Clayton Moore Biography, Life, Interesting Facts

Childhood and Early Life

Clayton Moore, the American actor who found fame playing The Long Ranger was born Jack Clayton Moore in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of three sons born to Theresa Fisher and Charles Moore.

Education

Clayton Moore was educated at the Stephen K. Hayt Elementary School, Sullivan Junior HighSchool and graduated from Senn High School in Chicago.

Rise to Fame

Clayton Moore became a circus acrobat as a young age, and in 1934, he appeared at the Century of Progress exposition in Chicago as part of a trapeze troupe. He later worked as a John Robert Powers model and in the 1930s, he relocated to Hollywood. In Hollywood, he worked as a stuntman and also modelled part-time. During this period, he changed his name to Clayton Moore and began appearing in B grade Westerns. During World War II (1939-1945) he was called up to the US Army Air Forces and joined the First Motion Picture Unit making training films

Career

Clayton Moore's breakthrough came when George Trendle saw him acting in Ghost of Zorro. Trendle was the writer and producer of The Lone Ranger radio show and was in the process of planning a television version of The Lone Ranger. In 1949 Moore was cast as The Long Ranger in the television series of the same name (1949-1957).  Moore was not in the third season of The Lone Ranger; John Hart played the title role.

He was recast for the fourth and fifth seasons, appearing in 169 episodes. In the 1950s, he also appeared as the character in The Lone Ranger (1956), the film and The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold (1958). Other shows he appeared in include The Adventures of Kit Carson (1952) and The Range Rider (1952 and 1953 for two episodes). He also acted in many other films.

Later Years

Clayton Moore's work on The Lone Ranger series led to a range of related work including television commercials and guest appearances on television shows. He usually wore the Lone Ranger mask.

Awards and Achievements

Clayton Moore has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1982, he was inducted into the Stuntman’s Hall of Fame. And in 1990, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum inducted him into the Western Performers Hall of Fame. In Old Town Newhall, California his name is on the Western Walk of Fame.

Controversies

In 1979, when producers of a new film version of The Lone Ranger took out a court order prohibiting Clayton Moore from wearing the Lone Ranger trademark mask, he replaced the hood with a pair of wraparound sunglasses. There was a public backlash against the court order with fans who were unhappy with the decision. The new film was released in 1981 but flopped. Eventually, in 1984,  Moore won the right to wear the mask again.

Personal Life

Clayton Moore's first wife was Mary Moore (m.1940-div.1942). He then married Sally Allen (m.1943-died 1986). They had one child together. Moore later married Connie Moore (1986-1989) before meeting Clarita Petrone and marrying her in 1992. Petrone and Moore remained married until his death in 1999. Clayton Moore died on the 28 December 1999 in California from heart failure.