told the sheriff. When Perkins claimed there was no proof that he killed his old partner, or tried to kill Madge, the masked man revealed a witness – the Davis’ dog. After they left the sheriff, Madge told The Lone Ranger that her father did not have a dog. The masked man agreed and explained the dog her father did not have will trap the sheriff. While Madge remained in town to inform the deputy sheriff, Dick, that his employer was responsible for the murder of her father, Tonto was back at the Davis ranch setting up a booby trap. Sheriff Perkins was set free of his bonds when his henchman showed up. Fuming, the men race out to kill the dog, unaware Tonto rigged a clothes bundle shaped like a dog on top of a spring. Believing the bundle was the dog, the sheriff pulls his gun and shoots. The dynamite inside the bundle exploded, killing the crooked lawman. With justice served, Madge becomes wealthy and Dick is made the Sheriff. As Dick proposed marriage to Madge, The Lone Ranger informed Tonto that it was their time to ride off and leave the lovebirds.
Notes: In The Lone Ranger camp at night, the great horse Silver stomped the ground to warn of an approaching horse.
Episode #203, Broadcast May 18, 1934
Plot: At the starting point of the perilous route, the entire town assembled to see the start of the stagecoach run that was to make history – and tempt every dishonest stagecoach robber within fifty miles. Ten tried and true men, grim and determined in expression with rifles polished and ammunition belts filled, were inside and on top of the sturdiest stage that could be had. The Lone Ranger and Tonto knew that such a stage would not meet with bullets, but with strategy. Strategizing Jimcrack Pass as the best place for the stage to drop over the ravine and wreck, the masked man and Indian raced out in advance to Honest Dave Bush’s place which overlooked the ravine. After masquerading as Dave, The Lone Ranger found himself caught off guard by Wolf Larson, Oriskany’s chief lieutenant. Joe Griskany and his gang of outlaws were going to make a play for a quarter of a million dollars in gold bullion being transported by stage. Threatening to shoot to kill, Wolf ordered the fake Dave to use the skill of handling blasts, which he was known to possess, to help overtake the stage. The Lone Ranger placed the charges, drilling into rock, the entire time Oriskany maintained observation. Moments after the stage passeed through, the charges were set off and the blast sent rock across the road – exactly where Oriskany and Wolf hid and the same place The Lone Ranger warned them not to hide, killing the crooks. Honest Dave Bush was puzzled when he received the $10,000 reward money, unaware of why he was given credit for a task he never did, but accepted the money nonetheless as it was sorely needed for his sick child.
Episode #204, Broadcast May 21, 1934
Plot: Dolores Sequilla and her sister Felicia rode across the border to meet Sheriff Jeff Mulvay of Eagle Pass, claiming their father was captured, their ranch taken over, cattle killed and wine consumed by a notorious gang of bandits consisting of sixty plus outlaws. Under the cover of darkness, The Lone Ranger and Tonto rode across the Rio Grande, guided by the beautiful women, to find their aged father hiding in a tunnel beneath the house. After rescuing the old man, The Lone Ranger left Tonto behind with instructions while the masked man rode for the headquarters of the nearest Mexican army post, trusting that his story would be believed, in the hopes for vengeance against the Sequillas. The Mexican army would not assist but on the trail back, the masked man met Pancho Villa, wanted by the law. After discovering his satisfaction of justice was not too different from The Lone Ranger’s, Pancho Villa calls on his vigilante gang to join the fight. What the law would not abide, he and his men would. Despite the great odds, the outlaws were attacked by the small band of Villa’s men, and they had no chance for victory from the start. The men of Pancho Villa were everywhere; their shooting was deadly accurate. Each man shot with both hands; each man had guns blazing into the midst of those that robbed old Senor Sequilla. The end was certain for the bandits. Pancho Villa, who was accused of thieving was now realized a hero.
Notes: The announcer closed the broadcast with the following narration: “It is interesting to note, that the young outlaw of the hills of Mexico was destined to great things before he died. As The Lone Ranger prophesied, there came the day when Villa led great numbers of men under the flag of Mexico. Perhaps in later years his name will long be mentioned as the Robin Hood of Mexico, but while Robin Hood roamed Sherwood Forest in England, and while Mexico’s downtrodden people had Pancho Villa, none will never know the name of the hero of our own great gold coast, because his name would also be mysterious as the place from which he came, as his face, and the place to where he went. He is known only as The Lone Ranger.”
Episode #205, Broadcast May 23, 1934
Plot: Solomon Greentree, leading a wagon train of heavy prairie schooners, was a determined man. On many occasions riders came from the prairie wagons behind him, to ask how much longer was the army post that would provide food, water and rest. The men and women felt they were misguided, having misplaced their confidence, in choosing Solomon as their leader. The Lone Ranger and Tonto, observing from above yonder, realized that a tribe of Sioux Indians could mean disaster for the wagon train, riding down to meet Solomon and offer guidance towards the correct trail. When evidence suggested an attack, The Lone Ranger asked for two of courage and found Jack and Jinny willing to mark their face with charcoal and red clay to create the appearance of smallpox. For several moments, while the Sioux warriors drew their circle smaller and closer to the hardy men of the wagon train, The Lone Ranger approached the leader of the savages with the “smallpox victims.” The Indians fled in fright, giving the wagon train open passage to the army fort that Solomon correctly predicted was within reach by nightfall.
Notes: The plot and much of the dialogue was recycled from a Covered Wagon Days radio script, including the announcer’s closing comment that “Tonight’s adventure of The Lone Ranger is a true one. It has been brought to us by one of the descendants of the leader of the expedition we followed tonight.”
Unaware that it was the advertising agency who wrote the commercial copy, Fran Striker suggested on the last page of this Lone Ranger script that the closing commercial be tied in with the hardships of baking bread, to help assist with Silvercup’s commercials.
