Column: Johnny Depp, 'vague' Indian, plays Tonto on screen


Photo from Jerry Bruckheimer on Twitter

"The Lone Ranger” – the tale of the masked outlaw fighter of the Old West and his trusty Indian companion, Tonto – started out as a radio serial, became a TV and comic book series, then found its way onto the silver screen. If you’re of a certain age, the Lone Ranger and Tonto might well have been the theme on the lunchbox you toted to school.

The Lone Ranger is back for another iteration – this time as a modern big-budget flick being filmed in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and around Shiprock.

Johnny Depp will play the part of Tonto.

There have been many Tontos in the 80 years the Lone Ranger and Tonto have been fighting crime with silver bullets. Only one, native Canadian Jay Silverheels (Mohawk), was an actual Indian playing an Indian.""

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Leslie Linthicum: Hollywood Indian Rides Again (The Albuquerque Journal 3/8)

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