physically" photos on Flickr

Assorted Creatures, Set 4 by Moleman NineThousand

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Yet more creatures!

• Gworjini: A very special species from Terramos that is classified as both a plant and an animal, somewhat similar to the Omgnogg. However, the Gworjini is a very intelligent humanoid rather than a sentient bush. Their skin is made entirely of plant matter, while the internal systems are made of flesh and blood. Thus, they are true Omnitrophs. The vast majority of their population lives inside and around the Guardian of Terramos, though a few have left home to travel as far as to other planets, for some strange reason or another. Also, the Gworjini are one of the very few races in the Prime Galaxy whose females are both physically and intellectually superior to the males, which are short and stout while the women of the species are much taller and leaner, with three large breasts and a beautiful flower blooming on top of them as opposed to the males who only have a short antenna on top of their heads. The reason they were created this way, if any, is unknown. The range of their durability value goes from about 400 to 800, with higher values usually belonging to the females.

• Mirtrode (Nirtrid King): A special sub–species of the Nirtrids, the Mirtrodes are the most humanoid creatures in the Nirtrid family. Unlike their spawn, they somewhat resemble humanoids and could be considered beast–hominids. They are the patriarchs of the Nirtrid race, as all “Pure”, first–generation Nirtrids come from them. Having multiple sexual organs, it rapidly impregnates the related “Nirtrid Queen”, which has multiple separate reproductive systems and a very short incubation period, which accounts for the high population and diversity of the little monsters. Mirtrodes are also much stronger than they appear, having durability values of over 1,000 and channeling Primal Energies throughout their bodies. Still, this power pales in comparison to that of the creature’s female counterpart. Each Nirtrid King lives with one Nirtrid Queen deep at the center of their Nirtrid den, and only one patriarch/matriarch pair exists per hive. As such, Mirtrodes are very rarely seen up close, unlike their spawn.

• Bivangrante: A type of high–tier angel found in Paradise and the other upper Heavenly Realms as a class of holy guard. Bivangrantes are incredibly powerful. With neon glowing bodies, claws that can pierce easily through all forms of matter, and halos of pink electrokinetic Rainbow Energy, they each stand over two meters tall, are made of unfathomably dense extra–corporeal matter similar to what is found inside of a star, and are physically stronger and have higher fighting skill than any mortal warrior (without any special powers, that is). One of them can easily defeat a DeyRhine in a fight, despite having a considerably lower durability value of “only” about 3,000, and they are also capable of taking down most types of Deadly Sin Archfiends. The only major varieties of angel more powerful are the seven Archangels, and the Djinn/Arch–Djinn.

• Errvwarp: A deadly flying parasite from Gorlune that latches onto the head of its victim with its grizzly “arms” and stabs its poisoned stinger into their skull, resulting in a horrible, slow death and sucking out the victim’s brain juices so that the Errvwarp can consume them into its own brain and become more powerful. The poison that this creature produces is deadly to all species other than itself, and gallons of said poison are stored in the form of yellow liquid inside it’s transparent cranium, where the multiple, wriggling tentacle–like brains are also clearly visible. The monster’s brains actually need to remain submerged in the poison liquid for it to survive, paradoxically enough, so breaking the glass–like but still very hard skull will kill it. The Errvwarp’s durability value is somewhere near 600; it has not been studied extensively enough to obtain an exact measure. This creature’s extremely dangerous attributes make it an ideal asset for offensive warfare, and indeed, the Skellen have managed to domesticate them and frequently unleash them in packs upon their enemies.

• Zuckocone: Large and hardy, not to mention colorful, humanoids from Yominasst, they have a single eye as well as a single horn on their backs. Their durability value has the potential to break to 1,000 threshold, and their fists can break through boulders. Despite their monstrous appearance and great brute strength, they are a peaceful, and Godly race, like most in the Delta Octant, and in fact even moreso than many, to the point of them almost being pacifists. Almost. They’re very smart as well. Also, a notable and unique feature of the Zuckocone is that the males carry the offspring, which develop inside the upper torso and can be visibly seen through a soft spot in the body next to the head. This has been noted by other races to be rather “creepy”.

• Trylepibe: A race of small and rather dull humanoids native to Zornemim. They naturally live in medium–sized tribes in and around caves scattered sparsely across the planet’s surface, but have for many years now been almost completely enslaved by the Demioids, who have also effectively brainwashed most of the population, though most are manual laborers rather than warriors. Trylepibes’ seemingly featureless arms are actually home to thousands of invisibly small feelers, which allow them to stimulate any surface with the as much of their limbs are touched to it. Most of their body is very hard, but a glaring weakness lies in both their chest and cranium, which for some reason partially expose the ribcage and brain, respectively, are much more vulnerable than the rest of the body and can be quite easily pierced/torn open. Because of this, their durability value is rather difficult to calculate, but can be averaged out to be about 500.

