Hardy Boys (Mickey Mouse Club serial) facts for kids
In the late 1950s, Disney contracted with the Stratemeyer Syndicate and Grosset & Dunlap to produce two Hardy Boys TV serials, starring Tim Considine and Tommy Kirk. The first of the serials, The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure, was aired on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1956 during the show's second season. To appeal to the show's audience, the Hardy Boys were portrayed as younger than in the books, seeming to be twelve or thirteen years old (Considine was 15 and Kirk was 14 during filming). The script, written by Jackson Gillis, was based on the first Hardy Boys book, The Tower Treasure, and the serial was aired in 19 episodes of fifteen minutes each with production costs of $5,700. A second serial, The Mystery of Ghost Farm, followed in 1957, with an original story by Jackson Gillis. However, for unknown reasons, no more serials were produced.
Series 1 cast
- Tim Considine – Frank Hardy
- Tommy Kirk – Joe Hardy
- Florenz Ames – Silas Applegate
- Russ Conway – Fenton Hardy
- Sarah Selby – Aunt Gertrude
- Carole Ann Campbell – Iola Martin
Series 1 Episodes
- An Introduction Oct 1, 1956
- 1. A Stranger Oct 2, 1956
- 2. A Real Case Oct 3, 1956
- 3. The First Clue Oct 4, 1956
- 4. The Fugitive Oct 5, 1956
- 5. Applegate's Gold Oct 8, 1956
- 6. Dig For Treasure Oct 9, 1956
- 7. A Pirate's Chest Oct 10, 1956
- 8. Boys in Trouble Oct 11, 1956
- 9. Female Detective Oct 12, 1956
- 10. Iola's Bravery Oct 15, 1956
- 11. Footsteps in the Tower Oct 16, 1956
- 12. The Prisoner Speaks Oct 17, 1956
- 13. The Strange Confession Oct 18, 1956
- 14. A Golden Clue Oct 19, 1956
- 15. The Final Search Oct 22, 1956
- 16. The Tower's Secret Oct 23, 1956
- 17. Never Say Die Oct 24, 1956
- 18. Boys in Danger Oct 25, 1956
- 19. The Tower Treasure Oct 26, 1956
Series 2 cast
- Tim Considine – Frank Hardy
- Tommy Kirk – Joe Hardy
- Russ Conway – Fenton Hardy
- Sarah Selby – Aunt Gertrude
- Carole Ann Campbell – Iola Martin
Opening credits
The theme song was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft and played over clips from Disney's Treasure Island.
Home media
In December 2006, the Disney studio issued a Treasures DVD for The Hardy Boys: Mystery of the Applegate Treasure.
