“Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” turns 57 today!
One of the most popular Super-Heroes of all time
“Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man” turns 57 today!
The first show to ever feature the pop culture phenomenon premiered on September 9, 1967, on the ABC television network and ran for a total of three seasons (52 episodes), entering into syndication during its final season in 1970. The series follows the same basic formula as the comic book Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man: fights crime in New York City usually against one of Spidey’s classic comic villains and is a rising star at The Daily Bugle newspaper. Animation and the writing are very “blah” by today’s standards, but the series did create a lasting musical influence with their theme song. The original song was composed by Academy Award winner Paul Francis Webster and Robert “Bob” Harris, recorded at RCA Studios in Toronto. “Spider-Man Theme” would go on to be covered by multiple artists including Michael Bublé, Aerosmith, The Distillers, The Mr. T Experience, Brian May, and the punk band Gilman Street.
The 1967 Spider-Man TV series was the first animated adaptation of the beloved Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character made his comic book debut in 1962 and quickly became one of Marvel’s most popular heroes. The animated series premiered on September 9, 1967, and ran for three seasons, concluding in 1970, with a total of 52 episodes.
Produced by Grantray-Lawrence Animation for its first season and then by Krantz Films for the remaining seasons, the series introduced Spider-Man to a broad television audience. The show was relatively faithful to the comic book source material, focusing on Peter Parker, a teenage high school student who gained spider-like powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. As Spider-Man, Peter balances his everyday struggles with his superhero responsibilities, fighting iconic villains while protecting New York City.
One of the most memorable aspects of the show is its catchy theme song, which opens with the now-famous lyrics: “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can.” Written by Paul Francis Webster and composed by Bob Harris, the theme song became iconic and is still associated with the character today, often referenced or used in subsequent Spider-Man films and media.
The first season’s episodes were produced by Grantray-Lawrence Animation, which initially used a higher-quality animation style, although the budget limitations became evident. When Krantz Films took over production in the second season, costs were cut significantly. This led to a noticeable decrease in animation quality, with heavy use of stock footage, reused backgrounds, and limited movement in the characters.
In later seasons, the show also began to shift away from Spider-Man’s comic book villains and instead featured more generic monsters and villains due to budget constraints. Despite these limitations, the show retained its popularity, especially among young viewers.
The 1967 Spider-Man series adapted many classic comic book villains, including Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Mysterio and The Rhino. However, in later seasons, the show began using more original characters and reworked some storylines to fit budget and production needs. Despite this, Spider-Man’s charm and wit, along with his constant battle to protect the citizens of New York, made the show a fan favorite.
The Spider-Man animated series from 1967 remains a nostalgic piece of superhero history. While the animation and production quality may seem dated today, it laid the groundwork for future animated superhero shows and kept Spider-Man in the public eye during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The series helped solidify Spider-Man as one of Marvel’s most recognizable and enduring characters.
The show’s theme song and its representation of Spider-Man in popular culture are often fondly remembered, and it holds a special place in the history of superhero adaptations. Watch the video below to hear the original “Spider-Man Theme” song.
By Ken Warren
Watch the original 1967 Spider-Man cartoon theme song
Article originally published by Ken Warren, 2017 for Spider-Man 50th Anniversary
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