Umair Gaines
The Electric Company is an American educational children's television series that aired from 1971 to 1977. It was produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) and aired on PBS. The show featured various live-action skits, cartoons, and songs to teach children basic phonetic and grammar concepts. One of the most notable segments of the show was the Spidey Super Stories, which featured the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. The Spider-Man segments were introduced in the show's fourth season (1974-1975) and were played by puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren. The Spidey Super Stories were so popular that Marvel published a special comic book series of the same name, which were easy-to-read Spider-Man adventures that occasionally included members of the show's cast.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the Show | The Electric Company |
| Format | Educational Children's Television Series |
| Genre | Comedy Variety Show |
| Original Run | October 25, 1971 - April 15, 1977 |
| No. of Episodes | 780 |
| Production House | Children's Television Workshop (CTW) |
| Broadcasters | PBS, ABC |
| Notable Cast Members | Danny Seagren, Rita Moreno, Bill Cosby, Lee Chamberlin, Gary William Friedman, Tom Lehrer |
| Notable Characters | Spider-Man, Letterman, J. Arthur Crank, Blue Beetle |
| Notable Segments | Spidey Super Stories, The Adventures of Letterman |
| Notable Episodes | Out to Lunch |
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What You'll Learn
Spider-Man puppeteer: Danny Seagren
Danny Seagren, born on November 15, 1943, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, is an actor, puppeteer, and trained dancer. He is known for playing Spider-Man in the Children's Television Workshop series 'The Electric Company'. The show, which ran from 1971 to 1977, featured Spider-Man segments that were separate from the main storyline and often involved the character meeting and interacting with the other characters in a light-hearted and mischievous manner.
Seagren's portrayal of Spider-Man is notable for being the first live-action depiction of the character. He appeared in the role from 1974 to 1977, during the show's fourth season, and his performances were always in costume, with Spider-Man never speaking aloud or revealing his face. The character's silent and athletic portrayal left a lasting impression on viewers, with some recalling the "mind-blowing" nature of seeing a live-action Spider-Man for the first time.
Before his role as Spider-Man, Seagren had worked with Jim Henson as a puppeteer from 1968 to the early 1970s, performing in productions such as "The Frog Prince" and "The Muppet Musicians of Bremen". He also filled in for Caroll Spinney, playing Big Bird on "Sesame Street" and during promotional tours for the show.
Seagren's involvement in "The Electric Company" led to the creation of a comic book series, "Spidey Super Stories," which further explored the adventures of Spider-Man and introduced young readers to other Marvel characters. The comic lasted for eight years and featured contributions from noted artists and writers to ensure age-appropriate content and significant roles for female characters.
In recent years, Seagren has reflected on his time as Spider-Man, expressing surprise at the enduring interest in his portrayal. He has attended comic conventions and shared his experiences as the first actor to bring Spider-Man to life on screen, connecting with fans who fondly remember his performances.
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Spider-Man theme song: composed by Gary William Friedman
The Electric Company is an American educational children's television series that aired on PBS from 1971 to 1977. The show was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett. It featured Spider-Man segments, with puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren playing the character. These segments were called Spidey Super Stories and were live-action skits featuring the Marvel Comics character.
Gary William Friedman was the composer of the Spider-Man theme song for the show. He was the music director and composer for Season 4 and wrote about 40 songs for the series, including the popular Spider-Man theme. The song had a full-length version, which was about three minutes long, and a shorter version, which was played during the Spider-Man segments and lasted less than 30 seconds.
The lyrics to the Spider-Man theme song, as written by Friedman, are:
> Spider Man, where are you coming from?
> Spider Man, nobody knows who you are...
> Spider Man, you've got that Spidey touch...
> Spider Man, you are a web-slinging star!
The Spider-Man theme song by Friedman is described as "groovy" and "pretty cool" by fans, with a fun and energetic vibe. It has a distinct 1970s sound and is considered a novelty song. The full-length version, released as a CD single, offers a wacky dance take on the original theme, showcasing its versatility and appeal to fans of all ages.
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Spidey Super Stories: a comic book series
"Spidey Super Stories" is a live-action, recurring skit on the original version of the Children's Television Workshop series "The Electric Company". The series featured the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, played by puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren. Marvel Comics published "Spidey Super Stories" comics that tied into Seagren's appearances as Spider-Man. Spider-Man never spoke aloud or unmasked himself in the series.