• Rai Raymut: A being that exists on the desolate planet of Murshunk, in the Zeta Octant. They are one of very few living organisms on a planet with very low biodiversity and an inhospitably hot and dry environment. In fact, they are the second largest creatures present on Murshunk (at over two feet), the third being less than a quarter of its size and the first being the unique special creation Stusthara. Rai Raymuts are tribal hunter–gatherer beasts that live on the sparse supplies of insects and plants on their planet, having a very high threshold for hunger that has allowed them to survive on Murshunk for centuries. Their main, and highly unique (for a mortal creature), defense mechanism is a powerful blast of Rainbow Energy released from their “faces”, which indeed have extra–corporeal properties, most likely as a result of their prolonged exposure to the magical rainbows produced by Stusthara. A secondary defense is the lashing of their tails. The Rai Raymut's durability value is 400–550.

(Custodian's Note: The following four small creatures all come from Hulptos)

• Porflark: A type of fish with pinkish–purple skin and sight mammalian features, which can breathe air but not survive on dry land. They reach out at food with their long, adhesive tongues, which extend for over fifteen inches. The diet includes, among other things, young Esmerolp, while mature ones are capable of harming the Porflark, at least in groups of two or more, which are rare. They’re also recognized for their strangely shaped and proportionally massive male sexual organs. Their durability value is about 200.

• Hemahane: A red–colored crustacean with a spiny shell covering most of its body and a large, variable number of legs. Unlike the Qudsarb, the shell is actually part of the Hemahane’s body and grows around them during infancy. Red tendrils grow from the male’s shell during adulthood, which are used to attract mates. Hemahanes’ rugged teeth can break through certain softer types of rock, and some individuals are considerably larger than others. Its durability value is 150–250.

• Esmerolp: Having a bloated, striated chest and also being known as the “Jester Jellyfish”, the Esmerolp is only a few inches in size and is quite rare, being sought out by some humanoids as pets. One reason that the creature is so rare is because of the many creatures that seek to eat it, including the Porflark and the massive Wresher. Its durability value is only 100. Perhaps it really is better off as a sheltered pet than as an animal in the cruel wild.

• Qudsarb: A strange creature that lives inside a shell. They tend to be attracted to “homes” that are pink in color with blue dots on them, which are rare but naturally found on Hulptos. It is claimed by some that such shells provide insulating nutrients that increase the length of Qudsarbs’ lives, though this is only a theory. They have tiny mouths that can consume certain vegetation and tiny organisms, but they are primarily filter feeders. Their true bodies are very odd–looking, if not disgusting, consisting of numerous wriggling buds, which sometimes seep out through the shell, as seen here. Durability value is about 300 with the shell, 150 without.

• Vilvamion: The resident humanoid race of planet Jamblibam. Vilvamions are tall, limber and well–proportioned, having an ideal humanoid build that is arguably the closest to the human form itself (Connor Thorn being the only definite example of such that has ever been available to go by) out of all Nava–Verse humanoids. Their bodies, which can grow to be over six feet tall, are smooth and hairless. Their durability values are average, ranging from 500 to 700. The race's paradigm form (as well as its advanced intelligence) is particularly odd given that the Vilvamions live on a jungle planet that is otherwise totally wild and uncivilized. Indeed, the particular environment of Jamblibam has held back their ability to develop their own society significantly, as only scattered villages are possible to maintain there as opposed to a single interconnected, planet–encompassing civilization, which they would be more than capable of creating elsewhere. Nevertheless, the Vilvamions have been able to make the best of what they have on their planet. Their villages are fairly large, and their craftsmanship with wood, stone and clay is amazing. They spend a lot of time refining their building techniques and decorating their existing buildings; being unable to move on to the next developmental stage of civilization as long as they are on Jamblibam, they just keep building on what they do have. They have also attempted to utilize the caverns beneath the planet's surface as a travel network, but said caverns have proven to be far too dark, scary and occupied by monsters. Vilvamions maintain a steady and healthy meat–based diet derived from animals, the hunting of which is easier for them than for most since they are so skilled, and as for clothing/armor, they prefer wool and wooden, respectively.

A good number of Vilvamions have left Jamblibam and moved to more hospitable planets in hopes of broadening their horizons, and while some of them have found roles in more advanced societies, not enough of the overall population is willing to leave the aforementioned planet for the race to form a proper, independent civilization of its own elsewhere.

