41:
351:, Michigan is the traditional territory of the Potawatomi, and many local institutions use Potawatomi names. Trendle gained the name "Tonto" from the local Potawatomi, who told him it meant "wild one" in their language. Other sources indicate that Camp Kee Mo Sah Bee belonged to the father-in-law of the show's director, James Jewell. According to author David Rothel, who interviewed Jewell a few months before his death,
419:, presumably on the theory that, being partly white, a pinto could still be named "White Feller". The radio series, noting that the pinto in the film had gone over well with audiences, decided that Tonto's mount would henceforth be a pinto. For several episodes, Tonto's new horse went unnamed, referred to only as "the paint horse" or simply "Paint". Eventually the name "Scout" was adopted.
527:, Tonto is even shown to be a very witty, outspoken, and sarcastic character willing to punch the Lone Ranger during a heated argument and commenting on his past pop-culture depictions with the words, "Of course, Kemosabe. Maybe when we talked I should use that 'me Tonto' stuff, way they write about me in the dime novels. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
328:", explaining that the phrase means "faithful friend" (radio series) or "trusty scout" (television series) in the language of his tribe. In the 2013 film, Tonto translates the word as meaning "wrong brother". Tonto buries the dead rangers, and the Lone Ranger instructs him to make a sixth empty grave to leave the impression that he, too, is dead.
281:
have been given for the character Tonto and how he came to work with the Lone Ranger. As originally presented, in the
December 7, 1938, radio broadcast, Reid had already been well established as the Lone Ranger when he met Tonto. In that episode Cactus Pete, a friend of the Lone Ranger's, tells the
390:
hunters. It's revealed that Tonto is actually suffering severe mental illness and survivor's guilt for inadvertently causing the massacre of his tribe by the film's villains. To rationalize what he had done, he convinced himself that the cannibalistic Butch
Cavendish was a wendigo, a non-existent
474:
with Carson playing a career counselor and
Silverheels playing Tonto looking for a new job after working "thirty lousy years" as the Lone Ranger's faithful sidekick. When asked why he was looking for a new job, Tonto replies, "Him finally find out what Kemo Sabe means!"
203:. To this point, Tonto had been depicted, on the radio series, as a somewhat elderly sidekick. This serial established the better-remembered image of Tonto as a handsome young tribal warrior in buckskins. The only diversion from this image since then has been
174:. Though he became well known as the Lone Ranger's friend, Tonto was originally created just so the Lone Ranger would have someone to talk to. Throughout the radio run (which spanned 21 years), with only a few exceptions, Tonto was played by American actor
391:
monster used in Native
American ghost stories to frighten children. The character wears black-and-white face paint and a deceased crow on his head. According to Johnny Depp, who played him, the inspiration for the costume was a painting entitled
483:
In
Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, "tonto" translates as "dumb", "moron", or "fool". In the Italian version the original name is retained, but in the Spanish dubbed version, the character is called "Toro" (Spanish for "bull") or "Ponto".
371:, this book was actually written by Gaylord du Bois. Later books in the series were actually written by Striker, and were in line with the continuity from the radio series.
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Later depictions beginning in the 1980s have taken efforts to show Tonto as an articulate and proud warrior whom the Ranger treats as an equal partner. In the
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159:. Tonto has appeared in radio and television series and other presentations of the characters' adventures righting wrongs in 19th-century
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they were working. One of the men wanted to kill the wounded Tonto, but the Lone Ranger arrived on the scene and made him administer
302:. No reason was given in the episode as to why Tonto chose to travel with the Lone Ranger, rather than continue about his business.
708:
324:
Butch
Cavendish. Tonto recognizes the ranger as someone who had saved him when they were both boys. He refers to him by the title "
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were the only two words that Jewell remembered from those days. Alternatively, Tonto's name may have been inspired by the name of
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story of how the masked man and Tonto first met. According to that tale, Tonto had been caught in the explosion when two men
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was being filmed, it was thought that having two white horses would be confusing, so the producers made "White Feller" a
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with missing articles ("the", "a", or "an"), which he claimed made such haiku sound like Tonto's stunted
English.
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played a comic version of Tonto, in a group of other characters who speak little or broken
English, on
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343:. The choice to make Tonto a Potawatomi seems to come from station owner George Trendle's youth in
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when he would later murder his partner. The Lone Ranger foiled both the attempted murder and the
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Tonto made his first appearance on the 11th episode of the radio show, which originated on the
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Silverheels was not above making a little fun of the character, as in a classic sketch on
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episode "Murder of Jesse James", Wyatt Logan, one of the main characters, mentions that
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animated series, depict him as being articulate in
English and speaking it carefully.
