"H.R. Pufnstuf" (1969) TV series

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Creators:

Marty Krofft
Sid Krofft
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

6 September 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Who's your friend when things get rough?

Plot:

A young boy named Jimmy has in his possession a magic flute named Freddie that can talk and play tunes on its own...

Plot Keywords:

Flute | Puppet | Witchcraft | Character Name In Title

Cast

Jack Wild	...	Jimmy (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Billie Hayes	...	Witchiepoo (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Lennie Weinrib	...	H.R. Pufnstuf / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Joan Gerber	...	Additional Voices / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Walker Edmiston	...	Additional Voices / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Sharon Baird	...	Lady Boyd / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Roberto Gamonet	...	H.R. Pufnstuf (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Joy Campbell	...	Cling / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Angelo Rossitto	...	Clang / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Johnny Silver	...	Ludicrous Lion / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Harry Monty	...	Various Characters / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Jon Linton	...	Various Characters / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Andy Ratoucheff	...	Various Characters / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Scutter McKay	...	Various Characters / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Robin Roper	...	Various Characters / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Jerry Landon	...	Living Island tree / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Felix Silla	...	Polka Dotted Horse / ... (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Buddy Douglas	...	Living Island tree / ... (4 episodes, 1969)

(more)

Series Directed by
Hollingsworth Morse		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Writing credits
Paul Harrison		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Marty Krofft		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Sid Krofft		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Lennie Weinrib		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Produced by
Malcolm Alper	....	associate producer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Marty Krofft	....	producer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Sid Krofft	....	producer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Si Rose	....	executive producer (15 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Original Music by
Gene Page		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Cinematography by
Kenneth Peach		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Art Direction by
William Martin		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Costume Design by
Evenda Leeper		(17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Makeup Department
Beau Hickman	....	makeup artist (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Production Management
Chuck Colean	....	unit manager (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chuck Colean	....	assistant director (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Art Department
Nicky Nadeau	....	creative designer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Sound Department
Harold Lewis	....	sound recordist (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Special Effects by
Tim Baar	....	special effects (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunt coordinator (16 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Earl C. Williman	....	best boy electric (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Anthony Pistone	....	gaffer (15 episodes, 1969-1970)
George Rader	....	head grip (15 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Animation Department
Coral Kerr	....	character designer (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Oda Broulard	....	costumer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ronnie Ross	....	costumer (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Ken Harvey	....	costumer (15 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Editorial Department
Gene Ruggiero	....	supervising editor (17 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Music Department
Harold Belfer	....	stager: musical numbers (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Les Szarvas	....	composer: special material (4 episodes, 1969)

Series Other crew
Trudy Bennett	....	assistant to producers (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Donald A. Ramsey	....	production coordinator (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Dell Ross	....	script supervisor (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Robert Waugh	....	supervision (17 episodes, 1969-1970)
Rolf Roediger	....	puppet fabricator (14 episodes, 1969-1970)
Marty Krofft	....	presenter (4 episodes, 1969)
Sid Krofft	....	presenter (4 episodes, 1969)

Production Companies

• Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions

Distributors

• Fabulous Films (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Gold Key Entertainment
• Nederlandse Omroepstichting (NOS) (1970) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Rhino Entertainment Company (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures

Runtime:

USA:30 min (including commercials) (17 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions

Trivia:

In spite of the show's seeming drug imagery (the psychedelic landscape, an episode prominently involving magic mushrooms, a character whose name is basically "Puffin' Stuff") creators Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft vehemently deny any drug connection.

Quotes:

Witchiepoo: Stop eating your popcorn and be quiet!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in War of the Worlds 2: The Next Wave (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

H.R. Pufnstuf

You had to see this as a kid to 'get' it.

For any adult born after 1970, this series (and the movie that was made from it) will make little sense, if any. Wild, raucous colors, dancing, singing, and an island where everything - yes, EVERYTHING - is alive.

Little Jimmy, coaxed to Living Island by the evil machinations of Witchy-Poo (the heavy of the series) finds himself in possession of a magic, talking flute, and trapped on an island of talking hats and dragons and witches, all of which he can barely comprehend. To an adult of today, the show simply makes little sense...

Ah, but if you saw it as a child, as I did, the show makes perfect sense. First, it's *FUN*. That, indeed, was one of the main points of the show - having fun. Yet, each show attempted to impart (as is typical for children's programming) a moral message. In general, the most common message of the entire series was "Perseverance". Keep trying, because though you may fail, if you keep trying, you may succeed in the end. Other lessons imparted by the show include 'Don't steal', 'Don't Lie', and 'Don't be Mean (despite how much fun it may be, you end up hurting others, and that isn't nice).'

Adults today look at the show, searching for depth, perhaps hidden meanings. Well, there *AREN'T* any - what you see is what you get. Cling and Clang have no "Hidden Meanings" - they are simply Cling and Clang. The talking flute is just a talking flute, and Jimmy is just a boy who wants to go home.

Alas, the networks decided to cancel the show. In an era where even the most critically acclaimed shows often died due to a slip of a point or two in the Nielsens, H.R. Pufnstuf was not the smash hit the network demanded. Adults of the time simply shook their heads as their children laughed and clapped and sang along with the simple songs, for parents of the time understood the show about as well as they understood the dark side of the moon.

Yet, I understood it as a child, as did all my friends of that time. Yes, we sang along with the theme song (which I can still sing today, word for word - it was mercifully short), laughed at the antics of the Living Islanders, booed the evil Witchy-Poo, and deeply felt for Little Jimmy, who sometimes wept for his heartfelt desire to go home. As a child, however, I often found I was jealous, even angry with little Jimmy. Living Island was, in the end, a fantasy paradise (despite Witchy-Poo), and for each moment Jimmy sighed and wished he could go home, I sighed and wished I could be there, on Living Island, instead of in the world of 1969, with it's turmoil and strife that were far beyond the comprehension of a little boy.