Who was the man behind the mask? Well, let me tell you, it wasn’t who you might think. In an exclusive conversation with Closer, Clayton Moore's daughter, Dawn Moore, paints a vivid picture of her dad, the man who became a legend as the Lone Ranger on television. "He wasn't this stoic, serious figure all the time," Dawn says with a laugh. "My dad was a big kid at heart. He had this amazing sense of humor, and honestly, he was more like my buddy than anything else. He was like this really tall playmate who just happened to be my dad!"
Clayton Moore: The Serious Side of a Playful Spirit
Sure, Clayton could dial it up when the situation called for it. When it came to dealing with bullies, he had some sage advice for Dawn. "He always told me, 'Never throw the first punch, but make sure you throw the last,'" Dawn recalls with a smile. "What he really meant was, don’t start a fight, but don’t let anyone walk all over you either. He believed in standing up for yourself, but doing it with integrity." It’s this kind of wisdom that made Clayton Moore more than just a TV icon—he was a role model both on and off the screen.
A Career Filled With Challenges and Triumphs
Clayton Moore's journey wasn't without its bumps in the road. Due to a contract dispute, he was temporarily replaced by John Hart as the Lone Ranger, but he eventually returned for the show’s final two seasons. "He said, 'I would be honored to play this role for the rest of my life,'" Dawn shared during a celebration of The Lone Ranger’s 70th anniversary at A Word on Westerns. This dedication to his craft and his fans truly defined Clayton Moore’s legacy.
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Dawn Moore was adopted by Clayton and his second wife, Sally, in 1958, just a year after The Lone Ranger went off the air. "I was an only child, and I was a daughter, but my dad never treated me any differently because of my gender," Dawn explains. "We went fishing together, and he taught me everything—how to put worms on a hook, which flies to use, and how to cast the line. He wanted me to experience life fully, and he made sure I did."
The Lone Ranger Lives On
Even after the show ended, Clayton continued to make appearances as the Lone Ranger until 1979. But things got a little tricky when the producer who owned the character rights sued him, trying to stop him from wearing the mask. Not one to back down, Clayton simply swapped his mask for wraparound sunglasses, and the lawsuit eventually fizzled out. "He wasn’t about the mask or the outfit," Dawn says. "He was about the character and what it stood for."
