The Lone Ranger: The Forgotten CBS Classic

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.