Drivers being physically active and eating a healthy diet can promote good health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. #HealthyTruckers #TruckersHealth #TruckerHealth #weightloss #weightlossjourney #weightlosstransformation #fitness #fitfam #workout by casey57d

Class 373's 373001 and 373224 by Stuart Axe

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British Rail Class 373 25kV 20 car Electric Multiple Units (EMU) 373001 and 373224 (physically numbered as 3001 and 3224) as operated by Eurostar by the buffers at St. Pancras International Station in London (UK).

The Class 373 Eurostar units were built by Alstom and are also known as the Eurostar e300.

These Class 373 units were introduced into service from November 1994 and run alongside the much newer Class 374's along the HS1 (High Speed 1) line with 'Eurostar' services towards and through the Channel tunnel into Europe.

Most (less 8) of the remaining 27 Class 373 trainsets left in service out of 38 built are scheduled for withdrawal by 2020 and will be gradually replaced by the more European railway network friendly Siemens AG built Class 374 units.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_373

Note the Victorian architecture that dates back to 1868 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Pancras_railway_station

My King's Cross- St. Pancras album flic.kr/s/aHsk73sb2v

Photograph taken by and copyright of my regular photostream contributor David and is posted here with very kind permission.

Girly Bits by Moe W

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Robotica Balletronica sculpture at Granville Island.

Metal Sculptor Greg Coffelt creates stunning, totally unique figurative masterpieces crafted from metals. Physically worked by hand and welded into place with an artisan’s passion for recreating the graceful essence of the human form, his medium, primarily steel, is some of the hardest material in the world to sculpt.

Coffelt was born in Long Beach, California in 1960. He showed interest in art from a very young age. However, the journey to his current success as a passionate figurative artist evolved through application of intellect and physical skills as a designer, craftsman, and general contractor. These various disciplines melded into Coffelt’s psyche a keen sense for structural design, fabrication technique, and studied sensitivity to materials as his hands guide the work.

Largely self-taught, Greg Coffelt was inspired by the works of Rodin and Michelangelo who are primary influences on his style and composition. Coffelt attended the prestigious Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach where he received an award from the Pacific Arts Foundation for the Best of the Best contest. Eschewing the path taken by many metal sculptors who work in cast bronze, Coffelt was seduced by the challenge and beauty of working in steel which allows him to create his unique signature style. Like many great artists before him, a thorough study of human anatomy has given Coffelt insight into the human form, and when combined with application of his practical experience and creative vision the artistic results are nothing less than awe inspiring.

Greg Coffelt began to sculpt seriously in steel in 2001, beginning the “Evolution of Eve” series. Steel is one of the hardest substances on earth to manipulate. A single sculpture can take the artist up to 9 months to create. When finished, it is plated in nickel. Each sculpture is an original. An exact copy would be impossible. Therefore, every Coffelt creation is truly “one-of-a-kind”. To the best of our knowledge, nothing quite like Coffelt’s art exists anywhere in the world.

Greg Coffelt’s sculptures make a stunning statement in any living space, corporate environment, or on public display. Miranda Galleries is immensely proud to represent this exceptional, rare talent.

His Facebook page... www.facebook.com/artistsculptorgreg.coffelt

11 Mar 2013; Phoenix, ARIZONA.. Concert Report by Bill

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I thoroughly enjoyed my 11 Mar 2013, André Rieu concert this evening & will try to share a bit of what I saw & experienced today. I’m going to use a 24 hour clock to denote the time of day things took place.

I’d like to begin by saying thanks to the set up crew, the guys & gals behind the scene who do the really physically demanding, labor of setting up everything so the musicians can look good when it’s time. I, sincerely, appreciate all the hard work you do before & after each & every concert.

Thank you, Franco, Agnes, Gary, Roland, Cord, & Glenn for sharing a few minutes with me; you helped make this my best concert going experience, ever. During the next several hours I got 74 high resolution photos of many of the musicians which were taken before or during the concert. Copy this link, to see all the concert photos:

www.flickr.com/photos/bc_az/sets/72157632515414894/with/8...

1730 - After parking my car I started walking the 8-10 blocks to Comerica Theatre. Yes, I knew the concert didn’t begin until 2000 & that the doors wouldn’t even open til 1900, however I was in hopes of catching a glimpse of some of the musicians outside, before the concert started.

1740 - I’m approaching a local watering hole & there he is, Franco, who then turns to see who just called him by his name. He seems to remember me from our brief meeting several years ago when I first met Luca & Franco standing outside. I ask if I can take his photo & he agrees. I had to fish my camera out of my tote bag, was not expecting to need the camera so soon. Once it was around my neck, I took such a great photo of Franco that I’m going to have it put on a U.S. Postage Stamp. We shook hands & I left with a smile on my lips & a spring in my step thinking things were really starting off, RIGHT. My camera is now around my neck & secured to my tummy with a waist stabilizer so it is now readily accessible in case I have any additional chance encounters with any other musicians.

