H.R. Pufnstuf is an American children's television series created by Sid and Marty Krofft. It was the first independent live-action, life-sized-puppet program, following on from their work with Hanna-Barbera's program The Banana Splits Adventure Hour.CD liner notes: Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, 1995 MCA Records The seventeen episodes were originally broadcast Saturday from September 6, 1969, to December 27, 1969. The broadcasts were successful enough that NBC kept it on the schedule as reruns until September 4, 1971. The show was shot at Paramount Studios and its opening was shot at Big Bear Lake, California. Reruns returned on ABC Saturday morning from September 2, 1972, to September 8, 1973, and on Sunday mornings in some markets from September 16, 1973, to September 8, 1974. It was syndicated by itself from September 1974 to June 1978 and in a package with six other Krofft series under the banner Krofft Superstars from 1978 to 1985. Reruns of the show were featured on TV Land in 1999 as part of its Super Retrovision Saturdaze Saturday morning-related overnight prime programming block and in the summer of 2004 as part of its TV Land Kitschen weekend late-night prime programming block, and it was later shown on MeTV from 2014 until 2016.
In 2004 and 2007, H.R. Pufnstuf was ranked No. 22 and No. 27 respectively on TV Guides Top Cult Shows Ever.TV Guide's 25 Top Cult Shows - TannerWorld Junction TannerWorld Junction: May 26, 2004TV Guide Names the Top Cult Shows Ever - Today's News: Our Take TV Guide: June 29, 2007
Fast food chain McDonald's later emulated aspects of the series for its long-running advertising campaign "McDonaldland", and the company was successfully sued by the Krofft brothers in 1977 for copyright infringement.Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions, Inc. v. McDonald's Corporation, 562 F.2d 1157 (9th Cir. 1977).
Overview The Kroffts created the H.R. Pufnstuf character for the HemisFair '68 World's Fair, where they produced a show called Kaleidoscope for the Coca-Cola pavilion. The character's name was Luther, and he became a mascot for the fair.
H.R. Pufnstuf introduced the Kroffts' most-used plot scenario of a fairy tale of good versus evil, as well as their second plot scenario of the stranger in a strange land. The show centered on a shipwrecked boy named Jimmy, portrayed by teenage actor Jack Wild. He is 11 years old when he arrives on the island and turns 12 in the episode called "The Birthday Party." Jimmy and a talking flute named Freddy take a ride on a mysterious boat, but the boat is actually owned by a wicked witch named Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (portrayed by Billie Hayes) who rides on a broomstick-vehicle called the Vroom Broom. She uses the boat to lure Jimmy and Freddy to her castle on Living Island, where she intends to take Jimmy prisoner and steal Freddy for her own purposes.
The Mayor of Living Island is a friendly and helpful anthropomorphic dragon named H.R. Pufnstuf, performed by Roberto Gamonet and voiced by the show's writer Lennie Weinrib, who also voiced many of the other characters. The dragon rescues Jimmy and protects him from Witchiepoo, as his cave is the only place where her magic has no effect.
All of the characters on Living Island were realized by large, cumbersome costumes or puppetry of anthropomorphic animals and objects. Everything was alive on the island, including houses, boats, clocks, candles, and so forth; virtually any part of the Living Island sets could become a character, usually voiced in a parody of a famous film star such as Mae West, Edward G. Robinson, or John Wayne.
Characters Main Jimmy (portrayed by Jack Wild) — An English boy who was lured to Living Island by an enchanted boat. Witchiepoo controlled the boat with the aim of stealing Jimmy's magic talking flute named Freddy. H.R. Pufnstuf (performed by Roberto Gamonet, voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A friendly dragon who is the Mayor of Living Island. Freddy the Flute (voiced by Joan Gerber) — A magic talking flute owned by Jimmy. He is often targeted by Witchiepoo. Cling and Clang (performed by Joy Campbell and Angelo Rossitto) — Two short mute police officers who work for H.R. Pufnstuf as his Rescue Racer Crew. Cling wears red and Clang wears green. Although they appear vaguely animal-like with their beaked faces, and furry three-toed feet, the Kroffts have said they are actually bells, hence their names, but there are police officers in Pippi Longstocking named Cling and Clang as well. Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (portrayed by Billie Hayes) — The primary antagonist of the series, inspired by Margaret Hamilton's portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West. Witchiepoo is a wicked but ineffective witch who has been targeting Freddy the Flute. She rides a large rocket-powered broom with a steering wheel called the Vroom Broom. She is cruel to everyone around her, even her henchmen, whom she constantly whacks with her wand. Yet when faced with failure, Witchiepoo usually starts to pity herself by asking "Why me?" Orson Vulture (performed by Joy Campbell, voiced by Lennie Weinrib, imitating Frank Nelson) — A stuffy, somewhat inept vulture who is one of Witchiepoo's henchmen. As her favorite flunky, he multitasks as her sounding board operator, butler, and co-pilot on her Vroom Broom. Orson once made the mistake of asking what the W. in his boss's name stood for. The answer: WHACK! Seymour Spider (performed by Angelo Rossitto, voiced by Walker Edmiston) — A dim-witted "spider" (appearance as a furry orange ogre with eight limbs) who is another of Witchiepoo's henchmen. As her second favorite flunky, he primarily serves her as her hairdresser and an alternative sounding board operator when Orson was busy. Stupid Bat (performed by Sharon Baird, voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A bat who is the least favorite and least seen of Witchiepoo's henchmen. He mainly serves as her messenger. As his name implies, Stupid Bat is not very bright and his messages are usually delivered one second too late. Skeleton Guards — Two skeletons who guard Witchiepoo's castle. They are easily spooked and will often run from danger in a flash, but not before their armor and capes fly off in a cartoonish fashion.
