Spin and Marty

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David Stollery (left) as Marty Markham and Tim Considine as Spin Evans introduce the first Spin and Marty serial

Spin and Marty was a popular series of TV shorts that aired as part of the Mickey Mouse Club. There were three serials in all, starting with The Adventures of Spin and Marty in 1955. This series of 25 ten minute episodes set at the Triple R Ranch, a boys' summer camp, was followed by two sequels - The Further Adventures of Spin and Marty (1957) and The New Adventures of Spin and Marty (1958), both of which also aired during the Mickey Mouse Club.

The series starred David Stollery as the rich, orphaned Marty (Martin) Markham and Tim Considine as the poorer Spin Evans, the most athletic and popular boy, and Sammy Ogg as their wisecracking side-kick Joe Simpson at the Triple R Ranch. Though starting off as enemies after Marty dismisses the dude ranch as a "dirty old farm", the two eventually become close friends. The second serial adds Annette Funicello and Kevin Corcoran to the cast as Annette and Moochie, respectively. The third serial adds Darlene Gillespie, and quickly turns into a showcase for song and dance sketches as part of a "Let's put on a show!" storyline reminiscent of Mickey Rooney - Judy Garland movies. All three serials also feature J. Pat O'Malley as Perkins, Marty's butler and the Triple R's assistant cook.

The series featured a couple of songs, "Triple R Ranch" song, (Yippee Yay, Yippee Yi, Yipee Yo), as well as as a song about "Slue-Foot Sue" (Buckaroo), named for Pecos Bill's tragic love story.

A TV movie focussing on updated versions of the eponymous characters, The New Adventures of Spin and Marty: Suspect Behavior, was made in 2000. Stollery and Considine made cameo appearances.

The Adventures of Spin and Marty was released on DVD in December 2005 as a part of the fifth wave of the Walt Disney Treasures Series.

Western Publishing put out comic book adventures of Spin and Marty, first under Dell Comics Four Color title (#714, 767, 808, 826) , then under their own title (#5-9), then in Four Color again (#1026 and 1082). Gold Key Comics would later reprint some of these stories in their titles such as Walt Disney Showcase

In October 2006, Stollery, Considine and Corcoran were all honored as Disney Legends (Funicello had been so honored in 1992).