1750 - I’m now near the stage entrance & notice security has the street blocked off except for the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Security directs me to the place/area I need to be. When I look over I see Agnes sitting with one of the work crew. When I call out her, Agnes looks up, recognizes me, enthusiastically waves to me, realizes my plight, jumps up & makes a beeline across the street toward me & does so in high heels. Obviously, she remembers me from 7 years ago (2005). She was really happy to see me & see the photo on my T-shirt that Arthur took of me, Agnes, Suzan & Nadia. Agnes apparently clearly remembered our meeting 7 years ago & asked me how I’d been. I told Agnes I was still actively hiking in the Superstition Mountain Wilderness area, was physically active, had been to all of André’s concerts in Phoenix, she remembers seeing me at each concert. I personally congratulate Agnes on her marriage to Michael Fizzano. When I asked if I could take a photo of her, she took me by the arm, told security I was with her, & we walked across the street & into the secure area. Agnes insisted on wanting her photo taken with me, so one of the work crew agreed to take our photo, 4 of them by the buses. They are part of the photo set & will always be part of my memory of today.

1755 - Gary Bennett (Platin Tenor) comes up to Agnes & me & I mention that he is the ONLY Platin Tenor I’ve not photographed. Agnes leaves me after saying goodby so now I have the opportunity to talk to Gary & tell him how much a part of each concert he & the Platin Tenors are & that I especially enjoy their enthusiastic rendition of Libiamo. I got such a great photo of Gary that it to is going to be put on a U.S. Postage Stamp. Thank you Gary for sharing a few minutes of your day with me. I’ll be writing to you & using Gary Bennett postage stamps which made him laugh.

1759 - about this time Roland Lafosse (Double Bass), comes over & I tell him how much I enjoy the routine he & Noël put on. To my surprise he remembers me & the banner I held up toward him at one of the prior concerts several years ago. I ask if I may take his photo & he agrees. Getting photos of the musicians outside during daylight, just being themselves is a special moment. Roland, the photo of you is so good, I’m going to be writing to you using Roland Lafosse postage stamps. Thank you, Roland, for sharing a bit of your self & your time this afternoon.

I asked Roland if here were any new musicians in the orchestra tonight & could he give me their names. Vela (Harpist) is new & has been with the JSO for two weeks. I got several photos of Vela during the concert so you can attach a name to her face, which is the whole idea behind the JSO photo website.

www.AttachNamesToFaces.com

I leave the secure area near the stage entrance & start walking toward the front of the theatre on the opposite side of the street where I’m allowed.

1834 - Someone walking toward me looks familiar & when I ask, Cord, Cord Meyer, he looked please & says YES. I told him he was the one guy I was hoping to see outside the concert & that he has a reputation for being able to intelligently converse on a wide range of topics, which made him laugh. I asked Cord if Judith would be part of the choir tonight. You should have seen his eyes light up when he said YES, very enthusiastically. Cord seem really please that I knew Judith was his wife & agreed to let me take his photo. Sadly, Cord, when I got home & looked closely, I realized I botched the focus. Your photo is part of my photo set, however I feel so ashamed to have messed up. Hopefully, at some point in time I’ll have another chance to do right by you with a properly focused photo. I owe you Cord, BIG TIME & I’m not going to forget it. Maybe next time I can get a photo of you & Judith, together. By the way, I took a couple photos of Judith during the concert that came out really nice & she is looking right into my lens.

1900 - The doors open & I’m very nervous about whether or not security will allow me to enter with my camera, which I decide to continue to wear around my neck & secured to my tummy with the waist stabilizer, meaning the camera is right out in the open & is as visible as me. Decided NOT to try to smuggle it in this year.

No problem, security waved me through after taking a peek inside my tote bag that only contained a spare battery & a water repellent wind breaker for later in the evening & after the concert.

Once inside, I spent the $20.00 for the full color printed brochure/program & much to my dismay quickly realized AGAIN, just like last time, there was no insert with the planned musical program. grrrrrr.....I sure wish someone can do whatever is necessary so we concert goers here in Phoenix can get an insert showing the planned musical program for the evening.

1945 - 2000 I’m sitting in my very comfortable & well padded theatre chair talking with those around me....me & my big mouth. No one has been to an André concert, this will be a first, for them all. I explained André & the violinists would walk right down the isle right past us at the beginning of the concert & to turn around when they begin SeventySix Trombones. Everyone had seen how they began some of the DVD, but didn’t know this concert would begin just like the DVD. I told those around me that Paul Anka would be a surprise guest tonight. And several of the ladies told me how much they enjoyed Paul’s singing when they were just girls in high school.

I told those around me about andrerieufans.com & the JSO photo website; & one guy wanted to know if a brunette soprano soloist would be singing tonight. I told him Carmen Monarcha was here tonight, but that I didn’t know what songs she’d be singing. The guy was really happy & his wife said something about him having the “hots” for Carmen.

