In Hollywood every year, there is an awards presentation that honours the Best of the West, the Golden Boot Awards. This next coming year they will be dedicated to Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger. He and Dale Evans shared a special honour every year, Dale prayed the invocation, and Clayton recited the Lone Ranger Creed with belief and sincerity ringing in every word. "I believe that to have a friend, a man must be one. That all men are created equal and that everyone has the power within himself to help make this a greater world. That God put the firewood on earth, but that every man must gather and light it himself. I believe in being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right. That this country, of the people, by the people, and for the people will live forever. That everything changes but truth, and that truth alone lives on forever. I believe in my Creator, my country, and -- one thing for sure, my fellow man." Pretty weighty words for an individual to live up to. But where did the concept of the Hero Creed develop? We know that Gene had one, and Roy had one, and that they guided millions of children to adulthood with a solid list of do's and don'ts. In the 1920's, Tom Mix ruled the western roost. At that time Fatty Arbuckle had been publicly humiliated for irreverent behaviour. Excess was 'expected' of the Hollywood star, and even Tom Mix obliged on ocassion. The first western star to live a morally pure and clean life in the city of excess was Fred Thompson, the son of a presbyterian minster. In the 1920's, he accumulated $5 million from his appearances and movies (all silent). But the mold was cast. From that point on, the 'good' cowboy was sought after and admired. Bill Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy) fell from grace before realizing his future was in his clean-hero image as Hoppy. According to the 'code', a cowboy was polite, sincere, honest, didn't drink or smoke, didn't swear, and respected all people. When Roy Rogers rode onto the scene with his Riders Club, he developed the following principles:
1. Be Neat and Clean 2. Be courteous and Polite. 3. Always obey your parents. 4. Protect the weak and help them. 5. Be brave, but never take chances. 6. Study hard, and learn all that you can. 7. Be kind to animals and care for them.
