Clayton Moore Designed the Iconic Costume Himself for ‘The Lone Ranger’
Actor Clayton Moore became an iconic figure in television history thanks to his portrayal in The Lone Ranger. His adventures in this Western drew audiences in for its five-season run that expanded beyond its medium. However, the image of the Lone Ranger’s costume is especially what continues to stick in the mind of its longtime fans. Moore once explained that he designed the costume himself.
Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels co-starred in ‘The Lone Ranger’
Moore played the Lone Ranger in the television show that came from the radio iteration that first aired in 1933. The drama switched mediums to ABC in 1949, which ran until 1957. Despite the eight years that it remained active, there were only five seasons.
The story follows six Texas Rangers who are ambushed and killed, except for one man. A Native American named Tonto (Jay Silverheels) saves his life and helps him create a disguise out of the ranger’s dead brother’s clothing to keep his identity a secret after faking his own death. They begin to travel the West, bringing justice far and wide.
The Lone Ranger was the highest-rated show on ABC in the 1950s, making it a significant win for the network.
Clayton Moore designed his own costume in ‘The Lone Ranger’
In an interview, Moore talked about his experience on The Lone Ranger. Some fans had the opportunity to ask questions, who were in disbelief to have the opportunity to speak with the famous Western actor. The interviewer wanted to know about the iconic costume, such as how it was picked and how he liked wearing it.
“Well, number one, I liked the costume,” Moore said. “I designed it. I chose the colors. However, in black and white, it was a real light gray. But in color, it was a powder blue with a red neckerchief, the white hat, pair of black boots, black double-holstered gun belt. That went with the powder blue costume.”
The Lone Ranger aired in black-and-white for the majority of its run. However, the show moved over into color for its fifth and final season. This gave television audiences the opportunity to truly appreciate the costume that the actor mentioned here.
He had a court order prohibiting him from dressing as the character
The Lone Ranger actor Moore was so proud of the character and the costume that he continued to use it to bring joy to fans across the country long after the show’s run finished. However, some folks didn’t appreciate this. Jack Wrather owned the rights to the character of the Lone Ranger and decided to use a court order against Moore from making public appearances as the character in 1979.
As a result, Moore filed a countersuit and slightly changed the costume. It continued to drag out into an elongated legal battle that resulted in the actor returning to dressing up as the character in public. He brought a lot of joy to The Lone Ranger fans, fully embracing the passion that the Western show imbued in its fans.
