Among the first Western series to appear on TV, The Lone Ranger premiered on ABC in 1949, taking viewers by storm and lasting an impressive eight seasons. With Clayton Moore playing the masked hero for most of its run and Jay Silverheels as his loyal companion Tonto, The Lone Ranger delivered frontier action and justice, plus a clean-cut cowboy hero the whole family could enjoy. The Lone Ranger may have gotten his start in comic books and as a radio serial, but the TV series had viewers of all ages hollering “Hi-Yo, Silver! Away!” and made the legendary pop culture figure an entertainment icon that endures decades later.
