Sid and Marty Krofft

H.R. Pufnstuf, Lidsville, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Land of the Lost: For a generation of children growing up in the late sixties and early seventies, these were some of the most memorable shows on Saturday morning television. At a time when television cartoons had lost some of their luster, two puppeteers named Sid and Marty Krofft put together a series of shows that captivated children.
Using colorful sets and mysterious lands full of characters that had boundless energy, the Kroffts created a new form of children’s television, rooted in the medium’s earliest shows but nevertheless original in its concept. This work first provides a history of the Kroffts’ pretelevision career, then offers discussions of their 11 Saturday morning shows. Complete cast and credit information is enhanced by interviews with many of the actors and actresses, behind-the-scenes information, print reviews of the series, and plot listings of the individual episodes. The H.R. Pufnstuf feature film, the brothers’ other television work, and their short-lived indoor theme park are also detailed.

Hal Erickson is the author of numerous media-related books and was for many years a primary editor of the All-Movie Guide website. He lives and works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Hal Erickson
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 303
Bibliographic Info: appendices, notes, index
Copyright Date: 2007 [1998]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3093-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0784-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments       vii

Introduction       1

1. Sid and Marty Krofft: The Pre-Pufnstuf Years      5

2. H. R. Pufnstuf      17

3. Pufnstuf (The Movie)      41

4. The Bugaloos      55

5. Lidsville      69

6. Sigmund and the Sea Monsters      85

7. Land of the Lost (1974–1976)       109

8. The Lost Saucer      139

9. Far Out Space Nuts      157

10. The Krofft Supershow      169

Dr. Shrinker      173

ElectraWoman and Dynagirl      178

Wonderbug      183

Bigfoot and Wildboy      187

Magic Mongo      195

11. Krofft Superstar Hour/The Bay City Rollers       199

12. Pryor’s Place       207

13. Land of the Lost (1991–1994)       215

14. Krofft at Night       233

Appendix One: Puf versus Mayor McCheese       255

Appendix Two: The World of Sid and Marty Krofft       259

Notes on Sources       261

Index       269

“new and fascinating”—Classic Images; “it’s a fun book that makes you want to watch these shows again”—Video Watchdog.