2000 - the concert began, as usual, promptly @2000, as scheduled. And then I saw something I could hardly believe. As André came down past, the guy in front of me stuck out his hand, offering & wanting to shake André’s hand ......and André clasped the guys hand & briefly shook hands with him. I told him later, that André seldom wants to shake hands because his hand was once slightly injured because some guy squeezed it so tightly.

2007 - Frédéric Jenniges (Zither) was the first guest & received an enthusiastic ovation after playing the Third Man Theme, something that all Americans know. I got several really good photos of Frédéric during his performance that are included in the concert photos set. I was 21 rows back however the 25mm-600mm zoom camera lens brought Frédéric up close & personal in my photos when I used the maximum 600mm zoom.

2020 - The Platin Tenors sang several songs including Nessum Dorma & parts of tonights audience stood & enthusiastically applauded the Tenors & other performers all evening. A couple of prior concerts, the audiences were like stones, not tonight. I got several high resolution photos of the Platin Tenors during their performance, from 21 rows back.

2036 - Snow Waltz is even more beautiful when seeing & listening to the JSO play it live than on DVD. The acoustics in Comerica Theatre are the BEST acoustics of any venue in Phoenix & it showed throughout the concert. This is the number where snow lightly falls on a part of the audience during the music & then cascades a blanket of snow at the end. Much to the delight of everyone, the camera focused on those that were trying to clean themselves of all the snow.

2045 - Stéphanie Detry (Piano) - was the featured pianist playing, Ballad for Adeline on #7 musical selection on the And The Waltz Goes On, DVD. In my opinion, Stéphanie has been long overdue for a brief moment in the spotlight & this music showcased her musical talent at its BEST. It never ceases to amaze me how much nicer it is to see & hear the music live during a concert than on a DVD. Tonights rendition showed off Stéphanie & her talent, at their BEST, & the audience responded with an enthusiastic applause. Sadly, Stéphanie is one of the few musicians I didn’t get a photo of tonight. I have you on my list to be sure to get a good photo of you during the next concert, Stéphanie.

During the intermission I went down to the front hoping to get a photo of Pierre; didn’t see him before the concert, during the intermission, or after the concert.

Karin Hinze (Cello) was conspicuous by her absence tonight. Karin & Agnes sent me a beautiful autographed photo of themselves together several years ago. The photo has been prominently enshrined on my entertainment center.

I really missed seeing & hearing Carla, Mirusia, & Suzan tonight. I also missed seeing Alicja (Harp), Sonja (Violin), Renate (Bassoon), Pierre Colen (Viola); Jean Sassen (Double Bass); & Heidi (Choir).

There is a new harpist Vela & I have several nice photos of her.

2110 - The 2nd part of the concert began with André introducing the St Petersburg Trio & their performance included Lara’s Theme & Kalinka. I got some good photos of them as a Trio during their performance & also individually. From left to right, the musical instruments are Mandolin/Bayan; Button Accordion, & Balalakia.

2150 - Kimmy Skota (Soprano Soloist) came on stage, & sang Casta Diva & got a standing ovation. I did get a great photo of Kimmy later in the concert.

Carmen Monarcha (Soprano Soloist); sang Habanera with emotion, flirted with André, & the entire audience, all at the same time. I did get a great photo of her later in the concert which I took during the encores.

I got down in front of the stage & danced to the Blue Danube with my hiking buddy who is now my waltzing partner, Mary Lee. We’ve both looked forwarded to this chance & grabbed it.

2205 - Glenn (son) & Marcel Falize (father) Percussion - appeared on stage together & as a duet performed the very difficult Bolero. An appreciative audience responded with an enthusiastic applause, with a significant number standing & clapping. I have a couple of photos of Glenn & Marcel sharing a very personal moment, basking in the warm afterglow of sharing center stage together as not only performers, but as father & son. Clearly, in the photo, Marcel is a very proud father. These two photos brought out the best of my 25mm - 600mm zoom lens.

When the encores began, I ran down the isle so I could get up as close to the stage as possible. I held up a banner that said “Manoe, Happy B-Day 10 Mar ??”, which she saw & acknowledged with a big, big smile. I have a couple of really nice photos of Manoe.

After the next encore I held up one more banner directed to Giedré Mundinaité (Violin) which said.....G G Marry MEeee, which I think caused her to blush. I’d sure like to be a fly on the wall for the next couple of days so I could hear all the zingers the guys in the JSO will toss at her. I have a really nice photo Giedré.

After all the performers came on stage & sang Adieu Mein Kleinner Gardeoffizer, everyone that that was the end of the concert. NOT so.

