Bob Hite Sr.; Announcer Introduced ‘Lone Ranger’

Bob Hite Sr., 86, a radio announcer whose rich baritone voice once set the scene for “The Lone Ranger.” Born in Indiana, Hite began his career at Detroit radio station WXYZ. A colleague, Dick Osgood, later wrote in a station history called “Wixy Wonderland” that Hite “could read you the phone book and make you want to buy the numbers.” It was at that station that Hite began to intone the well-known introduction: “A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty hi-yo, Silver. The Lone Ranger! With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early Western United States. . . . “ Hite, who also introduced “The Green Hornet” radio shows, was one of five announcers for the western show, which ran on radio from 1933 to 1954 and was the precursor of “The Lone Ranger” TV series. During World War II, Hite worked for CBS in New York City and became a friend of newsman Walter Cronkite. Hite regularly informed listeners of reports from correspondents on the front lines, and eventually announced the war’s end. He also introduced Frank Sinatra the first time the crooner sang with the Tommy Dorsey band. But decades after his “Lone Ranger” stint in the 1930s, Hite would be sailing with Cronkite and passersby would yell out: “Give us the ranger. Give us the ranger.” Hite had lived in Florida since his retirement from CBS in 1979. On Friday in West Palm Beach, Fla.