The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981)

Director:

William A. Fraker

Writers:

Ivan Goff (screenplay) and
Ben Roberts (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2 July 1981 (Argentina)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

The untold story of the man behind the mask, and the legend behind the man.

Plot:

The sole surviving Texas Ranger of an ambush arranged by Butch Cavandish returns to fight back as a masked hero.

Plot Keywords:

Hero | Ambush | Texas Ranger | Outlaw | Lone Ranger

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Klinton Spilsbury	...	The Lone Ranger / John Reid
Michael Horse	...	Tonto
Christopher Lloyd	...	Maj. Bartholomew 'Butch' Cavendish
Matt Clark	...	Sheriff Wiatt
Juanin Clay	...	Amy Striker
Jason Robards	...	President Ulysses S. Grant
John Bennett Perry	...	Ranger Captain Dan Reid
David Hayward	...	Ranger Collins
John Hart	...	Lucas Striker
Richard Farnsworth	...	Wild Bill Hickok
Lincoln Tate	...	Gen. George A. Custer
Ted Flicker	...	Buffalo Bill Cody
Marc Gilpin	...	Young John Reid
Patrick Montoya	...	Young Tonto
David Bennett	...	Gen. Aurelio Rodriguez
Rick Traeger	...	German stage passenger
James Bowman	...	Gambler
Kit Wong	...	Chinese stage passenger
Daniel Núñez	...	Way station agent
R.L. Tolbert	...	Stagecoach driver
Clay Boss	...	Stagecoach shotgun guard
Jose Rey Toledo	...	First chief
Max Cisneros	...	Second chief
Ted White	...	Jonathan Reid
Cheré Bryson	...	Mrs. Reid
James Lee Crite	...	Ranger Walter
Jim Burk	...	Ranger Stephenson (as Jim Burke)
Jeff Ramsey	...	Ranger Alcott
Bennie E. Dobbins	...	Ranger Lopez (as Bennie Dobbins)
Henry Wills	...	Ranger Little
Greg Walker	...	Ranger Rankin
Michael Adams	...	Ranger Palmer (as Mike Adams)
Ben Bates	...	Ranger Post
Bill Hart	...	Ranger Carner
Larry Randles	...	Ranger Stacy
Robert F. Hoy	...	Perlmutter (Cavendish's lieutenant) (as Robert Hoy)
Ted Gehring	...	Dale Wesley Stillwell (Cavendish gang)
Buck Taylor	...	Robert Edward Gattlin (Cavendish gang)
Tom R. Diaz	...	Eastman (Cavendish gang)
Chuck Hayward	...	Wald (Cavendish gang)
Tom Laughlin	...	Neeley (Cavendish gang)
Terry Leonard	...	Valentine (Cavendish gang)
Steve Meador	...	Russell (Cavendish gang)
Joe Finnegan	...	Westlake (Cavendish gang)
Roy Bonner	...	Richardson (Cavendish gang)
John M. Smith	...	Whitloff (Cavendish gang)
Merle Haggard	...	Balladeer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bonita Granville	...	Woman (uncredited)
James Keach	...	The Lone Ranger / John Reid (voice) (uncredited)
Kenneth Lingad	...	Pablo / Manuel (uncredited)

Directed by
William A. Fraker

Writing credits
Ivan Goff		(screenplay) and
Ben Roberts		(screenplay) and
Michael Kane		(screenplay) and
William Roberts		(screenplay)
George W. Trendle		characters &
Gerald B. Derloshon		adaptation (as Jerry Derloshon)
Fran Striker		characters

Produced by
Walter Coblenz	....	producer
Dick Gallegly	....	associate producer
Lew Grade	....	producer (as Lord Grade)
Martin Starger	....	executive producer
Jack Wrather	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
László Kovács		(as Laszlo Kovacs)

Film Editing by
Thomas Stanford

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Art Direction by
David M. Haber

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson		(as Philip Abramson)

Costume Design by
Noel Taylor

Makeup Department
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair stylist
William Turner	....	makeup artist (as William P. Turner)

