The Lone Ranger with Lee Van Cleef The Stage to Estacado

Season 3 Episode 46 Originally aired July 23, 1953. also starring Phyllis Coates and Sheb Wooley.

[@williamstraughan6385]

lee van cliff never got enough credit for being a cowboy star he was one of the best

[@jonhohensee3258]

+William Straughan - CLEEF!

[@paulkatz258]

Agreed - both bad guy and letter good guy.

[@lindalawon9151]

Your opinion about Lee Van Cleef. What about Clint Eastwood and Chuck O'Connor?

[@166userp]

I sooo agree 👍

[@Edivaldo724]

Lee Van Cleef always badman!!

[@marieldecaux6375]

The female character (blonde) is actress Phyllis Coates who played Lois Lane (brunette) in the first two seasons of the 1950s, The Adventures of Superman. There was an actress change later in the series. You will see Phyllis Coates in other Lone Ranger episodes as well as other tv westerns, films and other popular tv programs during the 1950s.

[@LinkRocks]

The episodes were so much better with Clayton Moore. Nothing against John Hart, I don't blame him for taking the job, but there's only one Lone Ranger as far as I'm concerned.

[@boblackey1]

According to an article I read, Clayton Moore demanded more money but the producer refused so Clayton quit. The producer hired John Hart and assumed noboby would notice. After two season he decided to negotiate with Clayton so Clayton returned. John Hart had roles in several movies and TV shows including appearing regularly for a brief period on Rawhide. Hart said he thought they made a mistake to not work a new deal with Clayton and wasn't surprised Clayton returned.

[@lindalawon9151]

At least the Lone Ranger and Silver beat their butt before locking them up for twenty years.

[@ahmadbinfadzil8258]

Stage to Estacado was shown on 23 July 1953. Nearly 70 years by today.

[@Rob-z7k]

I clicked because of Lee Van Cleef!!!

[@Edivaldo724]

Sheb Wooley one the badman In High Noon!

[@efrainrodriguez585]

I like the sound of The Lone Ranger gun, it made a good sound then.

[@Huckster-tj9if]

Phyllis Coates 1927-2023 a fine age of 96yrs

[@Gerlad970]

John Hart did an outstanding job and should get more respect. Some may not want to hear it , however Moore did quit for more money.

[@hermanvanvelzen3485]

I read the discussions about who was the best actor. Discussions of old men thinking at their youth. I can imagine because I'm also an old man. And seeing The Lone Ranger for half an hour is funny, But in the mean time I ask questions: Why should he always sleep outside? Does he get some money to buy food and clothes etc.? The design of his clothes was not the design of the 19th century. For more real life movies I could advise movies with John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.

[@Edivaldo724]

Ian MacDonald was Frank Miller In High Noon !

[@Medraut00]

Hart does a decent job. even if he is not widely accepted in role.

[@Edivaldo724]

Monte Blue as the Sheriff!

[@dookoonu2741]

My question is , Why does Lee van Cleef always play a villain in almost all the westerns he appears in? even in the Rifleman and many others ... he is always some kind of villain!!!

[@dookoonu2741]

@Songs Mirth You got me cracking up! They could fix him up though and give him some hero roles! Come on!

[@Rob-z7k]

He was a born bad guy...i guess cause of his looks!lol. I saw him in an episode of The Untoucables when he was real young! Ill always remember him with Clin Eastwood in The Good, Bad and the Ugly.....but as a kid to me he was The Master from the 80s show.

[@dorothycoker8830]

Silver to the rescue!

[@jscottupton]

I'm sorry. It's not Hart's fault. But there is only ONE Lone Ranger. Clayton Moore.

[@boblackey1]

Yes John Hart was hired by the producer because Clayton Moore wanted more money. Jack Chertok thought nobody would really notice as the show was mostly for kids. But they did. When I was a kid, I noticed Phylis Coats here was Lois Lane in the oddest Superman episodes and in the later ones it was another actress. If you've seen High Noon you may notice the actor who plays Dan Gurber here, Ian MacDonald, was the bad guy riding in on the high noon train gunning for Gary Cooper. Phylis Coasts husband here is Sheb Wooley and he was one of the bad guys waiting a the train station for MacDonald and Lee Van Cleef who plays Django here was one of the other baddies waiting for MacDonald to arrive. It Bob Wilkie were in the episode we would have all four of the men gunning for Gary Cooper. Then we would need Cooper playing the Lone Ranger and Grace Kelly playing Tonto?

[@25mfd]

+bob lackey Good comment bob. I read that chertok felt that folks were more interested in the embodiment of the lone ranger more so than the actual actor who played the lone ranger. This was the reasoning he used to replace moore. But to a large extent he was wrong. Clayton moore was and will always be the lone ranger to many. But I liked john hart as the lone ranger. And I know what i'm about to say is heresy in the lone ranger community but if you twisted my arm, i'd pick hart over moore.