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Tonto first rode a horse named "White Feller" (White Fella/Fellah). When the 1938
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294:. The miner subsequently decided to keep Tonto around, intending to make him the
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Tonto made his first appearance on the 11th episode of the radio show
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291:
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735:"Johnny Depp reveals origins of Tonto makeup from 'The Lone Ranger'"
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and others as degrading, notably by Native
American author and poet
928:
Wyxie Wonderland: An Unauthorized Fifty-Year Diary of WXYZ, Detroit
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383:
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709:"Disney's Tonto Offensive To Some In Upcoming 'Lone Ranger' Film"
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region, but in the 19th century, most had been relocated to the
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coined the term "tontoism" to refer to the practice of writing
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321:
930:. Bowling Green, Ohio: Bowling Green University. p. 537.
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367:, Tonto is described as a "half-breed." Though credited to
331:
The radio series identified Tonto as a chief's son in the
670:
877:. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 404–409.
856:. Jefferson: McFarland & Company. pp. 124–126.
305:
A different version was given in later episodes of the
226:. This was the highest-rated television program on the
685:
694:
Who was that Masked Man? The Story of the Lone Ranger
230:
network in the early 1950s and its first true "hit".
75:
WXYZ radio; Detroit, Michigan, USA; February 25, 1933
320:of a party that was tricked into an ambush by the
219:portrayed the arguably best-remembered version in
1217:
584:"The Lone Ranger: Justice from Outside the Law"
666:"Clayton Moore, the 'Lone Ranger,' dead at 85"
443:", or "Him say man ride over ridge on horse".
363:. In the first novel in a series published by
1152:The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
960:
548:Grant Johnson was the inspiration for Tonto.
492:Tonto has appeared in various media based on
427:The portrayal of Tonto has been seen by some
457:Later adaptations of the character, such as
696:. Las Vegas: Pioneer Books. pp. 16–18.
1266:Fictional Native American people in comics
967:
953:
39:
1105:The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold
851:
732:
610:"Clayton Moore, TV's 'Lone Ranger,' Dies"
577:
575:
573:
571:
446:In 1975, poet and science fiction writer
335:nation. The Potawatomi originated in the
874:On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time
691:
608:Stassel, Stephanie (December 29, 1999).
870:
706:
663:
607:
508:, 31 issues of which were published by
471:The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
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925:
891:
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347:. Located in the northern part of the
1052:The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour
948:
827:(Television). USA. September 9, 1969.
733:Breznican, Anthony (April 22, 2012).
664:Michael, Dennis (December 28, 1999).
504:Tonto starred in his own comic book,
248:The Tarzan/Lone Ranger Adventure Hour
1226:Comics characters introduced in 1948
758:
207:'s depiction in Disney's 2013 film,
123:is a fictional character; he is the
1301:Western (genre) heroes and heroines
1286:Radio characters introduced in 1933
974:
895:Tonto: The Man in Front of the Mask
582:Siegel, Robert (January 14, 2008).
439:, saying things like, "That right,
382:, Tonto is depicted as a disgraced
316:: Tonto rescues the sole surviving
13:
1246:Film characters introduced in 1938
1046:First animated TV series (1966–69)
864:
726:
14:
1312:
1231:Dynamite Entertainment characters
839:The Lone Ranger's Companion Tonto
786:Alexie, Sherman (June 28, 1998).
707:Fonseca, Felicia (May 12, 2013).
506:The Lone Ranger's Companion Tonto
487:
478:
398:
854:Native Americans in Comic Books
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831:
817:
800:
852:Sheyahshe, Michael A. (2008).
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386:tribesman and the last of the
114:Trained hand-to-hand combatant
16:Fictional Native American hero
1:
1281:Male characters in television
1113:The Legend of the Lone Ranger
922:Biography of Jay Silverheels.
561:
530:
459:The Legend of the Lone Ranger
260:The Legend of the Lone Ranger
213:, the most recent portrayal.
1241:Fictional genocide survivors
422:
376:2013 theatrical feature film
266:
257:portrayed Tonto in the film
184:played the character in the
112:Expert marksman and horseman
7:
1089:The Lone Ranger Rides Again
200:The Lone Ranger Rides Again
10:
1317:
788:"I Hated Tonto (Still Do)"
245:, voiced the character in
18:
1261:Male characters in comics
1236:Fictional Comanche people
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1072:
1021:
1000:
982:
525:The Lone Ranger and Tonto
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108:
98:
93:
79:
69:
64:
38:
33:
1276:Male characters in radio
692:Van Hise, James (1990).
309:and at the beginning of
1271:Male characters in film
65:Publication information
1256:Film serial characters
871:Dunning, John (1998).
345:Mullett Lake, Michigan
48:(right) as Tonto with
21:Tonto (disambiguation)
1185:William Tell Overture
926:Osgood, Dick (1981).