André brought out & introduced the surprise guest of the evening, Paul Anka.

Besides being a very popular singer with a number of hits in the 60’s, Paul is a prolific song writer & is the guy who wrote Frank Sinatra’s signature song, I’ll Do it My Way.

Paul sang that song & received a standing ovation from a very appreciative audience many of who remember Paul when they were teenagers. Paul’s still got it, with his voice & as a performer. This was a one time appearance for Paul with André.

2241 - The concert was over, people were leaving, the stage was empty except for one guy, Glenn Falize (Percussion). I went up to the front of the stage, look up & asked Glenn if he would allow me to take his photo & he said, of course, my pleasure

I didn’t bother looking to see what my camera took, which was a big mistake. * thanked Glenn & departed with a big smile on my face, knowing this was the best concert yet & this is the 6th time I seen André perform here in Phoenix.

Sadly, Glenn, when I got home & looked at the photo, I realized I totally botch the exposure. I have you on my list to be sure to get a photo of during the next concert here in Phoenix.

All in all, I can now only watch & wait for an announcement of your next concert here in Phoenix, André. Thank you for not only providing me with 6 wonderful concerts here in Phoenix, but for the 30 DVD’s I have at home that is often providing me with background music or entertainment. I bought your DVD’s to watch, trust me they’re not gathering dust. I’ve spent big bucks to buy all your DVD’s & I’m going to get my moneys worth by watching them over & over.

Vela, Joëlle, Margriet, Boris, Arthur, Nicolle, Karin Haine, Klaartje, Freya, are the name of just a few of the musicians I got photos of this evening.....I hope you enjoy each & every one of the 74 photos I took tonight.

Ghost of Zorro (Republic, 1949). Lobby Card (11" X 14") by Morbius19

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youtu.be/syvF_cutj8w

It's 1865 and the telegraph is heading west. George Crane, wanting to keep law and order out of his territory, is out to stop the construction. The engineer on the job is Ken Mason and he is the grandson of Zorro. As Crane sends his men or Indians to stop the work, Mason repeatedly puts on the Zorro costume and rides to the rescue in this 12-chapter serial.

Clayton Moore

September 14th, 1914 — December 28th, 1999

Clayton Moore, though best remembered today as television’s Lone Ranger, had a lengthy and distinguished career in serials. Moore was a physically ideal serial lead, but his greatest strengths were his dramatic, quietly intense speaking voice and expressive face. These gifts helped Moore to convey a sincerity that could make the most unbelievable dialogue or situations seem real. The bulk of Moore’s cliffhanger work was done after World War 2, when serials’ shrinking budgets cut back on original action scenes and made the presence of skilled leading players more important than in the serial’s golden age. Moore, with his sincerity and acting skill, was just the type of actor the post-war serials needed.

Clayton Moore was born Jack Carlton Moore in Chicago. He began to train for a career as a circus acrobat at the age of eight, and joined a trapeze act called the Flying Behrs after finishing high school; as a member of the Behrs, Moore would perform for two circuses and at the 1934 World’s Fair. An injury to his left leg around 1935 forced him out of the aerialist business, and after working briefly as a male model in New York he moved to Hollywood in 1937, beginning his film career as a stuntman. He played numerous bit roles in addition to his stunt work for the next three years, among them a miniscule part in his first serial, Zorro’s Fighting Legion (Republic, 1939), as one of the members of the titular group. Edward Small, an independent producer allied with United Artists, cast Moore in his first credited parts in a pair of 1940 films, Kit Carson and The Son of Monte Cristo. The former featured Moore as a heroic young pioneer, the latter as an army officer aiding masked avenger Louis Hayward. Following these two films, Moore began to get credited speaking parts in other pictures. In 1941 he played the romantic lead in Tuxedo Junction, one of Republic Pictures’ “Weaver Brothers and Elviry” comedies, and the next year the studio signed him for his first starring serial, Perils of Nyoka (Republic, 1942).

Perils of Nyoka (Republic, 1942) was a vehicle for Republic’s new “Serial Queen,” Kay Aldridge, who played Nyoka Gordon, a girl seeking her missing scientist father in the deserts of North Africa. Moore was the heroic Dr. Larry Grayson, a member of an expedition searching for the “Tablets of Hippocrates,” an ancient list of medical cures sought by Nyoka’s father before he disappeared. Nyoka joined forces with Grayson and his expedition to locate Professor Gordon and the tablets–and to battle Arab ruler Vultura (Lorna Gray) and her band of desert cutthroats, who were after the Tablets and the treasure hidden with them. Perils of Nyoka was a highly exciting serial, with consistently imaginative and varied action sequences, and colorful characters and locales. Although Moore took second billing to Aldridge, his character received as much screen time as hers and his performance was a major part of the serial’s success. Moore, with his intense sincerity, made his nearly superhuman physician character believable; the audience never felt like questioning Dr. Grayson’s ability to perform emergency brain surgery on Nyoka’s amnesiac father in a desert cave, or his amazing powers of riding, wall-scaling, marksmanship, and sword-fighting, far beyond those of the average medical school graduate.

