Clayton Moore

(Republic, 1948 / 12 chapters}

(Republic, 1953 / 12 chapters)

Clayton Moore was born September 14, 1914 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Charles Sprague Moore and Theresa Violet "Tessie" Moore. Appears that his birth name was Jacob Moore. His father was a realtor.

Jack Carlton Moore married Nellie Sally Allen in Mohave County, Arizona in 1943, and that was his second marriage.

Moore came to prominence in Republic serials and westerns of the 1940s, where he did a mix of hero and bad guy roles. His credits at Republic Pictures number about twenty features and cliffhangers in 1941 - 1953.

In 1949 Moore - along with Jay Silverheels - was signed to star in a half-hour western adventure series to be broadcast on newfangled technology called television.

The character had been on radio for about fifteen years and Republic did two serials in the late 1930s - the hero was the Lone Ranger, fabled 'Masked Rider of the Plains', and creators were George W. Trendle and Fran Striker.

The LR TV series opener was titled "Enter the Lone Ranger" and was originally broadcast on September 15, 1949 on ABC. George J. Lewis played a turncoat that led the Rangers into an ambush with a gang run by Butch Cavendish (portrayed by Glenn Strange). Jay Silverheels portrayed 'Tonto', nurses the LR back from near death, and becomes his companion.

Moore and Silverheels reprised their roles in two features shot in color: THE LONE RANGER (Warner Bros., 1956) and THE LONE RANGER AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD (United Artist, 1958).

85 year old Clayton Moore died of a heart attack at West Hills Regional Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley on December 28, 1999.

Portraying the Lone Ranger, as well as his off-screen deeds and actions, Moore was celebrated as THE Lone Ranger and became a real life role model that was admired. He was presented with a Golden Boot Award at the 1983 awards ceremony and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. And wearing his mask and costume, he did a bunch of TV commercials. That's the Clayton Moore legosy ... and how I remember him.

Hi-yo, Silver Away! and play the William Tell Overture.

(From Old Corral collection)

Above - the skeletal villain is about to administer a mind control serum to scientist Chambers (played by Kenne Duncan) in THE CRIMSON GHOST (Republic, 1946) cliffhanger. The voice of the Crimson Ghost belonged to I. Stanford Jolley. Some reports indicate that it was Joe Forte that wore the cape and mask; other reports suggest it was stunt people and who knows. On the left is Clayton Moore as henchman Ashe.

(Courtesy of Boyd Magers)

Above is the Chapter 1 title lobby card for the 13 episode ADVENTURES OF FRANK AND JESSE JAMES (Republic, 1948). "Frank James" was portrayed by a moustached Steve Darrell (in buckskins) and Clayton Moore (upper right) was "Jesse James". Shown bottom left is George J. Lewis and heroine Noel Neill is pictured bottom right.

(From Old Corral collection)

Above - Clayton Moore battles Dale Van Sickel in the 12 chapter GHOST OF ZORRO (Republic, 1949).

(From Old Corral collection)

L-to-R are Clayton Moore, George J. Lewis, and Pamela Blake in GHOST OF ZORRO (Republic, 1949). In this serial, it was Moore, Lewis and Blake vs. no-goods Roy Barcroft and Gene Roth.

(Courtesy of Randy Laing)

Above from L-to-R are a very grey Bud Osborne, Tommy Farrell and Clayton Moore in the serial SON OF GERONIMO (Columbia, 1952).

BUFFALO BILL IN TOMAHAWK TERRITORY (Jack Schwarz/United Artists, 1952) was co-produced by Bernard B. Ray and Edward Finney and Ray also directed. Ed Finney produced many Tex Ritter oaters for Grand National and Monogram. Ray and partner Harry S. Webb operated Reliable Pictures in the mid 1930s and are best remembered for a series starring Tom Tyler.

In TOMAHAWK TERRITORY, Clayton Moore wore a goatee and big mustache as the hero, and this was filmed during his one year salary argument break from the Lone Ranger TV show. Chock full of (old) stock footage, this is a rather dreary mess.

(From Old Corral collection)

Moore and Silverheels also starred in two features shot in color: THE LONE RANGER (Warner Bros., 1956) and THE LONE RANGER AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD (United Artist, 1958).

John Hart during his one season as TV's LONE RANGER.

THE LONE RANGER was one of the most memorable of half hour westerns that were produced for early television. Moore was the Lone Ranger in 169 episodes and two feature films.

Episode one premeired on ABC on September 15, 1949. After a bunch of episodes, scuttlebutt is that Moore wanted a salary boost or a piece of the merchandiisng sales.

Response to Moore was negative and he was replaced by John Hart. Then Hart was gone and Moore resumed the Lone Ranger role through the 1957 finale of the program.