Lee Powell (born Lee Berrian Powell; May 15, 1908 Long Beach,
California â€" July 30, 1944 Tinian) was a film actor known for
leading or other major roles in several serials and b-westerns. He was
the first actor to portray The Lone Ranger on Film. During World War
II he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in combat on
several Pacific Islands, on one of which he died.Powell attended the
University of Montana with dramatics, football, and track as his main
interests. After various stock work he tried his luck in
Hollywood.Making his first appearance uncredited in Under Two Flags
(1936), Powell gained fame for playing the suspect who turned out to
be The Lone Ranger and one of The Fighting Devil Dogs in 1938 serials.
He was the first actor to portray the Lone Ranger on film. In addition
to making films for Republic Pictures, Powell also appeared in
Universal Pictures Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe serial, made one
Western for the soon-to-be-defunct Grand National Pictures and made
the six Western programmer films of the Frontier Marshals series, in
which each of the three leads (the others being Bill "Cowboy Rambler"
Boyd and Art Davis) played a lawman bearing his own name, for
Producers Releasing Corporation. Between films Powell also appeared in
Barnett Brothers circus being billed as The Lone Ranger until
litigation had him change his billing. Powell met and married Norma
Rogers, a circus bareback rider and the daughter of the circus
owner.Powell enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 17 August
1942, serving in the 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment of
the 2nd Marine Division. Achieving the rank of sergeant, Powell
actively fought in the Battle of Tarawa and Battle of Saipan.
California â€" July 30, 1944 Tinian) was a film actor known for
leading or other major roles in several serials and b-westerns. He was
the first actor to portray The Lone Ranger on Film. During World War
II he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and participated in combat on
several Pacific Islands, on one of which he died.Powell attended the
University of Montana with dramatics, football, and track as his main
interests. After various stock work he tried his luck in
Hollywood.Making his first appearance uncredited in Under Two Flags
(1936), Powell gained fame for playing the suspect who turned out to
be The Lone Ranger and one of The Fighting Devil Dogs in 1938 serials.
He was the first actor to portray the Lone Ranger on film. In addition
to making films for Republic Pictures, Powell also appeared in
Universal Pictures Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe serial, made one
Western for the soon-to-be-defunct Grand National Pictures and made
the six Western programmer films of the Frontier Marshals series, in
which each of the three leads (the others being Bill "Cowboy Rambler"
Boyd and Art Davis) played a lawman bearing his own name, for
Producers Releasing Corporation. Between films Powell also appeared in
Barnett Brothers circus being billed as The Lone Ranger until
litigation had him change his billing. Powell met and married Norma
Rogers, a circus bareback rider and the daughter of the circus
owner.Powell enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on 17 August
1942, serving in the 2nd Pioneer Battalion, 18th Marine Regiment of
the 2nd Marine Division. Achieving the rank of sergeant, Powell
actively fought in the Battle of Tarawa and Battle of Saipan.
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