When I say "The Hardy Boys" what do you think of? The classic children's detective book series by Franklin W. Dixon?  Mystery?  Suspense? Adventure? Shaun Cassidy and Parker Stevenson? Late 1960's mod bubblegum rock and roll? What? You don't think of late 1960's mod bubblegum rock and roll? Well, neither did I until a couple of days ago. However, I recently discovered a bit of 1960's television/animation/music trivia that, for some reason, has just boggled my mind and fascinated me. So, dear friends and readers, join me as:

CONFESSIONS OF A POP CULTURE ADDICT

ATTEMPTS TO UNCOVER THE MYSTERY OF

THE HARDY BOYS + 3

OR

OH BOY, HERE
COMES THE HARDYS!  OH BOY, WE'RE HAVING A PARTY!

Okay. Not since my fascination with Hello Larry last winter have I found myself scurrying around looking for information on something so obscure as The Hardy Boys +3, a completely formulated bubble gum pop band from the late 1960's. Who were these kids? Where did this madness begin? How have I gone this long without ever hearing of them? Well, let's start at the beginning, shall we?

It all started with Filmation Animation Studios. In the 1960's through to the 1980's Filmation was a powerhouse at churning out Saturday morning animated programs. Some of the most famous included Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, Shazam, He-Man, She-ra, The Brady Kids, and the Archies. In fact, if not for the success of Filmation's Archies there may have never been a Hardy Boys + 3.

In 1968, Filmation put out "The Archie Show".As part of the program they had Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica, and Reggie jam out a musical number at the end of each episode. Enter producer Don Kirshner. For those keeping track, Don Kirshner has gone down in pop culture lore as the oft-vilified early Monkees producer who Mickey Dolenz once poured a bottle of Coke on, and in an argument caused Mike Nesmith to punch a hole through a door. However, that's another story. There was one thing Don Kirshner was good at and that was creating pop acts. For the Archies series Kirshner assembled a crew of musicians, including Andy Kim and Ron Dante, and they wrote and performed songs on the animated series. This, of course, became pop culture history when The Archies released their songs onto vinyl and scored big with "Sugar Sugar," and later with "Jingle Jangle". The Archies band was a huge success. However, since the musicians assembled looked nothing like the animated characters they were portraying it was nearly impossible to put together public appearances or concerts.

Looking for as similar of a success as "Sugar Sugar", Filmation decided that the format would work again. However, they would have to find another franchise to use as a rock band. That's when some Einstein at Filmation had the incredibly stupid idea to turn the classic boys detective series "The Hardy Boys" into a traveling rock band where they would solve mysteries everywhere they went! They tossed away the entire Hardy Boys mythos and tradition, dressed Joe and Frank Hardy and their best friend Chet Morton (now renamed "Chubby" to emphasize his over weight nature, further destroying the self esteem of overweight kids for a whole generation) in ultra groovy mod clothing, and added two new characters; the dippy token female character Wanda, and the token black character (to keep it politically correct) Pete. "The Hardy Boys" aired in 1969 and lasted one season. Now, since I was born in 1975 I can't say that I had ever seen the show but, as a result of my constant thirst for pop culture knowledge I was aware of the cartoons existence, mainly through an ad advertising it in old comic books from the Fall of 1969. However, by all accounts the show, apparently, was a giant disaster. Hardy Boys fans hated it due to its changes from the novels (I mean traveling rock band?  C'mon now.), the animation was terrible, the voice acting was obnoxious and the stories were cardboard.  It wasn't a shining moment in Filmation's history.

However, there was part of the story I didn't know about, and the part that I find the most interesting.

Filmation didn't want to make the same mistake of getting together a group of musicians that didn't look like the animated characters. Thus, when assembling the band that would be The Hardy Boys + 3, they got musicians that resembled the characters. That way The Hardy Boys +3 could go on tour, make public appearances, appear in teen magazines and, hopefully, become the same sensations as The Archies were. The Hardy Boys +3 were played by Reed Kailing (Frank Hardy), Jeff Taylor (Joe Hardy), Norbert Soltysiak ("Chubby" Morton), Devon English (Wanda Kay), and Bob Crowder (Pete Jones). The live versions of The Hardy Boys + 3 appeared in the opening and closing credits of the program. Now, an early press kit for the show claims that the characters were designed before the musicians were hired. However, the resemblance to the musicians is so uncanny that I find that hard to believe. During the year the show was on two albums were released:  "Here Comes the Hardy Boys," and "Wheels".  Now I can't say I have ever seen or heard of these albums until a few days ago, but you have no idea the desire I have to own both of them. Anybody looking for a nifty Christmas gift for me? Get your e-bay accounts going because both albums are common on e-bay at reasonable prices. By all accounts the albums aren't all that bad and some of the songs are quite catchy.  Care to listen to The Hardy Boys +3 yourself? You can hear the band performing the theme song here.

