Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries

Follow the clues to mystery and excitement

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries was first broadcast in the US on the ABC network in January, Nineteen Seventy Seven. It starred Parker Stevenson (who went on to appear in Baywatch, North & South and marry Kirstie Alley) and the teen heartthrob Shaun Cassidy (brother of David Cassidy and most recently seen on Cold Case) as the Hardy brothers Frank and Joe. They were aided and abetted by Nancy Drew, initially played by Pamela Sue Martin (who went on to appear in Dynasty) and then replaced by Janet Louise Johnson. The show was quite different because often it dealt with individual characters some shows would follow the adventures of Nancy Drew and others of the Hardy brothers.

Both the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew were originally created and characters in a series of children’s mystery crime novels. Nancy Drew as a part time investigator and daughter of Lawyer Carson Drew. She lives in River Heights which is quite close to Bayport the East coast home of the Hardy, both towns are fictional.

In the books the Hardy brothers are also young amateur detectives. Frank Hardy is the elder of the two and has dark hair. Joe Hardy is the younger, has blond hair, and blue eyes. Their father is Fenton Hardy (Ed Gilbert), a private detective formerly with the New York Police Department.

The series was produced by the great 70’s TV producer, Glen A Larson who was also responsible for shows like Magnum PI, Battlestar Galactica and the A Team, The series was filmed on the Universal back lot and featured heavily a street now better known as Wisteria Lane in the hit TV series Desperate House Wives.

Guest stars on the show include Melanie Griffiths, Troy Donahue, Fabian,Ricky Nelson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Patrick McNee, Dennis Weaver, Robert Wagner, and Charlies Angle Jaclyn Smith.