CLAYTON MOORE AND THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER, 1970-1984

It was a new motion picture, told in the old Lone Ranger tradition... Numerous gun fights, satisfying explosions, and a dandy climatic fistfight. The production design was meticulous and elaborate. More than five people were credited for crafting the screenplay and some of the best talent in Hollywood was involved in all phases of production. The Lone Ranger was a name that brought back memories of radio serials and film matinees, and now he was back in a $15 million dollar movie. What could possibly go wrong?

To be clear, the 1981 motion picture, The Legend of the Lone Ranger is a fantastic film, but sadly maintains a negative stigma among a generation of baby boomers who grew up watching The Lone Ranger television program (1949-1957). Circa 1979, baby boomers took offense when their hero, Clayton Moore, was told by the courts that he could not wear The Lone Ranger's trademarked black domino mask in public. This resulted in a minor (and unjust) boycott against the 1981 movie. Let us leave it to the rocket scientists and bean counters to decipher and debate how damaging that boycott was. But, according to most reports, the effect was minor -- almost inconsequential. Still, the movie lived up to the title and the story behind the actors, the script writers and the producers have since become a legend. Fans of The Lone Ranger may be surprised to learn there was another side to the story.

This book documents a day-by-day making of the 1981 motion picture and the true facts behind the minor battle between Clayton Moore and a corporation hell-bent on producing a top-notch movie. 

Note: This book is available for pre-order. The book's release date is September 1, 2023. For anyone wanting a copy signed by both authors, a special signing is being arranged on September 9. If you want a copy signed by both authors, please place your request in an e-mail before September 1.

Note: As part of the ongoing series of books documenting The Lone Ranger, this volume covers the years of 1970 to 1984.