Others Dr. Blinky (performed by Johnny Silver, voiced by Walker Edmiston impersonating Ed Wynn) — An owl who is Living Island's physician and scientist. Dr. Blinky is also the head of H.R. Pufnstuf's "Anti-Smog, Pollution, and Witch Committee". Other characters (including Polka-Dotted Horse) fear his medical incompetence and are terrified at the prospect of being treated by him. Judy Frog (performed by Sharon Baird, voiced by Joan Gerber) — A singing, dancing frog who is one of H.R. Pufnstuf's friends and the resident entertainer. Judy is based on Judy Garland, whom Sid Krofft had previously toured with and opened for. Pop Lolly (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A living lollipop who makes and sells candy and other sweet goods. Cheese Guards — Two guards that are living pieces of cheese who work for Pop Lolly. They would often help Pop Lolly fend off a group of Hippie Ants who want to have free candy. Ludicrous Lion (performed by Johnny Silver, voiced by Walker Edmiston impersonating W. C. Fields) — A lion who works as a peddler and owns a horse-drawn wagon. He is quite cunning and not always so honest when it comes to money. Although slightly shady and greedy, he is officially one of the Good Guys since he would often help to thwart Witchiepoo's plots. Polka-Dotted Horse (performed by Felix Silla, voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A good-natured but dim-witted horse who works for Ludicrous Lion. Tick Tock (performed by Andy Ratoucheff, voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A mobile alarm clock that warns the good characters when Witchiepoo is coming and informs them of various other dangers. Grandfather Clock (voiced by Walker Edmiston) — A mobile grandfather clock who is married to Grandmother Clock. Grandmother Clock (voiced by Joan Gerber) — A mobile grandmother clock who is married to Grandfather Clock. Miss Wristwatch (voiced by Joan Gerber impersonating Zsa Zsa Gabor) — A glamorous rich mobile human-sized wristwatch. Hippie Ants — A group of ants that would try to have free candy from Pop Lolly. The Boyds — A bunch of birds that serve as Living Island's residential band. The Boyds are based on The Byrds. Lady Boyd (performed by Sharon Baird, voiced by Joan Gerber) — A blue bird who is the lead singer of The Boyds. She was often seen singing the end theme to this show. Shirlee Pufnstuf (performed by Sharon Baird, voiced by Joan Gerber impersonating a younger Shirley Temple) — A dragon who is H.R. Pufnstuf's sister and a famous actress. Max von Toadenoff the Great (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A monocled toad who works as a film director. Max von Toadenoff the Great is based on Erich von Stroheim, but named for Akim Tamiroff. The Good Trees — Several walking, talking trees who always help out H.R. Pufnstuf and the good guys. In the film Pufnstuf, the song "Living Island" described them as the "Hippie Trees of Peace and Love". They consist of: Hippie Tree (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A tree with sunglasses and dreadlocks who often speaks in hippie slang. Madame Willow (voiced by Joan Gerber) — Also known as the Dowager Tree, Madame Willow is an older, elitist female tree with a lorgnette. Chief Redwood (voiced by Walker Edmiston) — Also known as the Indian Tree, Chief Redwood dons a feathered headdress and speaks in the fashion of a stereotypical melodramatic Native American. There is an older, male tree who may or may not be the husband of Madame Willow. There is another female tree whose lips are always in the shape of an "O". There is a baby tree. The Evil Trees — Three trees on Witchiepoo's side that speak in a Transylvanian accent. Evil Tree #1 — (voiced by Lennie Weinrib impersonating Bela Lugosi) — The leader of the Evil Trees. Evil Tree #2 (voiced by Walker Edminston impersonating Peter Lorre) —. Evil Tree #3 (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) — A tree that always speaks in rhyme. The Mushrooms — A group of talking mushrooms on Witchiepoo's side that turn whoever touches them into mushrooms. The mushroom leader smokes a cigar and speaks like James Cagney. The Crustaceans — They are shown in several episodes as well as the closing theme song, some crab-like characters who are never named or introduced. There is a family of them, much like the living clocks and the living trees. They almost never say anything, but one of them has a couple of brief lines in "The Almost Election of Witchiepoo." Witchiepoo's Castle — A talking, living entity that is home to Witchiepoo and her minions. There is also a door inside the castle that is a separate living entity as well as living pillars. Dr. Blinky's House — A broken down house, propped up with crutches with a bandage on one side and an ice pack atop its chimney. It suffers from explosive sneezing that it has no control over. This usually sends Pufnstuf and friends running for cover, although it has been occasionally used to thwart Witchiepoo's plans enough for her to tell the house to cover its door when it sneezes. It houses several other characters such as fireplace (who speaks like Edward G. Robinson), a test tube (voiced by Walker Edmiston) and a candle (voiced by Walker Edmiston). There is a talking human skull (who speaks like Boris Karloff) and a few talking books, one of which is named Charlie (voiced by Lennie Weinrib). Charlie's brother, an evil black book of spells, is kept on Witchiepoo's nightstand. The Winds — The Winds of Living Island are often called upon by H.R. Pufnstuf to blow Witchiepoo out of the sky. They consist of the North Wind (voiced by Walker Edmiston in a shivering voice), the South Wind (voiced by Joan Gerber in a southern belle voice), the East Wind (voiced by Walker Edmiston in a Chinese accent), and the West Wind (voiced by Lennie Weinrib impersonating John Wayne).