Production Management
Dick Gallegly	....	production manager
Richard L. O'Connor	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph A. Ingraffia	....	second assistant director
Charles Okun	....	first assistant director
Jim Van Wyck	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Dennis J. Parrish	....	property master
William Ladd Skinner	....	set designer
Michael Taylor	....	lead man

Sound Department
John Duffy	....	sound editor
Cameron Frankley	....	sound editor
Randy Kelley	....	sound effects editor
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Terry D. Frazee	....	special effects (as Terry Frazee)
Donald Myers	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Andy Epper	....	stunts
Jerry Gatlin	....	stunt coordinator
Terry Leonard	....	stunts
Bob Yerkes	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Richmond L. Aguilar	....	gaffer
Bobby Byrne	....	director of photography: second unit
R. Michael De Chellis	....	electrician
Jeff Gershman	....	assistant camera (as Jeffrey Gershman)
John R. Hamilton	....	still photographer
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Gary B. Kibbe	....	camera operator (as Gary Kibbe)
Bob Munoz	....	best boy grip
James Plannette	....	gaffer
Robert M. Stevens	....	camera operator (as Robert Stevens)
Joseph E. Thibo	....	assistant camera
William A. Fraker Jr.	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert D. McBride	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Linda Francis	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl Levine	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Howard Heard	....	assistant editor
Florence Williamson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Graham Walker	....	music production supervisor
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation
Roger Wooge	....	transportation

Other crew
Ellen Adolph	....	manager of production accounting
Sherrie Bradshaw	....	assistant production accountant
Robert Davenport	....	horse trainer (as Bobby J. Davenport)
Fred Fisher	....	production associate
Ken Havens	....	publicity consultant
Miriam Holder Jacobs	....	production assistant
Kenneth Lee	....	livestock coordinator (as Kenneth W. Lee)
Bill McCamey	....	construction nurse
Don Safran	....	unit publicist
Ruth West	....	location auditor

Production Companies

• Incorporated Television Company (ITC)
• Wrather Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Associated Film Distribution (AFD) (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (1981) (Australia) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Elephant Films (2013) (France) (video)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Abiquiu, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Incorporated Television Company (ITC)

Trivia:

The movie was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards including Worst Picture and Worst "Original" Song (The Man in the Mask). The movie won Razzies for Worst Musical Score with Klinton Spilsbury winning two, for Worst Actor and Worst New Star.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Early in the movie, John Reid presents Amy Striker a copy of the book, A Century of Dishonor by Helen Hunt Jackson written in 1881. Grant was president from 1869 to 1877. Custer died in 1876 at the Little Big Horn. Therefore, there is an anachronism in the movie, which occurs pre-1876 for the book to be present in the movie.

Quotes:

[Having just thanked the Lone Ranger for saving his life, Grant now turns to Tonto]
President Ulysses S. Grant:And how can I thank you?
Tonto:You can thank me by honoring your treaties with my people.
President Ulysses S. Grant:We will try.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Night Court: Who Was That Mashed Man? (#5.7)" (1987)

Soundtrack:

Relampago

I Liked This Movie

I thought Klinton Splsbury was a good Lone Ranger and Michael Horse was a good Tonto.

The magic of this film, for me, is the first half, when we see how John Reid becomes the Lone Ranger.Also, a great scene where he finds a wild white horse, breaks him, and names him Silver. But a later scene just blew my mind away.

In that scene,after Reid and Tonto bury his brother and the other ambushed Texas Rangers, he decides to wear a mask so the bad guys won't recognize him. He tells Tonto the mask will be a symbol of justice. At this point, we have not yet seen his alter ego.

That changes when we see him from the back kneeling at his brother's grave and vowing to avenge his death. Then he puts his hat on, turns around, and as we see him in his mask for the first time, blaring trumpets sound out the start of the William Tell Overture. Being a Lone Ranger fan, this literally sent shivers down my spine.

The scene continues as they both ride away to more of the overture, and, of course, we hear "Hi yo, Silver, away."

Breathtaking!