Trystan Casey
Before Morgan Freeman became the iconic actor we know today, he was a young man with a dream to perform. One of his earliest roles was on the children's television series, *The Electric Company*, where he portrayed a character named Vincent the Vegetable Vampire and also made appearances as the neighbourhood superhero, Spider-Man.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Spidey Super Stories segments produced | 12 during the 1974-1975 season, 12 during the 1975-1976 season, and a few more during the final season |
| Format | Comic book, TV show, vinyl record |
| Target audience | Children aged 6-10 |
| Publication dates | 1974-1982 |
| Number of issues | 57 |
| Writers | Jean Thomas, Jim Salicrup |
| Artists | Win Mortimer, John Romita Sr. |
| Review process | Staff from Marvel Comics and the Children's Television Workshop reviewed the stories to ensure they were age-appropriate, faithful to the source material, and gave significant roles to female characters |
| Morgan Freeman's role | Played the rule book-toting umpire; was on the show for all seven seasons |
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What You'll Learn
Morgan Freeman played an umpire in a Spider-Man sketch
The Spider-Man sketches were part of a segment called "Spidey Super Stories," which typically featured Spidey appearing out of costume as Peter Parker. Each issue included a story where Spidey teamed up with a Marvel superhero or fought a Marvel villain, introducing young viewers to other characters in the Marvel universe. The "Spidey Super Stories" segments were produced during the show's fourth season (1974-1975) and continued into the fifth and sixth seasons, with at least one new segment in the sixth and final season.
In addition to the live-action Spider-Man sketches, Marvel Comics published a "Spidey Super Stories" comic book from 1974 to 1982, aimed at children ages 6-10. A total of 57 issues were produced, with the first 15 written by Jean Thomas. The comic was subject to rigorous editorial scrutiny by staff from both Marvel Comics and the Children's Television Workshop to ensure it was age-appropriate and featured significant female characters.
While Morgan Freeman played an umpire in one of the Spider-Man sketches on The Electric Company, he was not the narrator of these segments, as some sources suggest. That role was filled by the show's regular character, Easy Reader. Freeman was a cast member on The Electric Company for all seven seasons, during what one source calls his "get busy livin' phase."
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Spidey Super Stories aired on The Electric Company from 1974 to 1977
"Spidey Super Stories" was a series of recurring live-action segments that aired on the Children's Television Workshop series "The Electric Company" from 1974 to 1977. The series featured the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, played by puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren, always in costume. It premiered during the first show of the Electric Company's fourth season (1974-1975) and was the first live-action rendition of a Spider-Man and Marvel character since the 1944 Captain America serial.
The "Spidey Super Stories" segments typically featured Spider-Man, or Spidey, teaming up with other Marvel superheroes or fighting Marvel villains. This introduced viewers to other characters beyond Spider-Man, such as Iron Man, Captain America, and Doctor Strange. Each story also included characters from "The Electric Company", like Easy Reader and detective Fargo North, Decoder, with Spidey sometimes appearing as a supporting character.
The segments were designed to encourage young viewers to practice their reading skills. Unlike other Spider-Man adaptations, Spidey did not speak out loud but communicated through word balloons. The stories often addressed viewers as "true believers", continuing the legacy of Stan Lee's writing style.
In addition to the live-action segments, Marvel Comics published a "Spidey Super Stories" comic book series from 1974 to 1982, aimed at children ages 6 to 10. A total of 57 issues were released, with the first 15 written by Jean Thomas, followed by Jim Salicrup as the series writer. Spider-Man artist John Romita, Sr. edited and illustrated some of the covers for Marvel.
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Morgan Freeman narrated The Electric Company
The Electric Company was a PBS show that ran from 1971 to 1977 and helped children learn how to read and understand language. It featured several sketches, including "Spidey Super Stories", which introduced Spider-Man as a guy in a suit. Spider-Man, or Spidey, typically appeared as Peter Parker, and each issue included a story where he teamed up with a Marvel superhero or fought a Marvel villain.
