Tonto

Tonto
the Native-American friend of the Lone Ranger.

* * *

▪ fictional character
      twentieth-century American radio and television character, companion of the Lone Ranger. Tonto was one of the best-known Native American characters in popular culture.

      Set in the late 19th-century American Southwest, the Lone Ranger series details the crime-fighting activities of the eponymous Texas Ranger (Texas Rangers), whom Tonto invariably supports. The stories portrayed several different explanations of Tonto's background and the origins of his friendship with the Lone Ranger, but they typically involve a situation in which the ranger (or future ranger) rescues Tonto from racist thugs. One of the most popular versions revealed that, as a child, Tonto was rescued from outlaw raiders by a white youth. Years later, Tonto in turn saves the life of a Texas Ranger, whom he recognizes as the man who once saved him. Other versions place the rescue later, when both characters are adults.

      Tonto was identified in some stories as a member of the Potawatomi tribe and was presented as principled, virtuous, and fiercely loyal. Despite his pidgin English, he was also portrayed as both intelligent and wise. At the time of the radio and television broadcasts in which he was featured, he was considered a positive representation of a Native American; however, in later years some scholars and writers took issue with his inability to master English, as well as numerous cultural inaccuracies.

      Tonto was introduced in 1933 in the 11th radio episode of The Lone Ranger by producer George W. Trendle and writer Fran Striker in order to give the Lone Ranger someone to talk to. The role, which persisted throughout the radio drama's 23-year run, was voiced by actor John Todd. On the television series, which ran from 1949 to 1958, Tonto was played by Native American actor Jay Silverheels.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • tonto — tonto, a lo tonto expr. fingiendo no darse cuenta; porque sí. ❙ «¿Te dejas tú toquetear en público y a lo tonto?» Juan García Hortelano, Mucho cuento, 1987, RAE CREA. ❙ «...vi con sorpresa que, a lo tonto, Rosita se emparejaba con Carlitos...»… …   Diccionario del Argot "El Sohez"

  • Tonto — is a fictional character, the Native American assistant of The Lone Ranger, a popular American Western character created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker. He has appeared in radio and television series and other presentations of the… …   Wikipedia

  • tonto — tonto, ta (De or. expr.). 1. adj. Falto o escaso de entendimiento o razón. U. t. c. s.) 2. Dicho de un hecho o de un dicho: Propio de un tonto. 3. coloq. Que padece cierta deficiencia mental. U. t. c. s.) 4. coloq. Dicho de una persona: Pesada,… …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • tonto — / tonto/ [voce di etimo incerto], fam. ■ agg. [che è di scarso cervello, di grande stupidità: sei proprio t.! ] ▶◀ cretino, (pop.) fesso, gonzo, (tosc.) grullo, imbecille, (fam.) interdetto, scemo, sciocco, (lett.) stolto, stordito, stupido.… …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • tonto — tonto, ta adjetivo necio, simple, bobo, mentecato, zopenco, pazguato, tocho, gilipollas (malsonante), idiota, asno, torpe …   Diccionario de sinónimos y antónimos

  • Tonto — former term for the Western Apaches, from Spanish, lit. foolish; probably a translation of a name given to the people by other branches of the Apache, e.g. Chiricahua Apache /bini: édiné/, Mescalero Apache /bini: édinendé/, both lit. people… …   Etymology dictionary

  • tonto — adj. 1. Que tem enfraquecimento das faculdades intelectuais. 2. Que tem tonturas ou vertigens. 3. Aturdido. 4. Maluco, parvo, tolo. 5. Que não está em si, perdido da cabeça, atarantado. 6. Admirado, atônito. • s. m. 7. Doido, maluco. 8. Pateta. 9 …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • Tonto — Die Tonto Apache oder Dilzhę’é (auch Dilzhe e, Dilzhe e Apache ‘People with high pitched voices’) bilden neben den San Carlos Apache (Tsékʼáádn, Tsandee Dotʼán ‘It is Placed Alone beside the Fire People’), White Mountain Apache (Dzil Łigai Si án… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • tonto — (Voz de creación expresiva.) ► adjetivo/ sustantivo 1 Que tiene poca inteligencia: ■ le cuesta estudiar porque es un poco tonto. SINÓNIMO bobo ANTÓNIMO listo 2 Que padece una débil deficiencia mental. ANTÓNIMO normal ► …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Tonto — Para otros usos de este término, véase Tonto (desambiguación). Tonto, estúpido y necio son adjetivos del español referidos a la persona como que posee una inteligencia escasa, alguien torpe o alguien con una conducta poco pertinente. También es… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Tonto+ — Infobox Album Name = Tonto+ Type = EP Artist = Battles Released = Flagicon|World October 22, 2007 Flagicon|USA November 6, 2007 Recorded = Genre = Math rock Length = 42:44 Label = Warp Records Producer = Reviews = * Pitchfork 7.0/10… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”