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Clayton Moore, "The Lone Ranger", tombstone and grave, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, photos

Clayton Moore, "The Lone Ranger", tombstone and grave, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California, photos

The tombstone and grave site of Clayton Moore, born as Jack Carlton Moore, September 14, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois. After working as a model, and as a bit actor and stunt man in a variety of movies, mostly westerns, Moore landed the role that he is forever identified with: The Lone Ranger. Originally a long running and highly successful radio program of the same name broadcast between 1933 and 1956, the show became an equally successful television series starring Clayton Moore in the title role along with Jay Silverheels as his important and faithful companion in the role of Tonto. Familiar elements of the The Lone Ranger series included silver bullets made from the silver from a mine that the Lone Ranger owned; the distinctive mask; phrases such as "Hi-yo, Silver! Away!" "Ke-mo Sah-bee" and "Who was that masked man?"; and the rearing up of the Lone Ranger's horse, Silver, as he and Tonto rode to their destination with the distinctive music of the William Tell Overture.

The Lone Ranger television series was broadcast between 1949 and 1957 with Clayton Moore starring in seasons one and two and again in seasons four and five. Moore was unexplainedly replaced for season three by John Hart. Later seasons after season five were repeats of earlier episodes. Of the 221 episodes, Clayton Moore starred as The Lone Ranger in 169 episodes. Jay Silverheels portrayed the character of Tonto throughout the series. Two later films also starred Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels: The Lone Ranger (1956) and The Lone Ranger and The Lost City of Gold (1958). In later years, both Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels appeared in a number of commercials as their characters.

Most actors resist being too identified with a particular acting role for fear that it would lead to them being offered only other very similar roles. Clayton Moore fully embraced The Lone Ranger character and enjoyed making numerous public appearances as The Lone Ranger character. In 1979, a court order obtained by the owner of the fictional character prohibited Moore from making further appearances with the familiar Lone Ranger mask. Moore responded by switching to similar looking sun glasses and counter suing. Moore ultimately won the suit and resumed wearing the mask, making public appearances and speaking highly of the ideals of the crime fighting duo of The Lone Ranger and Tonto.

Clayton Moore died on December 28, 1999 of a heart attack in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 85 years old. His remains were buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, California. The mask of The Lone Ranger now resides at the Smithsonian. See the additional photo below.

The grave and tombstone of Sally Angela Moore, 1912-1986, the wife of Clayton Moore, The Lone Ranger.

The grave and tombstone of Sally Angela Moore, 1912-1986, the wife of Clayton Moore.

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