Moore went into the army in 1942, almost immediately after the release of Perils of Nyoka. He served throughout World War Two, and didn’t resume his film career until 1946, when he returned to Republic Pictures to appear in The Crimson Ghost. The impact of his starring turn in Perils of Nyoka was diminished by his long hiatus, and he found himself playing a supporting role in this new serial. He was cast as Ashe, the chief henchman of the mysterious Crimson Ghost, and aided that villain in his attempts to steal a counter-atomic weapon called a “Cyclotrode.” Ashe was ultimately brought to justice, along with his nefarious master, by stars Charles Quigley and Linda Stirling. The Crimson Ghost showed that Moore could play intensely mean villains as well as intensely courageous heroes. His sneering, bullying Ashe came off as thoroughly unpleasant, as he stalked through the serial doing his best to kill off hero and heroine.

Moore returned to heroic parts in his next cliffhanger, Jesse James Rides Again (Republic, 1947). The serial’s plot had Jesse, retired from outlawry, forced to go on the run because of new crimes committed in his name. Jesse and his pal Steve (John Compton) wound up in Tennessee, where, under the alias of “Mr. Howard,” Jesse came to the aid of a group of farmers victimized by an outlaw gang called the Black Raiders. The Raiders, secretly bossed by local businessman Jim Clark (Tristram Coffin), were after oil reserves beneath the local farmland, but Mr. Howard ultimately outgunned them. James’ own identity was exposed in the process, but he was allowed to escape arrest by a sympathetic marshal. Jesse James Rides Again was Republic’s best post-war Western serial, thanks in part to the unusual plot device of an ex-badman hero. Moore was able to give Jesse James a dangerous edge that most other serial leads couldn’t have pulled off; his cold, steely-eyed glare when gunning down villains seemed very much in keeping with dialogue references to Jesse’s outlaw past.

G-Men Never Forget (Republic, 1947), Moore’s next serial, cast him as Ted O’Hara, an FBI agent battling a racketeer boss named Vic Murkland (Roy Barcroft). O’Hara broke up various protection rackets organized by Murkland, but his efforts were hampered by Murkland’s impersonation of a kidnaped police commissioner (also played by Barcroft). G-Men Never Forget possessed a tough and realistic atmosphere not typical of gang-busting serials, and Moore delivered a grimly determined performance well-fitted to the serial’s mood. Moore’s acting, good supporting performances, skilled direction, and a well-written script made G-Men Never Forget a superior serial, one that could hold its own against earlier gang-busting chapterplays like the Dick Tracy outings.

Moore’s next serial was Adventures of Frank and Jesse James (Republic, 1948), in which he reprised his Jesse James role. Joined this time by Steve Darrell as Frank James, Moore tried to help a former gang member named John Powell (Stanley Andrews) develop a silver mine. Part of the mine’s proceeds were to be used to pay back victims of James Gang robberies, but the plan was derailed by a crooked mining engineer (John Crawford), who discovered the mine contained gold instead of silver and murdered Powell to keep this find secret. Crawford then used every trick in the book to keep Moore, Darrell, and Noel Neill (as Powell’s daughter) from developing the mine, but the James Boys unmasked his treachery by the end. Frank and Jesse James drew heavily on stock footage and plot elements from Republic’s earlier Adventures of Red Ryder, and was thus more predictable than its predecessor, but it was still an entertaining and well-made serial. Moore again made Jesse seem both sympathetic and (when fighting the bad guys) somewhat frightening.

By now, Moore was established as Republic’s premiere serial hero; however, his next cliffhanger would lead to his departure from the studio and change the course of his career. The last in a long line of Republic Zorro serials, Ghost of Zorro (1949) starred Moore as Ken Mason, the original Zorro’s grandson, who donned his ancestor’s mask to help a telegraph company establish a line in the wild West in the face of outlaw sabotage. Like Adventures of Frank and Jesse James, the serial was somewhat derivative of earlier outings (particularly Son of Zorro), but smoothly and professionally done. Moore delivered another strong performance, but for some odd reason Republic chose to have his voice dubbed by another actor in scenes where he was masked as Zorro. This strange production decision did not diminish Moore’s potential as a masked hero in the eyes of a group of television producers who were trying to find an actor to play the Lone Ranger on a soon-to-be-launched TV show; Moore’s turn in Ghost of Zorro landed him the part. Moore debuted as the Ranger in 1949, and played the part for two seasons on TV. During this period, he did make one apparent serial appearance in Flying Disc Man From Mars (Republic, 1950), but all his footage actually came from The Crimson Ghost.