[@boblackey1]

+25mfd Yes John Hart was fine as the Lone Ranger. And Jay Silverheels continued as Tonto while Hart was on the show and I enjoy the Hart episodes a lot. Maybe more the Moore too:-). But people including the kids who were fans noticed it wasn't Clayton Moore and there must have been some complaint. After Hart's contract was up, Chertok gave Moore the increase in salary he wanted I assume. Or Moore needed the work. Whatever the reason, Moore came back and stayed with the series until it left the air. He also did a Lone Ranger feature film for Chertok. It's in color and I remember seeing it back in 1958 or so when it came out. I was 11 years old and it was exciting to see. I can't think of another series where the actor who played the title character changed during it's run. IMDb has Moore with 169 episodes (1949-1952, 1954-1957) and John Hart 54 episodes (1952-1954) Jay Silverheels 217 episodes (all of them) (1949-1957)

[@25mfd]

bob lackey Yeah, the change was noticeable and like I said, chertok was incorrect in assuming that the viewers were more interested in the "spirit" of the lone ranger more than the actor who played the title character. I was also trying to think about any shows who changed the title characters midstream. The only show that I can think of off the top of my head is the dukes of hazard. Remember the contract dispute with tom wopat and john Schneider which led to them being replaced for a time? Also, I read that the classic fire show emergency was in danger of having Randolph mantooth and kevin tighe walk off the set in an effort to get more cash. But their dispute was settled before any walk off occurred.

[@boblackey1]

+25mfd Oh yes. I remember that with the Dukes of Hazard. For a shot time Wopat and Schneider were not on the show. I can't remember if other actors exactly played their parts or similar characters with different names on the show....I just checked and Bryon Cherry played Coy Duke and Christophe Mayer played Vance Duke for 19 episodes. Wopat played Luke Duke and John played Bo Duke in 128 episodes. Denver Pyle, Sorrell Book and Catherine Bach were in over 140 episodes so Wopat and Schneider were off the show for a period. Apparently 19 episodes. I liked Emergency and it's on MeTV now. Phyllis Coates who is in this episode of the Lone Ranger played Lois Lane in the 1950's Superman TV show for the first 26 episode and she quit and was replaced by Noel Neill who did the next 78 episodes. The rest of the cast was consistent for the entire 104 episodes from 1952 to 1958. George Reeves who played Superman/Clark Kent was found dead in 1959 at age 45. Was it murder? Some say yes. The film "Hollywoodland" was about that. I rented it on DVD and it was pretty good. At least The Lone Ranger wore a mask. Superman only had a pair of glasses and a suite and tie to become Clark Kent. I didn't notice how flimsy the disguise was when I was a kid watching the episodes new. But it worked on the show. Lois Lane, Jimmy Olson, Perry White and Inspector Henderson couldn't tell Clark and Superman were the same man. Same face, hair, eyes, ears and voice. Those glasses were really distracting I suppose:-)

[@25mfd]

bob lackey Yes, reeves death was and still is a mystery. I think it was ruled a suicide but many don't believe this. And what about bob cranes death? Another head scratcher. As far as the superman series goes...I've always associated lois lane with noel neil. I completely forgot about phyillis coates and her role during the beginning of the series. I have to add also that the movies are notorious for changing actors to play the same title character. Hell, how many folks have played batman in that series? I've lost count. (and now we have a another NEW batman) Superman the same thing. Spiderman as well. All have different actors playing the same title character. Also, the change of actors on the dukes of hazzard DID NOT go over well with the audience, me included. The producers were pretty much forced to find the cash to get wopat and schneider back. But look at the tv series, streets of san. francisco. That show got pretty good ratings while Michael douglas was on it. But the ratings dipped after he left. And he wasn't even the lead actor. it's always a crap shoot as to how the public will react to an actor change.

[@funnyman1552]

the wife here is phyllis coats the first lois lane on the adventures of superman.

[@ahmadbinfadzil8258]

Clayton Moore was a good Lone Ranger. But Hart not bad at all.

[@shilojones236]

lee van cleefs name was django in this ep

[@leroykevin]

3/4ths of Frank Miller's gang from "High Noon"

[@tommywarren4633]

There's only one lone ranger Clayton Moore, I cannot watch John Hart , sorry.

[@macmaniacradioandtelevisio25]

He did 52 episodes, the he played The Lone Ranger on Happy Days and some other junk like that.

[@georgejaves4249]

Clayton more was the best

[@dimaiouzyk2388]

Ian MacDonald (Frank Miller from High Noon) and Van Cleef. Pretty cool.

[@leroykevin]

And Sheb Wooley who played Ben Miller, Frank's brother, now the only man missing is Robert Wilke

[@raymondcancel1290]

John Hart was very good replacement,I wonder what happen to Hart after 2 season?

[@vawlkee51]

You wonder about Hart? Go to youtube and look up: "hawkeye and the last of the mohicians" Got it?