161:western United States
151:character created by
147:, a popular American
1296:Television sidekicks
1198:Lego The Lone Ranger
912:on November 12, 2007
892:Misiak, Zig (2012).
808:Johnny Carson: Tonto
739:Entertainment Weekly
639:Lone Ranger Fan Club
361:Tonto Basin, Arizona
94:In-story information
19:For other uses, see
1029:TV series (1949–57)
713:The Huffington Post
556:Saturday Night Live
546:deputy U.S. marshal
435:. Tonto spoke in a
898:. self published.
512:during the 1950s.
395:by Kirby Sattler.
365:Grosset and Dunlap
277:. Two conflicting
182:Chief Thundercloud
1213:
1212:
1204:The Lone Stranger
1146:Video game (1991)
992:George W. Trendle
759:Anderson, Chuck.
645:on March 27, 2010
614:Los Angeles Times
341:midwestern states
314:television series
224:television series
168:Detroit, Michigan
153:George W. Trendle
118:
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88:George W. Trendle
58:the TV adaptation
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908:. Archived from
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825:The Tonight Show
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767:. The Old Corral
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641:. Archived from
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448:Paul O. Williams
429:Native Americans
233:Ivan Naranjo, a
170:, radio station
71:First appearance
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28:Comics character
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217:Jay Silverheels
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194:The Lone Ranger
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841:. Dell Comics.
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353:Kee Mo Sah Bee
279:origin stories
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50:Clayton Moore
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1179:Green Hornet
1167:Jack Wrather
1160:The Unhanged
1159:
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1120:
1112:
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1051:
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987:Fran Striker
927:
914:. Retrieved
910:the original
894:
873:
853:
847:
838:
833:
824:
819:
802:
791:
781:
771:November 28,
769:. Retrieved
765:westerns.com
764:
761:"The Horses"
754:
742:. Retrieved
738:
728:
716:. Retrieved
712:
702:
693:
687:
675:. Retrieved
669:
659:
647:. Retrieved
643:the original
638:
629:
617:. Retrieved
613:
603:
591:. Retrieved
587:
550:
536:
534:
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517:Topps Comics
514:
505:
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493:
491:
482:
469:
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458:
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408:movie serial
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369:Fran Striker
356:
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318:Texas Ranger
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258:
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246:
239:Southern Ute
232:
221:
215:
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198:
192:
180:
165:
157:Fran Striker
129:Tonto Apache
120:
119:
99:Partnerships
84:Fran Striker
25:
1039:guest stars
1008:Lone Ranger
677:October 19,
649:January 26,
619:October 19,
519:four-issue
510:Dell Comics
417:pinto horse
337:Great Lakes
307:radio drama
241:actor from
205:Johnny Depp
145:Lone Ranger
54:Lone Ranger
1220:Categories
1128:soundtrack
1022:Television
1001:Characters
718:August 31,
562:References
552:Jon Lovitz
531:Television
521:miniseries
333:Potawatomi
137:Potawatomi
80:Created by
1056:(1980–82)
463:Filmation
441:Kemo Sabe
423:Reception
393:I Am Crow
292:first aid
288:gold mine
284:dynamited
267:Character
235:Blackfoot
176:John Todd
141:companion
109:Abilities
1206:" (2007)
1034:episodes
793:LA Times
744:July 30,
538:Timeless
461:and the
405:Republic
384:Comanche
296:fall guy
263:(1981).
243:Colorado
186:Republic
133:Comanche
127:(either
916:July 4,
813:YouTube
635:"Tonto"
535:In the
388:wendigo
374:In the
349:Midwest
300:framing
190:serials
149:Western
143:of the
52:as the
1162:(1971)
1154:(1993)
1123:(2013)
1115:(1981)
1107:(1958)
1099:(1956)
934:
902:
881:
500:Comics
437:pidgin
322:outlaw
188:movie
1139:Other
1013:Tonto
452:haiku
357:Tonto
135:, or
121:Tonto
34:Tonto
1073:Film
932:ISBN
918:2013
900:ISBN
879:ISBN
773:2011
746:2020
720:2013
679:2009
651:2010
621:2009
595:2010
355:and
197:and
172:WXYZ
155:and
811:on
671:CNN
588:NPR
378:of
228:ABC
56:in
1222::
790:.
763:.
737:.
711:.
668:.
637:.
612:.
586:.
570:^
558:.
523:,
496:.
286:a
251:.
178:.
163:.
139:)
131:,
1202:"
1187:"
1183:"
1175:"
1171:"
968:e
961:t
954:v
940:.
920:.
887:.
796:.
775:.
748:.
722:.
681:.
653:.
623:.
597:.
237:/
23:.
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