[Ads-l] My work here is done

[Ben Zimmer]

The Old Time Radio Researchers Group has uploaded ~2,000 episodes of the
"Lone Ranger" radio show, on YouTube, Internet Archive, and their own site.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlUoyloCGlWwADf8P1k7cHPY3utBd_LoD
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_LoneRanger_Singles/
https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/western/lone-ranger

Dipping into random episodes, I found this example from 1942:

"The Lone Ranger - Along the Oregon Trail," 04/10/42, episode 1438
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4_qKYG0H5k
https://archive.org/details/OTRR_LoneRanger_Singles/TheLoneRanger42-04-101438AlongTheOregonTrail.mp3
https://www.oldtimeradiodownloads.com/western/lone-ranger/along-the-oregon-trail-1942-04-10
26:55: Our work here is done, Tonto.


On Thu, Oct 19, 2023 at 6:43 PM George Thompson <george.thompson at nyu.edu>
wrote:

> I listened to the Lone Ranger on the radio -- the family didn't get a
> television until 1954, by which time I was much too mature for such
> childish stuff (13).  I recall (I think) that the radio show would end with
> the Lone Ranger saying "*Our* work here is done, Tonto" -- he wouldn't
> claim all the credit -- followed by the clatter of hooves.
> It might not have been used in the TV show, because that could end with the
> sight of them riding off, while a grateful townfellow was saying "Who was
> that masked man?' -- which was also a quotation, way back when.
>
> If there are tapes accessible of the radio show, you only have to listen to
> the last couple of minutes.
>
> What does Wilson Gray remember of it?
>
> GAT
>
> On Wed, Oct 18, 2023 at 4:23 PM dave at wilton.net <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
> >
> > Thanks for pointing out the YouTube channel.
> >
> > I've looked at a number of episodes (but far from all; that would be a
> > task). I did turn up a handful of episodes where the Lone Ranger says
> > something like "Tonto, our work here is finished." Or "Tonto, our job is
> > done here."
> >
> > It really does look like a misremembered line along the lines of "Badges,
> > we don't need no stinking badges." And it was hardly a routine signoff to
> > the episodes.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "Stephen Goranson" <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2023 12:17pm
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Re: [ADS-L] My work here is done
> >
> >
> >
> > Another character says this about him:
> > "He's gone, Dad; he never stays around once his work is done."
> >
> >
> https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3DRb7ORC-5FsCnY&d=DwIFaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=v2Wtu7DQZxSBMSJv-oEMNg&m=gvOa796l6OE_haNARtsV7iwKFtjEDKzW_aF_841ThzxhHIx2z1z-0IWxcmr1F57i&s=b35svM0Pr6CGdkUCqbjMuN1OVhtHSdtmgsLAENn1UmA&e=
> > 1.03
> > ________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of
> > dave at wilton.net <dave at WILTON.NET>
> > Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2023 11:53 AM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Subject: My work here is done
> >
> >
> > Languagehat has a nice write up on the catchphrase "my work here is
> done."
> > [
> >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://languagehat.com/my-work-here-is-done/__;!!OToaGQ!uETnWgs-cV_1IqMradPPA8VOBMuCCoNL_Upg7FhsfjVw02tjaWFlAFK2EAeRB1u-Hrx_DhDvBLJb$
> > ](
> >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://languagehat.com/my-work-here-is-done/__;!!OToaGQ!uETnWgs-cV_1IqMradPPA8VOBMuCCoNL_Upg7FhsfjVw02tjaWFlAFK2EAeRB1u-Hrx_DhDvBLJb$
> > )
> >
> > The catchphrase is almost universally attributed to the Lone Ranger, but
> I
> > have been unable to find an actual example from an episode of the radio
> > show or television series that uses the phrase.
> >
> > Of course, most of the episodes are not readily available, and even fewer
> > have been transcribed to make them readily searchable. (I listened to a
> > number of the radio recordings but gave it up as being too time consuming
> > before finding an example.)
> >
> > There are probably examples out there, but I'm beginning to wonder if
> this
> > is an example of the Mandela effect.
> >
> > Does anyone have any ideas on where to look?
>

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