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 (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. This serial shares some elements with "The House on the Cliff", the second Hardy Boys book.
Kirk said The Mystery of Ghost Farm was "inferior to the first one. It's a real mishmash; it's pretty terrible... real cheap. Gobbledygook."
Kirk recalled Charles Haas, who directed the first as "a very strict, very tough, no-nonsense director. That's what I remember: very stern and rough, really. The other was directed by Bud Springsteen, who I've never heard of before or since, and who was a real happy-go-lucky."
Series 1: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure
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
Episodes + Episode number Episode title Air date 0 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: The Mystery of Ghost Farm
Cast Tim Considine – Frank Hardy Tommy Kirk – Joe Hardy Russ Conway – Fenton Hardy Sarah Selby – Aunt Gertrude Carole Ann Campbell – Iola Martin Andy Clyde - Lacey
Episodes + Episode number Episode title Air date 0 An Introduction Sept 13, 1957 1 Beginning of the Puzzle Sept 20, 1957 2 Detective Joe Sept 27, 1957 3 Who Feeds the Cat? Oct 4, 1957 4 Two Private Eyes Oct 11, 1957 5 Man Named Fred Oct 18, 1957 6 Animals in Danger Oct 25, 1957 7 Catching a Ghost Nov 1, 1957 8 The Ghost Speaks Nov 8, 1957 9 Lacey's Wonderful Will Nov 15, 1957 10 Detectives in Trouble Nov 22, 1957 11 The Ghost Confesses Nov 29, 1957 12 Iola to the Rescue Dec 6, 1957 13 Panic at the Zoo Dec 13, 1957 14 Uncle Billy's Secret Dec 20, 1957
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.
References
Sources