The "Spidey Super Stories" comic book series premiered in 1974, featuring a diverse cast of performers such as Rita Moreno, who was already a well-known actress. The comics were subject to an exceptionally high level of editorial scrutiny, as staff from both Marvel Comics and the Children's Television Workshop reviewed the stories to ensure they were age-appropriate and gave significant roles to female characters. Spider-Man signature artist John Romita, Sr. edited and drew some covers for Marvel.
The comics were easy-to-read adventures of Spider-Man that occasionally featured members of the show's cast. Most of these stories would feature quick origins, usually taking up a single page or less, of both the featured hero and villain. A comic book version of one of the Electric Company Spidey skits was included in the early years. A truncated version also appeared in "The Electric Company" magazine, featuring only characters from the Marvel Universe.
"Spidey Super Stories" was produced during "The Electric Company's" 1974–1975 season, with another twelve or so episodes during the 1975–1976 season, and further episodes during the series' final season. A 4-DVD boxed set was released in 2006, featuring 20 episodes from 1971–1977, three of which contained Spidey segments. However, several episodes were edited to minimize the appearance of Spider-Man due to rights issues.
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Marvel Comics: provided Spider-Man free of charge
The Electric Company is an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) for PBS in the United States. It was co-created by Paul Dooley, Joan Ganz Cooney, and Lloyd Morrisett, and it aired from 1971 to 1977. The show featured various live-action skits, cartoons, and songs to teach children basic phonetic and grammar concepts.
One of the most popular segments of The Electric Company was "Spidey Super Stories," which featured the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. Marvel Comics provided the Children's Television Workshop with the rights to use Spider-Man free of charge. This partnership introduced young viewers to Spider-Man and other Marvel characters. The comic book series was subject to a high level of editorial scrutiny by both Marvel Comics and the Children's Television Workshop to ensure it was appropriate for children and aligned with the values of both brands. Spider-Man signature artist John Romita, Sr. edited and drew some covers for the "Spidey Super Stories" comics.
The live-action Spider-Man segments in The Electric Company were played by puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren, who always remained in costume and never spoke aloud or unmasked himself. The character of Spider-Man was also incorporated into the show's songs, with Gary William Friedman composing the popular Spider-Man theme song.
The success of Spider-Man in The Electric Company led to the creation of a comic book series based on the show's Spider-Man segments. The "Spidey Super Stories" comic books were published by Marvel and featured easy-to-read adventures of Spider-Man, sometimes including members of the show's cast. This further solidified the partnership between Marvel and the Children's Television Workshop, with the comic books serving as a fun and educational tool for young readers.
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Spider-Man segments: edited out due to rights issues
The Electric Company is an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) for PBS in the United States. It first aired in 1971 and ran until 1977, with the last two seasons re-running until 1985. The show's main purpose was to teach children the next phase of reading skills beyond what was taught in Sesame Street.
The Electric Company featured Spider-Man segments, known as "Spidey Super Stories", which were live-action, recurring skits. The Children's Television Workshop was given the rights to use the Marvel Comics character, Spider-Man, free of charge. Spider-Man was played by puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren, who always appeared in costume and never spoke aloud or unmasked himself. Marvel Comics published "Spidey Super Stories" comic books that tied into Seagren's appearances as Spider-Man.
However, when it came to the DVD releases of The Electric Company, several Spider-Man segments were edited out due to rights issues. It is believed that these changes were made to minimise the appearance of Spider-Man and other characters not under Sesame Workshop's control, such as Road Runner and Wile E. For example, Episode 60A from Season 5, which featured a Spider-Man sketch, was altered drastically from its original television version.
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Frequently asked questions
The Electric Company, an American educational children's television series, featured Spider-Man segments.
The Spider-Man segments in The Electric Company were called "Spidey Super Stories".
Puppeteer and dancer Danny Seagren played Spider-Man in The Electric Company.
The Electric Company aired from 25 October 1971 to 15 April 1977, with reruns of the last two seasons continuing until 4 October 1985.
The Electric Company was produced by the Children's Television Workshop (CTW) and aired on PBS in the United States.
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