The Complete Lone Ranger on DVD? (1 Viewer)

[Bob Gu]

GritTV added THE LONE RANGER to the lineup on December 1st.
Two episodes are shown daily Monday thru Friday, 11 AM to 12 PM and four episodes on Saturdays 8 AM to 10 AM.

I figure these are the same timesped versions that are on the DVDs. But these broadcast versions actually extend the opening to include the part where The Lone Ranger fires into the camera at the end. That bit was not on the DVDs. See post #3, above.

I was able to look at three of the episodes they showed this morning. Two of them had the Gerald Mohr narration from the early episodes including a commercial break announcement. The third actually had the full Fred Foy opening, "With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto....etc"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's also not on the DVDs.

In the B&W version of the opening The Lone Ranger veers screen left as he fires his pistol.

In the color version, the Lone Ranger is centered in the frame as he fires. The color version in B&W is what was used for the DVDs and these newer TV broadcasts.

I wonder if the color episodes now have the full opening in color, including the Fred Foy "Tonto" narration.

 

[Jeff*H]

I just looked at S1E15, “Old Joe’s Sister”, on GRIT via my DVR, and not only do these transfers (so far) include the missing “with his faithful companion Tonto” narration as noted above, they also look much brighter with better resolution compared to my DVDs (I own that giant Complete Series set). Unfortunately, they are also time-compressed.

 

[Jeff*H]

I looked at a few more this morning and these airings appear to be using completely new transfers that have been remastered, possibly in HD. There’s hardly a scratch or speck of dirt, and they appear to have higher resolution than the DVDs.
I may attempt to do an A/B comparison of a DVD episode with the same GRIT episode to see if they share the same edits, beyond the material that has been added back in.

 

[Jeff*H]

I did an A/B comparison of Sheep Thieves, S1E22, between the Grit TV broadcast and the DVD version. Here’s what I’ve discovered:

GRIT TV:
*Runtime was 21:50 (1 four-minute break, newly inserted, and another break of four minutes & 10 seconds); DVD is 22:55.
*Grit’s transfers are definitely remastered, likely in HD, and look pristine, brighter, with no dirt, specks or scratches, which are present on the DVD
*Grit’s transfers are not as time-compressed as the DVD. In fact, I can’t really tell if they are time-compressed at all.
*As previously noted, Grit adds a b&w version of the color S5 “With his faithful companion Tonto” portion after the intro; not on the DVD.
*As previously noted, Grit adds a b&w version of the color S5 “Will the Lone Ranger triumph…” at the conclusion of the story. HOWEVER…the end credits are scrolling, very time-compressed, in a box in the lower left corner of the screen while this part is airing
*In the main story portion, Grit’s transfer has the same missing footage as the DVD in this episode, AND they edit out additional pieces of the episode in several spots. Probably a total of 30-45 seconds of additional edits compared to the DVD.

So overall, it’s a mixed bag. They add in the (Season 5) footage at the beginning and end, they are remastered, and not as time-compressed (if at all), but they have additional edits beyond the DVD, and box the end-credits at super-speed as the story finishes up, with additional commercial time.

Your mileage may vary as to whether or not you want to record or rip these, but I wouldn’t bother.

EDIT: Has anyone else noticed that the Season 1 Disc 4 menu says “Sleep Thieves” instead of “Sheep Thieves”?

 

[Bob Gu]

I'll record a few just to get a nicer full "Tonto....The Lone Ranger Rides Again!", opening, Especially in color when Grit gets to those episodes in this run.

I don't remember if I have ever seen the complete color version of the full opening, in color. When they ran in the 80s most B&W episodes had the full earlier 'Tonto' B&W opening. A few B&Ws had the full color opening in B&W. I don't recall if they got to the color episodes at all. The station was showing those versions of the color Lone Ranger where they combined three episodes to make a feature. They used the Hi-Yo Silver song from "The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold" as the theme.

That half color Season 5 DVD set from Rhino didn't have the second part of the intro "Tonto...The Lone Ranger Rides Again!".

The Rhino 20 B&W episode VHS set used the first part of the color opening in B&W and the earlier B&W version for the second "Tonto.." part.

When the 80s reruns got to the John Hart episodes, the episodes had the full B&W opening, which featured Clayton Moore. But a close-up of Hart rearing up on Silver was inserted in the middle as Moore and Silver rear up. The Collection DVDs didn't have the Hart insert. And these new versions showing now probably won't either.

 

[Bob Gu]

Yesterday's two episodes cut off the opening right after Fred Foy announces, "The Lone Ranger".

All four of today's episodes had the full B&W version of the color opening.

The color opening shows up in Grit's ads for the western lineup.

John Hart waiting in the wings already.

 

[Bob Gu]

We have a Christmas Mystery on GritTV this morning.

They showed the "Christmas Story" episode from color Season 5. They did show it with the full "Faithful Indian companion Tonto...The Lone Ranger Rides Again!", opening. But they showed this color episode in a black and white version!!!???.

Here the short opening color version on that Classic Media Lone Ranger YouTube channel.




IMDB identifies the man that falls over the balcony, as stuntman Bill Ward. IMDB says Ward owned the white stunt horse that doubled Silver and that Ward doubled for Clayton Moore for some of the horse stunts. I've spotted Ward doubling Jay Silverheels, as Tonto, too. After Ward went over the balcony, I was concerned that they had killed someone in a Christmas episode, but Doctor Tonto said he'd be alright. That was a relief.

