The Lone Ranger, a masked hero, was created by Fran Stryker, a radio scriptwriter, during the Great Depression. Stryker's character was inspired by a real-life figure, Bass Reeves, and was first broadcast on WEBR in Buffalo. The show's popularity soared, and Stryker was eventually offered a contract to write exclusively for WXYZ, but had to sell the rights to the Lone Ranger for $10. The show's success continued, but Stryker's contributions were often overlooked, and he was not recognized as the creator of the Lone Ranger until after his death.
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