These 60mm figures were likely the work of the same sculptor who did the yellow ranch and town cowboys I featured recently. There were also 54mm figures of L.R. and old Faithful, to mingle with the smaller cowboys. We'll meet them some Saturday soon (or later).
More Toy Soldiers HERE.
So, tell me, were these mid-50s creations?
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine anything so "politically incorrect" in 2015 as Tonto. Weren't we all wonderfully innocent and free of PC nonsense in the days of "Hi-ho, Silver"?
Your collecting passion must be a wonderful way to be a bit like Peter Pan (i.e., never growing older), and I mean that in a positive, flattering, and envious way.
Tonto was usually portrayed as intelligent, and was as "daring and resourceful" as the Lone Ranger himself. His dialect was cringe-inducing by today's standards, but a lot of people back then probably thought that American Indians really talked that way. Besides, English would have been his second language (or maybe third; on the radio series, he also spoke Spanish fluently). It was no worse than Johnny Weissmuller or Lex Barker's "Me Tarzan" dialog.
ReplyDeleteIn the PC, oh-so-hip-and-cool-and-sophisticated Johnny Depp movie, Tonto is a yutz who was previously duped or bribed into helping the villains, which led to a village of innocent people getting wiped out. And the Ranger is a total buffoon.
Apparently, modern mores don't allow for virtuous, "daring and resourceful" heroes who fight evil and help victims just because it is the right thing to do. It is our loss.
Yeah, Marx issued its first L.R. sets in 1956. There was a Lone Ranger Ranch, complete with cattle, and a Lone Ranger Rodeo, and the figures were also sold by themselves in bags.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, my toy collections are a good way to prevent growing up. Too bad they can't prevent aging.
And yeah, I thought Tonto was portrayed pretty well on TV, except (a Bill Cosby pointed out) he was always getting beat up.
And I think I recall Jay Silverheels -- what a great name! -- trying to make a career for himself in TV after "The Lone Ranger" series, but he did not work very much or very often.
ReplyDeleteJay Silverheels is indeed a great name. Much better than Harold J. Smith, which was his birth name.
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