In 1952, Moore was dropped from The Lone Ranger without any explanation from the producers, who apparently feared that Moore was becoming too identified as the Lone Ranger, and that he might become so sure of his position that he’d ask for a bigger salary. John Hart replaced Moore as the Ranger for the show’s third season, and Moore returned to freelance acting. He played numerous small roles in feature films, made multiple guest appearances (usually as a heavy) on TV shows like Range Rider and The Gene Autry Show, and also found time to make four more serials.

The first of these was Radar Men from the Moon (Republic, 1952), which featured Moore as a gangster named Graber, who was working with lunar invaders to bring the Earth under the dominion of Retik, Emperor of the Moon (Roy Barcroft). Scientist “Commando” Cody (George Wallace) opposed the planned conquest with the aid of his flying rocket suit and other handy gadgets. Moore met a fiery demise when his car plummeted off a cliff in the last chapter, and Retik came to a similarly sticky end shortly thereafter. Moore’s characterization in Radar Men from the Moon was reminiscent of his performance as “Ashe;” once again he performed deeds of villainy with swaggering relish.

Moore’s next serial, Columbia’s Son of Geronimo (1952), was his first non-Republic cliffhanger. He returned to playing a hero in this outing, an undercover cavalry officer named Jim Scott out to quell an Indian uprising led by Rodd Redwing as Porico, son of Geronimo. The uprising was being encouraged by outlaws John Crawford and Marshall Reed to serve their own ends, and Scott and Porico ultimately joined forces to defeat them. Son of Geronimo remains one of the few popular late Columbia serials, due to its strong and unusually violent action scenes and the forceful performances of Moore and his co-stars, particularly Reed and Redwing.

Moore’s last Republic serial was Jungle Drums of Africa (1952), in which he played Alan King, an American mining engineer developing a valuable uranium deposit in the African jungles. Moore was assisted by lady doctor Phyllis Coates and fellow engineer Johnny Sands and opposed by a group of Communist spies (Henry Rowland, John Cason) and their witch-doctor accomplice (Roy Glenn). While Drums drew extensively on stock shots of African animals to augment its jungle atmosphere, it relied to an unusually large extent on original footage for its action scenes and chapter endings, and the result was a modestly-budgeted but enjoyable serial that served as a good finish to Moore’s career at Republic.

Gunfighters of the Northwest (Columbia, 1953), Moore’s final serial, cast him as the second lead, a Mountie named Bram Nevin who backed up RCMP Sergeant Jock Mahoney. Moore, in his first and only “sidekick” role, played well off Mahoney; while the latter’s character was the focus of the serial’s action, Moore’s role was really more that of co-hero than of a traditional sidekick. The serial pitted the two leads against the “White Horse Rebels,” a gang of outlaws trying to overthrow the Canadian government. Though thinly-plotted, Gunfighters, with its nice location photography and good acting, was the last really interesting Columbia serial; it was also Moore’s last serial. In 1954, he returned to the Lone Ranger series, its producers having been forced to realize that Moore was firmly established as the Ranger and that audiences wouldn’t warm up to his substitute John Hart. The fourth and fifth seasons of the show featured Moore in his familiar place as the “daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains.”

After the Lone Ranger series ended in 1956, Moore reprised the role in two big-screen movies and then retired from acting. He remained in the public view, however, making personal appearances throughout the country in his Lone Ranger garb. Publicly and privately, he upheld the ideals that the Lone Ranger–and his serial heroes–had upheld on the screen: courage, charity, and a sense of justice. In 1979, he was barred by court order from making personal appearances as the Lone Ranger because the property’s owners worried that Moore’s close identification with the character would undercut a new Lone Ranger film. Moore nevertheless maintained his status as the “real” Lone Ranger in the eyes of fans, and, after the failure of the new Ranger feature, he was allowed to resume his mask in 1984. Moore died in Los Angeles in 1999, leaving behind several generations of fans that honored him not only for his TV persona, but for the kindess that characterized the off-screen man behind the mask.

Part of Clayton Moore’s success as the Lone Ranger was due to his respectful attitude towards the character. While some actors would have had a hard time taking a masked cowboy from a children’s radio show seriously, Moore’s performance was as heartfelt as if he had been playing a Shakespearian role; he gave the part all the benefit of his considerable acting talent. Moore played his cliffhanger roles, heroic and villainous, with the same respect and the same wholeheartedness. It’s no wonder that serial fans hold him in the same high regard that the Lone Ranger’s fans do.

Ghost of Zorro (Republic, 1949). Lobby Card (11" X 14") Chapter Six -- "Deadline at Midnight." by Morbius19