The Lone Ranger (animated TV series)
Encyclopedia
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. 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.
These Lone Ranger adventures were similar in tone and nature to CBS's science fiction Western
, The Wild Wild West
, in that some of the plots were bizarre and had elements of science-fiction and steampunk
technology thrown in. Even the Lone Ranger's greatest enemy in the animated series was a dwarf, similar to James T. West's greatest enemy, Dr. Miguelito Loveless
--Tiny Tom, whose voice was provided by Dick Beals. Regardless, this animated cartoon was credited as being a Jack Wrather production.
The Lone Ranger's voice was provided by Michael Rye {r.n. Rye Billsbury}, and Shepard Menken
provided that of Tonto. The narrator in the opening titles was Marvin Miller
. Other guest voices were provided by Paul Winchell
and Agnes Moorehead
.
The dark animation style was unique compared to all the other cartoon TV series on at that time.
The distinct atmospheric music was by Vic Schoen
, who also provided the
powerful arrangement of Rossini's William Tell Overture
for the show's memorable opening.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated television series that ran 26 episodes on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from September 10, 1966, to September 6, 1969. The series was produced by Herb Klynn and Jules Engel
Jules Engel
Jules Engel was a Jewish-Hungarian American filmmaker, painter, sculptor, graphic artist, set designer, animator, film director, and teacher...
of Format Films
Format Films
Format Films was a television animation studio which was founded by Herbert Klynn in 1959 with Jules Engel as vice president, Herb McIntosh and Joseph Mugnaini. It was most active during the 1960s, producing episodes of The Alvin Show, Popeye, and The Lone Ranger...
, Hollywood, and designed and made at the Halas and Batchelor
Halas and Batchelor
Halas and Batchelor was an animation company founded by John Halas and his wife, Joy Batchelor. The company started as a small animation unit that created commercials for theatrical distribution...
Cartoon Film studios in London, England.
These Lone Ranger adventures were similar in tone and nature to CBS's science fiction Western
Science fiction Western
A science fiction Western is a work of fiction which has elements of science fiction in a Western setting. It is different from a Space Western, which is a frontier story indicative of American Westerns, except transposed to a backdrop of space exploration and settlement.A science fiction Western...
, The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons from September 17, 1965 to April 4, 1969....
, in that some of the plots were bizarre and had elements of science-fiction and steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
technology thrown in. Even the Lone Ranger's greatest enemy in the animated series was a dwarf, similar to James T. West's greatest enemy, Dr. Miguelito Loveless
Dr. Loveless
Dr. Miguelito Quixote Loveless is a fictional character, a villain on the 1960s television series The Wild Wild West. He is a brilliant dwarf portrayed by Michael Dunn. As a mad scientist, and the arch-enemy of Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon, Dr. Loveless was involved in...
--Tiny Tom, whose voice was provided by Dick Beals. Regardless, this animated cartoon was credited as being a Jack Wrather production.
The Lone Ranger's voice was provided by Michael Rye {r.n. Rye Billsbury}, and Shepard Menken
Shepard Menken
Shepard Menken was an American voice actor and character actor.Menken began his career at the age of 11, when he started appearing on children's radio programs...
provided that of Tonto. The narrator in the opening titles was Marvin Miller
Marvin Miller (actor)
Marvin Elliott Miller was an American film and voice-over actor. Possessing a deep, baritone voice, he began his career in radio in St. Louis, Missouri before becoming a Hollywood actor...
. Other guest voices were provided by Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell
Paul Winchell was an American ventriloquist, voice actor and comedian, whose career flourished in the 1950s and 1960s...
and Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Moorehead
Agnes Robertson Moorehead was an American actress. Although she began with the Mercury Theatre, appeared in more than seventy films beginning with Citizen Kane and on dozens of television shows during a career that spanned more than thirty years, Moorehead is most widely known to modern audiences...
.
The dark animation style was unique compared to all the other cartoon TV series on at that time.
The distinct atmospheric music was by Vic Schoen
Vic Schoen
Victor "Vic" Schoen was an American bandleader, arranger, and composer whose career spanned from the 1930s until his death in 2000...
, who also provided the
powerful arrangement of Rossini's William Tell Overture
William Tell Overture
The William Tell Overture is the instrumental introduction to the opera Guillaume Tell by Gioachino Rossini. William Tell premiered in 1829 and was the last of Rossini's 39 operas, after which he went into semi-retirement, although he continued to compose cantatas, sacred music and secular vocal...
for the show's memorable opening.