Old Time Radio Westerns – Lew Barry’s Revenge | The Lone Ranger (10-08-51)

Date: August 21, 2025
Host: Andrew Rhynes

Episode Overview

In this restored classic radio western, The Lone Ranger episode "Lew (Burley) Barry’s Revenge" explores the power of redemption, the bonds of family by choice, and the eternal struggle between justice and revenge. Newly freed outlaw Burley Scott returns to confront the family he lost, intending blackmail, but his plans are upended by unexpected kindness, his daughter’s innocence, and a hero’s intervention. The Lone Ranger and Tonto once again ride into the fray, setting things right in the Old West with empathy and action.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Burley Scott’s Release and Bitterness

• [05:23] Burley Scott, recently out of prison, rides with former ally Luke. He reveals a gold locket containing a picture of his estranged wife and daughter, Sally.
• Burley’s backstory: His wife left him due to his outlaw ways and remarried Jack Fairfield, a prosperous rancher. Burley’s original plan is to blackmail Fairfield, father figure to Sally, threatening to reveal Sally's true parentage unless paid off.
• Notable Quote:
  • Burley: "My pal found out that Fairfield thinks the world is Sally. She's 12 years old now. ... I aim to make Jack Fairfield pay plenty for me to keep my mouth shut." [05:23]

2. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Meet Sally

• [09:30] The Lone Ranger and Tonto encounter Sally, a bright and kind-hearted 12-year-old girl celebrating her birthday. The rapport between Sally, the Lone Ranger, and Tonto is immediate and gentle, highlighting Sally’s loving upbringing.
• Sally treasures a gold locket gifted by her late mother, which matches Burley’s—a subtle link of parentage.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Sally: "My name's Sally, and I live here. Are you an outlaw?" [09:35]
  • Lone Ranger: "No, Sally, we're not outlaws. You needn't be frightened."
  • Tonto: "Him not need be afraid of me." [09:49]
  • Lone Ranger (to Sally): "You look very much like her [your mother]." [10:50]

3. Burley Confronts His Past at the Bar F Ranch

• [12:25] Burley visits the Bar F Ranch, intending to meet Jack Fairfield. Mrs. Atkins, the housekeeper, informs him Fairfield is away.
• Burley meets Sally, masking his identity.
• Sally shares the story her mother told her: her real father "went to the war and died a hero"—a story that shields her from the truth of Burley’s criminal past.

4. Gang Schemes and Stagecoach Robbery Plan

• [16:17] In town, Luke, “Whiskers,” and Joe plan to rob a stagecoach bringing $20,000 in cash. They're short a man and hope to recruit Burley.
• They plot to strike when Jack Fairfield returns from business in Stockton.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Burley's motivation and locket reveal: [05:23 - 9:30]
• Sally's introduction and masked men encounter: [09:30 - 11:18]
• First family meeting at the ranch: [12:25 - 16:10]
• Robbery plot: [16:17 - 18:27]

5. Burley’s Change of Heart

• [22:38] Moved by his daughter's innocence and happiness, Burley discards his blackmail plan and tells Luke he’s "forgetting the whole thing." Instead, he agrees to join the planned stagecoach holdup.

6. The Stagecoach Robbery and Lone Ranger’s Intervention

• [24:40] Burley, Luke, Whiskers, and Joe ambush the stagecoach. Fairfield is targeted, but the expected cash isn’t there—Fairfield deposited it in Stockton.
• In the heat of confrontation, Burley takes a bullet meant for Fairfield, saving his life.
• The Lone Ranger and Tonto arrive, subdue the outlaws, and tend to the wounded. They recognize Burley’s matching locket and deduce he’s Sally’s true father.
• Notable Quote:
  • Fairfield: "He jumped in front of me and took the bullet when the one over there fired at me. — This is the man who saved my life." [27:47]

7. Reconciliation and Hope

• [30:39] Burley is taken to the Bar F Ranch to recover. Fairfield, grateful for Burley’s sacrifice, promises to try for his probation and offers him a fresh start on the ranch.
• Sally, unaware of Burley's true identity, delights in being his nurse.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Sally (to Burley): "You're brave. Just like my real father was." [31:45]
  • Burley: "Sally, honey, it was worth taking the bullet to hear you say that." [32:03]

8. The Meaning of the Mask

• [32:36] Sally asks about the Lone Ranger’s mask. Fairfield explains the Lone Ranger’s motive and legend.
• Notable Quote:
  • Fairfield (to Sally): "He wears that mask because he helps keep law and order in the west and tries to set things right for other people... folks out this way liking and respecting him for his courage and kindness call him the Lone Ranger." [33:00]

Most Memorable Moments

• Sally’s disarming interplay with the masked Lone Ranger and Tonto.
• Burley’s internal struggle as he comes face to face with the happiness and innocence of his long-lost daughter, leading to his moment of redemption.
• The dramatic moment Burley leaps in front of a bullet, risking his life for the man he once sought to blackmail.
• The soft and hopeful exchange as Sally chooses to be Burley’s nurse, underlining the story’s theme of forgiveness and second chances.

Notable Quotes & Speaker Attribution

• "You must be a good Indian. Daddy Jack says there are good Indians and bad ones. Just like there are good white men and bad ones."
  — Sally to Tonto [10:06]

• "I suppose now when I get better, I’ll go back to prison."
  — Burley, resigning himself to his fate, after being wounded [30:39]

• "Burley, I’m going to try to have you put on probation in my charge. Then, if you want to, you’ll come to work for me. You’ll be right here with Sally from now on."
  — Jack Fairfield, offering Burley a chance to reform [30:56]

• "See, now you don’t look sad. You’re smiling, Scotty."
  — Sally, to Burley/Scotty, affirming the healing power of her presence [31:45]

• "He wears that mask because he helps keep law and order in the West and tries to set things right for other people. He does those things because he loves his fellow men and he loves his country."
  — Jack Fairfield, explaining the Lone Ranger’s purpose [33:00]

Episode Tone and Style

• Warm, redemptive, and nostalgic: The story walks the listener through themes of regret, innocence, and second chances. The dialogue is sincere and tinged with the straightforward morality of classic American radio drama.
• Classic Western: Featuring reverent depictions of familial bonds, morality, and the unyielding justice of the Lone Ranger.
• Gentle humor: Especially in Sally’s conversations with the Lone Ranger and Tonto.

Conclusion

"Lew Barry’s Revenge" is a quintessential Lone Ranger tale masterfully restored on the Old Time Radio Westerns podcast. It offers a potent blend of action, redemption, and affection—a reminder that even hardened hearts may be softened by innocence and the promise of a new start. The enhanced audio enriches every creak of leather and thunder of hooves, making an already poignant story even more vivid for today’s listeners.