The Greer Garson connection


Background:Greer Garson was a major Hollywood actress on contract with MGM in the 40's & early 50's.She was a good-looking redhead who radiated warmth and class.She is most remembered for films like Goodbye Mr.Chips,Mrs.Miniver,& Random Harvest.You wouldn't think of her and Spin & Marty having any possible connection,but in fact they do.
In 1953,desiring to repeat the success of Goodbye Mr.Chips,MGM once again put Greer Garson in a movie set in a boys' boarding school,this time playing a dorm Headmistress.The movie was called "Her Twelve Men"-in the way that Hollywood liked to use slightly shocking titles (this was 1953).Of course they needed boys and BOTH Tim Considine and David Stollery are in it.Both play real roles with their own subplots-not just walkons.It's a sweet,sentimental film,and worth seeing but was not a big box office hit.
In 1955,Disney was casting Spin & Marty and Tim Considine tried out for the role of Marty but was chosen to ideally play Spin.This left them with an uncast Marty and no real prospects.Then Considine told the producers that he had recently worked on a picture with a boy who would be perfect to play Marty-David Stollery! So indirectly,Greer Garson was instrumental in the casting of Spin and Marty.
Her Twelve Men is an unfortunately rare film having never been out on VHS or DVD.But it is shown on Turner Classic Films on cable periodically and is worth checking out to see Spin and Marty together before they were Spin & Marty!And it's in COLOR!
When are they ever going to put out Season Two?

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Wow, loved this series as a kid. I never knew it was filmed in color. Did they make a Spin and Marty reunion? Sadly, one of the co-stars, Harry Carey,Jr.just passed-away. Didn't Darlene Gillespie (Corky and White Shadow) also appear on the series? I especially identified with Marty as in camp I was also considered the nerd. Great memories.

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Yes, Darlene and Annette both appeared in a later season. Think Annette might have been in two. Think the girls go to a camp across the lake and the two camps put on a joint production of Robin Hood. Pretty corny stuff for even back then but still fun to watch.

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