So, who exactly were The Hardy Boys +3 and whatever happened to them? This was the question I sought to find out. The answers range from stupidly easy to find, to whereabouts unknown...but we can guess. Lets see what we can piece together.

The most prolific of all the Hardys was Reed Kailing who played Frank. Before the Hardys Reed had been part of a band called The Destinations who played at the wedding of President Lyndon Johnston's daughter. After the Hardys, Kailing was a member of The Grassroots ("Midnight Confessions," "Lets Live for Today") as well as a later member of Badfinger. Reed also played Paul McCartney in the original Broadway production of "Beatlemania". Kailing worked as a session musician for artists such as Mick Jagger and John Lennon as well. You can visit Kailing's website here.

After that the trails on all the other members of the Hardys gets rather sketchy.

My search for Devon English, who played Wanda, proved to be rather interesting in the erotic sense. Devon was featured in a 1972 Playboy special featuring the Playboy Clubs bunnies. Devon was working as a bunny in the Chicago Playboy Club and was featured in the magazine, although not nude. However, a German hard core porn site claimed to have pictures of Devon English. I briefly attempted to see if I could get a peek but could not easily access any files and didn't care to continue. One can only wonder where Devon English is today, although, for some morbid reason, I wonder if she continued in the sex trade like many failed starlets do.

Now you would think that someone with a unique name like Norbert Soltysiak would be easy to get a line on. Well, sure enough there are a few Norbert Soltysiaks out there. One is a marathon runner from Albany NY, although I have a feeling that a guy who was called "Chubby" Morton is not the same guy. Another Norbert Soltysiak is connected to the US Chess Federation. However, in a website for 1960's independent record company Quill Records a Norbert Soltysiak was listed as being a member of a Chicago based band called The Delights, said to be Chicago's answer to The Zombies. Furthermore, I found a listing for a Norbert Soltysiak still residing in the greater Chicago area. Could he be one and the same?

Now to search out Bob Crowder, who played Pete I looked towards his work before the Hardys. Bob Crowder studied drums at the Chicago Conservatory of Music and was a session drummer for The Shirelles, The Esquires, Jerry Butler, and Fontella Bass. One could only assume that Bob Crowder would continue work as a session drummer. Sure enough a Bob Crowder exists in the Chicago area as a session drummer, mainly for jazz projects, and has recently worked with Malachi Jackson and Buddy Guy. I'm not saying its the same guy but who knows.

Now, to search for a name as common as Jeff Taylor is near impossible. However, Taylor hailed from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin and there still is a Jeff Taylor in that area involved in the folk music scene. Its not a lot but its all I got.

Wherever The Hardy Boys + 3 may be they possess the prestige of being a curious and obscure part of pop culture history. Look, stranger things have happened. If you are visiting this site and you are, or know of, the whereabouts of any of these folks please contact me. Believe me that I, as well as other pop culture lovers, know there is a story to be told and want to hear it.

Finally, if any of you scour record shops and come across any Hardy Boys + 3 albums or 45's please swipe them up for me. This pop culture guru thanks you.

Now, excuse me while I listen to that groovy Hardy Boys theme song again.

(POP CULTURE ADDICT'S UPDATE:  Not long after this article was written I contacted and found Norbert "Chubby Morton" Soltysiak who not only agreed to be interviewed for this site but offered tons of valuable insight into the history of The Hardy Boys + 3 as well as being a part of the 1960's music scene in general. It is a fascinating interview and can be read here. 

Also, someone who read this article (and I am terribly afraid that I don't remember who it was.  If you read this please contact me again) let me know that as of 2000 Jeff Taylor was living in Oconomowoc and working as a goldsmith.

I am still looking for Bob Crowder and Devon English. If they are out there, or anyone knows of their whereabouts please drop me a line).

(POP CULTURE ADDICT'S UPDATE MARCH 2007:  In February 2007 I received a very astonishing treasure from Mr. RC McWilliams of Las Vegas, Nevada.  Mr. McWilliams wrote us the following e-mail:

"Hello-

Back in the 60's I hung out at a local Chicago TV show called "Art Robert's Swinging Majority" -  a Bandstand sort of show on a very small scale.  The show's producer was Tina Choate and she managed Reed Kailing of The Destinations (at the time).  I was a fan and went to many Destinations shows and took pictures.  That followed to The Hardy Boys and they played all around Chicago Teen Clubs for awhile.  Guess what???  I have about 20 live photos of The Hardy Boys that have been sitting in a photo album for all of these years.  I would love to get them out to the public and this is the first place I found that might be interested. If you would like me to scan them and send them, I will work on it.