‘The Lone Ranger’ Was Only Nominated for These 3 Awards
The Lone Ranger is one of the most iconic Western television shows ever to hit the air. However, it certainly didn’t receive the same amount of love when it came to certain audiences. The Lone Rangers only received three awards nominations over the course of its existence, starting in 1949 until its end after season 5 in 1957. The show never earned a single award, but it’ll always have the following nominations under its belt.
The plot follows a former Texas Ranger known as the Lone Ranger, played by Clayton Moore. After his brother and fellow lawmen die in an ambush, a Native American man he once saved named Tonto (Jay Silverheels) returns the favor. Wearing a piece of his brother’s clothing as a mask, the Lone Ranger fights outlaws along with Tonto across the Old West.
Primetime Emmy Awards – Best Film Made for and Viewed on Television in 1949
The first nomination for The Lone Ranger came along at the 1950 ceremony after its first season. However, it was placed under the Best Film Made for and Viewed on Television in 1949 category. There’s no denying that the Lone Ranger made quite the impact on audiences, but it couldn’t quite manage to squeeze out the win.
The Lone Ranger was up against The Life of Riley, The Silver Theatre for the episode “The Guiding Star,” and Your Show Time. The Life of Riley ultimately took home the win.
Primetime Emmy Awards – Best Children’s Show
The Lone Ranger brought in another of its awards rather early into its run. It earned a nomination at the 1951 Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Children’s Show. The Western competed against Time for Beany, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and The Cisco Kid. However, it lost the award to Time for Beany.
The Western’s nomination in the category of Best Children’s Show is especially interesting because the first Lone Ranger script was originally quite violent. It showed the title character putting a bullet in the head of his enemies before it was changed to ensure that the character represented a cleaner sense of justice.
TV Land Awards – Favorite Crimestopper
The Lone Ranger only received the two prior awards season nominations over the course of its time on the air. The ABC series earned one final nomination years after its end in 1957 at the 2005 TV Land Awards, where the organization tipped its hat to the show and leading actor Moore in the Favorite Crimestopper category.
This particular category included some of the most iconic crimestoppers ever to hit television screens. Moore faced off against Adam West and Burt Ward in Batman, James Arness in Gunsmoke, Jack Webb in Dragnet, Dragnet 1967, and Angie Dickinson in Police Woman. Moore lost the award to West and Ward in Batman.
The Lone Ranger never won any awards, but it certainly left a legacy that goes beyond that. It transcended from radio to television and beyond. It also translated into books, comics, and films, which further made it a pop culture sensation. Most recently, the 2013 The Lone Ranger film starring Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp nosedived at the box office.