While Morgan Freeman was not the narrator of the show, he did play a role in it. Freeman was on the show for all seven seasons and played the rule book-toting umpire in a Spider-Man sketch. The narrator of the show was a character called the Easy Reader, and the theme song was sung by Paul Francis Webster.
"Spidey Super Stories" also appeared as a comic book published by Marvel Comics from 1974 to 1982. The comic book was designed for children ages 6-10, and a total of 57 issues were produced. The comic book version of "Spidey Super Stories" was subject to a high level of editorial scrutiny to ensure it was appropriate for young readers and gave significant roles to female characters.
A 4-DVD boxed set of The Electric Company was released in 2006, featuring 20 episodes from 1971 to 1977, three of which contained Spider-Man segments. A second boxed set was released later that year, featuring 20 episodes from 1971 to 1976, two of which included Spider-Man segments. However, several Spider-Man segments were edited out of the DVD releases due to copyright issues.
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Spidey Super Stories was also a comic book series published by Marvel
The Spidey Super Stories was a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from 1974 to 1982. It was aimed at children aged 6–10 and featured Spider-Man as the main character. A total of 57 issues were produced, with the first 15 written by Jean Thomas, previously the writer of Night Nurse. Thomas was then succeeded by Jim Salicrup as the series writer, while most issues were drawn by Win Mortimer.
The series featured stories in which Spider-Man would team up with other established Marvel superheroes or fight Marvel villains. This helped introduce younger readers to other Marvel characters beyond Spider-Man. Each issue included one-page origin stories of the featured heroes and villains. Notable guest heroes included Iron Man, Captain America, Iceman, Doctor Strange, Spider-Woman, Nova, The Cat, and Ms. Marvel. The villains that appeared included Green Goblin, Doctor Doom, Jack O'Lantern, and Thanos.
In addition to the comic book series, Spidey Super Stories also appeared in other formats. It was featured as a segment in the television show The Electric Company, with approximately one dozen segments produced during the 1974–1975 season and another dozen during the 1975–1976 season. The character of Spider-Man also appeared in a special vinyl record in the 1970s, licensed by Children's Television Workshop to Peter Pan Records. This record included stories such as "Spidey Versus Mr. Measles" and "The Queen Bee," further expanding the reach and popularity of the Spidey Super Stories franchise across different mediums.
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Spider-Man appeared as Peter Parker in The Electric Company
Spider-Man, or Spidey as he was often referred to in the show, appeared as Peter Parker in The Electric Company. The Electric Company was a children's television show that ran from 1971 to 1977 and featured Spider-Man in several of its skits and segments. Spider-Man, portrayed by an unknown actor, would appear in his signature blue and red costume, as well as out of costume as Peter Parker.
In one of the show's songs, the lyric "his name 'is' Spider-Man!" hints at the character's secret identity, a key element of the Spider-Man story. The Electric Company's Spider-Man segments were known for their humour and light-hearted tone, often poking fun at the character's well-known traits and abilities.
The Spidey Super Stories segments were produced during the show's 1974-1975 and 1975-1976 seasons, with additional episodes in its final season. These segments often featured Spider-Man teaming up with other Marvel superheroes or fighting Marvel villains. This included heroes such as Iron Man, Captain America, and Doctor Strange, and villains like Green Goblin and Doctor Doom.
The Electric Company also released a 4-DVD boxed set featuring 20 episodes from 1971 to 1977, with three episodes containing Spidey segments. A second DVD set was released with 20 episodes from 1971 to 1976, including two episodes with Spidey segments. However, due to rights issues, some Spider-Man segments were edited out of these DVD releases.
The Electric Company's Spider-Man skits and segments introduced young viewers to the world of Marvel Comics, showcasing the company's diverse range of characters beyond just Spider-Man. The show's portrayal of Spider-Man as Peter Parker, balancing his personal life and superhero duties, added a layer of depth to the character that has become iconic in popular culture.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Morgan Freeman did not play Spider-Man in The Electric Company. However, he did play the rule book-toting umpire in the show for all seven seasons.
Yes, Morgan Freeman was the narrator of The Electric Company.
Yes, Spider-Man appeared in The Electric Company. Spider-Man first appeared in the premiere episode of the fourth season (1974-1975) in October 1974.
