"The Lone Ranger," set in the Old West era of some 60 years earlier, made its debut in 1933 and more contemporary "Green Hornet" followed in 1936.Īmong the Lone Ranger's supporting cast was nephew Dan Reid, while the Green Hornet's father was likewise a man named Dan Reid.
Station WXYZ of Detroit was trying to make a name for itself producing adventure serials, using narration, voice actors and sound effects to spin tales of heroes and villains to catch the imaginations of listeners nationwide, with regular cliff-hanger endings each broadcast to keep 'em coming back for more.īoth Reids are the offspring of writer Fran Striker, brought on by station owner George Trendle to develop original characters for his programming. Radio was the newest mass media phenomenon of the era, and the first in which the platform and content were consumed separately. This is despite them being "born" three years apart, and from the same "father." For more to the story, return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. Or that both saw film revivals in the past couple years that, shall we say, underperformed.īritt Reid, aka the Green Hornet, is the grandnephew of John Reid, the Lone Ranger. You may say this is not a trick question, but I gather you're looking for an answer beyond "both wear masks, fight crime, and are nearly overshadowed by their sidekicks and modes of transportation. Now, what is the connection between the Lone Ranger and the Green Hornet? And no, this is not a trick question - I won a lot of money knowing this one in HS and college.