In his first serial, he was
a jungle girl's love interest. "Jesse James Rides Again" put him in the
saddle for 13 episodes of slam-bang action out west. A year later,
he was Jesse again in "The Adventures of Frank and Jesse James." It
was his performance in "Ghost of Zorro" that caught the attention of George
W. Trendle, the creator of the Lone Ranger character. The masked rider of
the western plains was due to ride out over the nation's television range
in September of '49. Brace Beemer, radio's Lone Ranger
for 19 years wanted the role badly, said Trendle."He brought Hollywood stuntmen out to his Michigan home and filmed the damnedest fight I ever saw. But Clayton
Moore was so good and impressed so many
people, he was the only one seriously considered for the role." With
the first season's episodes done, Moore kept busy menacing Gene Autry in
a few films and helping out Roy Rogers in a few others. By this time,
Republic Pictures was billing Moore as the King of the Serials.
"Radar Men from the Moon" and "The Crimson Ghost" were popular. But kids holding fast to high ideals wanted to see Moore back with his kemosabe
Jay Silverheels. Fan mail came in from all over the world now.
"A salary dispute was not the reason Clayton Moore was replaced," Trendle
told this reporter. "In John Hart, I simply saw a young Brace Beemer.
"To me, and most of the people who worked for me, the masked man had to
be the tallest, biggest guy around if he was going to
get everyone's attention, and big, tall John Hart seemed perfect for the
role."
But fans wanted Clayton Moore.
Who was that masked man?
"I was that masked man" is the title of Clayton Moore's autobiography
and its a good read, available now from Taylor Publications.
