CLAYTON MOORE BIOGRAPHY & FILMOGRAPHY:
Clayton Moore was born September 14th, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois originally with his first name as Jack. By the age of eight, he was already working as a circus performer as an acrobat. By the age of 20 he had already performed as an aerialist with two circuses and at one World Fair.
He joined John Powers, a modeling agency and was off to a decent career as a model first in New York, then later in 1938, relocated to Hollywood in search of a career in acting. It was after his move to Los Angeles, he changed his name from Jack to Clayton.
Moore began with roles working as an extra and then gained some experience working as a stunt man. By 1939, he was being cast in films as supporting roles. Though he was not considered an amazing actor at this point, he maintained employment in the entertainment industry for a number of years.
Some of Clayton's earlier films were "The Son of Monte Cristo" (1940) starring Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett, George Sanders, Ralph Byrd, Rand Brooks, Henry Brandon, James Seay, Jack Mulhall, Florence Bates and Montague Love, "Perils of Nyoka" (1942) a Republic Movie serial also starring Kay Aldridge, Lorna Gray, Charles Middleton, Tristram Coffin, Forrest Taylor and William Benedict, "Black Dragons" (1942) starring Bela Lugosi, Joan Barclay, George Pembroke, Robert Fiske and I. Stanford Jolley, "Radar Men from the Moon" (1952) another Republic Pictures as the first Commando Cody serial, in 12 chapters, starring newcomer George Wallace, Aline Towne, Roy Barcroft, William Bakewell and Peter Brocco and "Jungle Drums of Africa" (1953) co-starring Phyllis Coates, Johnny Spencer, Henry Rowland, Don Blackman and Roy Glenn.
George Trendle, who was the creator and producer of The Lone Ranger radio show , spotted Moore in, " Ghost of Zorro " and decided he wanted to use Moore for his next project. Finally, Moore got his first real break with the television version of The Lone Ranger along with his trusted Indian companion Tonto starring Jay Silverheels in, " Masked Rider of the West " (1949) which lasted a ten year period, until he walked off the show due to a salary dispute. He was replaced by another actor, John Hart, however Hart did not meet the public's acceptance of a decent replacement and therefore, Moore was brought back to the show in 1954 and given a higher salary. He remained on the show until it's last episode in 1956. Overall, Moore starred in 169 episodes and the show earned an Emmy nomination in 1950.
Following the series ending, Moore earned a decent living using The Lone Ranger image on television Commercials and appearances. He also starred in two feature length The Lone Ranger Motion Pictures titled " The Lone Ranger " (1956) which also featured Beverly Washburn, Robert J. Wilke, Michael Ansara, Frank DeKova, Bonita Granville, Charles Meredith, Perry Lopez, John Pickard, Lane Chandler, Mickey Simpson and Lyle Bettger and " The Lone Ranger and The Lost City of Gold " (1958) and included Douglas Kennedy, John Miljan, William Henry, Lane Bradford, Dean Fredericks, Ralph Moody, Lisa Montell, Charles Watts and Noreen Nash.
However, in 1979, Jack Wrather, who owned The Lone Ranger character, obtained a court order from Moore being allowed to make any more public appearances as The Lone Ranger . He wanted to do a remake of "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" and did not want the public thinking that 65 year old Moore would be playing the character in his feature film. This did not go over well with the public and eventually, Moore won the suit and was able to continue his appearances. The film was remade and ended up failing.
Moore, who was largely retired by the 1990's and was living in Calabasas, California, near Los Angeles. His first wife, the former actress Sally Allen, died in 1986. The couple had one daughter together, Dawn Moore Gerrity.
Moore received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and to this day, he is the only person who not only has his name on his star but also the character he was so well known for portraying. He was inducted into the Stuntman's Hall of Fame in 1982 and in 1990 was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Clayton Moore passed away December 28, 1999 at a California hospital after suffering a heart attack. Moore was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California and was survived by his daughter and his second wife, Clarita.
Filmography
1937 Forlorn River
1937 Thunder Trail
1938 Go Chase Yourself
1938 Cowboy from Brooklyn
1938 The Texans
1939 Burn 'Em Up O'Connor
1940 Kit Carson
1940 The Son of Monte Cristo
1941 International Lady
1941 Tuxedo Junction
1942 Black Dragons
1942 Nyoka and the Tigermen
1942 Outlaws of Pine Ridge
1946 The Bachelor's Daughters
1946 The Crimson Ghost
1946 Heldorado
1947 Jesse James Rides Again
1947 Along the Oregon Trail
1948 G-Men Never Forget
1948 Marshal of Amarillo
1948 Adventures of Frank and Jesse James
1948 The Far Frontier
1949 Sheriff of Wichita
1949 The Lone Ranger series {1949-1956}
1949 Riders of the Whistling Pines
1949 Ghost of Zorro
1949 Frontier Investigator
1949 The Daring Rogue
1949 South of Death Valley
1949 Masked Raiders
1949 The Cowboy and the Indians
1949 Bandits of El Dorado
1949 Sons of New Mexico
1952 Cyclone Fury
1952 The Legend of the Lone Ranger
1952 Radar Men from the Moon
1952 Captive of Billy the Kid
1952 Buffalo Bill in Tomahawk Territory
1952 The Hawk of Wild River
1952 Night Stage to Galveston
1952 Desert Passage
1952 Montana Territory
1953 Jungle Drums of Africa
1953 Kansas Pacific
1953 The Bandits of Corsica
1953 Down Laredo Way
1954 Gunfighters of the Northwest
1955 The Lone Ranger Rides Again
1956 The Lone Ranger
1958 The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold
1984 Rhinestone
1985 All American Cowboy TV film
1987 The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory
1988 Red River TV film
1989 Cage
1990 Big Bad John
1993 The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
1995 Scanner Cop II
1999 Inherit the Wind
1999 Wild Wild West