[@charlesgomon8291]

You mean Season 3, Raymond Cancel?

[@charlesgomon8291]

U mean Season 3.

[@gs1100ed]

Tonto needs to work on his undercover skills

[@trampaspeter9890]

This is john hart who replaced Clayton Moore for one or two seasons

[@fromthesidelines]

One season of 52 episodes, 1952-'53.....after which another season of repeats from earlier seasons (including most of Moore's episodes) were scheduled. Then, for the 1954-'55 season, Moore and Trendle "reconciled", and he was back under the mask again.

[@charlesgomon8291]

One season, Trampas peter. It was for Season 3 only.

[@Ronclown]

Clayton Moore was better but John Hart was good as well. Why aren't there more Lone Rnager episodes with John Hart as our masked friend? Good episode.

[@isaacmitchell9385]

John Hart and Bob Newhart are

[@isaacmitchell9385]

Boring

[@Duchess1953]

Clayton Moore wouldn't appear as the Lone Ranger in anything but story about the Lone Ranger. I think I read that he didn't want to make a joke of the character.

[@George50809]

John Hart was not near as good on the Lone Ranger as was Clayton Moore. Oh, well.

[@Duchess1953]

Some people say that while John Hart portrayed the Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore was the Lone Ranger.

[@hannahjohnson4836]

That pegs it.

[@bixbybixby]

Wow, stunned me at first to hear the Lone Ranger's voice. I thought it was dub in or something. First time I saw this John Hart. Not near as good as Clayton Moore. Moore seemed so real and genuine (and exciting!). This guy seems stilted and not that good an actor imo. Doesn't seem to know how to stand and a lot of other little things.

[@charleswinters1266]

JOHN HART WAS GOOD TOO...

[@shawnfrey]

What's up with the lone rangers voice

[@lonedobie1]

who was that mask man !! Right

[@macmaniacradioandtelevisio25]

No, John Hart doesn't look much like Clayton Moore.

[@shawnfrey]

Or sound like him at all why wasn't Clayton Moore in this episode

[@macmaniacradioandtelevisio25]

*****

[@eddiefaccioni2453]

***** From John Hart: One of the biggest mysteries of the old '50s television show is why Hart replaced Moore in the middle of the series. Some sources say George W. Trendle, who created the character, fired Moore because he was becoming too closely associated with the Lone Ranger. But Hart subscribes to the more widely held belief that Moore, in a dispute with producer Jack Chertok, held out for more money. "I have no idea (why Moore came back)," he said. "I had long been gone and happy doing other things. Clayton was bound and determined to be the Lone Ranger. I'm sure it was over money ... He (Chertok) was the cheapest guy I ever worked for."

[@fromthesidelines]

Clayton Moore was too much of a nice guy to admit that George "Cheapo" Trendle- not Chertok, who filmed the series for Trendle- decided not to extend his contract after filming the first 78 episodes- and that he went out and hired another actor [Hart] for less than what Moore was getting, for the next cycle of 52 episodes.

[@Elainerulesutube]

+Big Barney I have read Clayton Moore's 1997 biography I Was That Masked Man and he said it was not over a salary rise-he just did not know himself but in 2014 Dawn Moore said it was over Clayton getting a share of the Lone Ranger merchandising profits.

[@thatsMYbeef]

ugh..this lone ranger was soooooo boring!!...clayton moore forever..

[@jamesvickers9476]

Id rather do 20 yrs then to get hung 😆😆😆

[@theironclads]

Lois Lane goes blonde.

[@166userp]

John Hart was pretty bad compared to Clayton Moore

[@jackson3rdhotmail]

phyllis coates is a nice looking blonde....

[@jackson3rdhotmail]

and i thought very enjoyable show.

[@alanwagoner123]

BENJAMIN STRONGIMAGINATION

[@enjoysanal5767]

Lee's best roles were with Eili Wallach and Clint Eastwood

[@bixbybixby]

Wow, stunned me at first to hear the Lone Ranger's voice. I thought it was dub in or something. First time I saw this John Hart. Not near as good as Clayton Moore. Moore seemed so real and genuine (and exciting!). This guy seems stilted and not that good an actor imo. Doesn't seem to know how to stand and a lot of other little things.

[@charlesgomon8291]

Oh, bixbybixby use your eyes, not your ears. The action & excitement is better in Season 3 than all other Seasons put together.

[@bixbybixby]

'use your eyes not your ears' lol what? This is a VIDEO, meaning eyes AND ears. Hart looked stilted (looked) etc. It's opinion man, that's all.

[@hannahjohnson4836]

Actually, I agree! Stilted, stoic and lacking emotion and energy. He is also not NEARLY as good of a rider as Mr. Moore-- such fun to see a good Clayton episode after this. The plots are great, and Jon did his best, I'm sure...he was put in an unfair position having to follow Clayton.