Jay Thomas and The Lone Ranger, with David Letterman as The Masked Man.

 

[Bob Gu]

Meanwhile........"I'll explain as we ride".

GRIT started running the new improved Lone Ranger episodes with John Hart, this week. Like the earlier Moore episodes, they have the full color opening from Season 5 in black and white. And they have the end bits where we hear Gerald Mohr or Fred Foy say, " Be with the Lone Ranger and Tonto next time...The Lone Ranger Rides Again!!!". There are different configurations of these narrated endings. Followed by the shrunken credits.

Tubi and GritXtra are still showing the 22-minute time sped versions with the partial opening and the shrunken or no end credits at the end. The next episode starts up right away.

BIG NEWS! The Classic Media Lone Ranger YouTube channel has uploaded a few of the new better-looking versions. The runtimes are 25 minutes and 10-15 seconds. So not time-sped. They tack on 20 seconds or so of the theme song over a picture of Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels.

To confuse things, the YouTube uploader is being cute and not headlining the episodes with the proper season, episode number, and episode title, in the headline. But that info appears in the more info section.

The end credits are full screen.

Non-time-sped, John Hart episode listed as S3E33 "The Deserter".




Non-time-sped, Clayton Moore episode S4E17 "The Globe".

 

[Neil Brock]

Okay, so streaming has the episodes complete and uncut with no time-speeding? Are they in proper 4x3 aspect ratio or fake 16x9 widescreen?

 

[Bob Gu]

I've only found a few of these new 25+minute versions on The Lone Ranger YouTube channel. As you can see from the episodes posted above, they are in that bigger pillar-boxed format. (14x9?) I don't know if that's considered fake-widescreen.

 

[Bob Gu]

GRIT ran S3E33 'The Deserter', on Friday.

I agree with Jeff*H's assessment that these new GRIT episodes are not time-sped, but edited.

I compared the 25+ minute version, of S3E33, posted in post #28 with the GRIT broadcast episode shown. Parts of long dialog scenes were cut, in the GRIT showing. The edits were seamless. I was expecting that they shortened just the ends of scenes, which they did too. (In some earlier episodes shown on GRIT some of the fight scenes seemed a bit jerky, but maybe that was bad reception.)

So there are three versions of the "Lone Ranger" out there,now. The time-sped versions without the "faithful Indian companion" opening. Used on the Rhino and Classic Media releases and showing on streamers like TUBI. The edited but not time-sped version with fuller openings and closings and shrunken or no end credits on GRIT.

And these 25 min. 15 sec. versions showing up on the Classic Media YouTube Lone Ranger Channel. So far they have only uploaded six of them. Anyone spot more anyplace else?

Of course even these 25 minute versions are not night of original broadcast versions. (No wheat field sponsor bumpers.) But at least the full story portions seem to be all there and the end credits are in a readable full size.

SCTV. The Lone Ranger Show.

Jay Silverheels and Johnny Carson. Tonto wants a new job.

 

[LouA]

To me The Line Ranger is a certified classic and deserves a remastered Blu-ray release of complete uncut episodes.

 

[John Sparks]

Most of us that would buy it are getting way up in age.

 

[LouA]

Most of us that would buy it are getting way up in age.

Right, so they should do it soon!
And while they are at it, give us a complete Rin Tin Tin DVD set!

 

[John Sparks]

Every Saturday I watched that and Sky King. Damn I loved those shows!

 

[John Sparks]

Streaming SKY KING right now.

 

[tvwesternslover]

Thanks to my recent revisit of Maverick, I'm now interested in reconnecting with The Lone Ranger TV series, which used to air at lunchtime for several summers in my childhood. Being a bit of a completist, I'd love to seek out the entire 200+ episodes, but the only set that I can find that is complete is an OOP Collector's Edition that goes for princely sums on eBay!

There is a DVD set that contains the first two seasons of Clayton Moore, but there seem to be many DVD releases of the series. Does anybody know if the rest of the series--including the colour episodes and Moore's temporary replacement--are available on disc as well, or could point me to a site that would have the info? Poring over Amazon's listings for info is very frustrating!

The best complete version of the Lone Ranger, all 5 seasons 30 discs, plus a bonus disc. Well worth the hundred dollars I paid for it. Excellent quality on all Episodes. I bought it on Amazon 6 years ago, but I still see it listed on eBay and other sites.

 

[The 1960's]

Streaming SKY KING right now.

John pick this up. It's excellent!

"Sky King" Vintage Television Series DVD Box Set w/ Book

"Sky King" Vintage Television Series DVD Box Set w/ Book

www.skyking.com

Condensed.

Sky King Officially Released Condensed Collection All 4 Seasons, 72 Episodes | eBay

Historical Aviation Radio Show Programs from 1928-54. IncludingSky King, Sky Blazers, Capt. Midnight, Hop Harrison, Air Stories, Jimmie Allen, Tailspin Tommy, Howie Wing, Speed Gibson, Smilin Jack, Wings of Victory, Anne of the Airlanes.

www.ebay.com

 

[LouA]

I have that

The best complete version of the Lone Ranger, all 5 seasons 30 discs, plus a bonus disc. Well worth the hundred dollars I paid for it. Excellent quality on all Episodes. I bought it on Amazon 6 years ago, but I still see it listed on eBay and other sites.

I have that. Cumbersome, but essential!

 

[The 1960's]

I have that

I have that. Cumbersome, but essential!

Agreed! I have it as well. It's the best we'll ever see.