Disney releases its version of The
Lone Ranger today, and already its being attacked for, among things, being
too bizarre. But there was another version years ago, an animated version
created for CBS as part of their all-new animated superhero Saturday morning
block in 1966. Produced by Herbert Klynn and Jules Engel and their famed Format
Films, the show reflected the graphic proficiency of its producers, with
stylish designs and distinctive scratchy ink work (actually chinagraph pencil) on the
cels. The show was credited as a Jack Wrather Production (Jack for many years
held the rights to The Lone Ranger; he may be best known to Disney
enthusiasts as the creator/owner of the Disneyland Hotel until 1989, resulting
in he and his wife Bonita Granville Wrather being named Disney Legends in
2011). The animated Lone Ranger ran on CBS from September
10, 1966, to September 6, 1969. The evocative narration ("a man who
became a legend...a daring and resourceful man who hated thievery and
oppression. His face masked...his true name unknown...with his faithful
Indian companion at his side, he thundered across the West on his great white stallion,
appearing out of nowhere to strike down injustice and outlawry...and then,
vanishing as mysteriously as he came") was spoken by Marvin Miller,
who among his many other credits was the narrator for UPA and Walt Disney's Sleeping
Beauty (1959). As opposed to the live-action TV show this animated version
had the Lone Ranger and Tonto battling not bandits
and desperadoes but rather aliens, monsters and mad scientists—much
like CBS's prime-time live-action western/sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk series, The
Wild Wild West, which had premiered the year before. Below are model sheet
details from this utterly unique and unfortunately all-but-forgotten cartoon
gem.
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