"Sigmund and the Sea Monsters" (1973) TV series 1973-1975

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Directors:

Dick Darley
Murray Golden

Writers:

Rita Sedran Rose (writer) (2 episodes)
Fred S. Fox (writer) (episode)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

8 September 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Sigmund is a sea monster. He's also a tremendous embarrassment to his family because, unlike a normal sea monster...

Plot Keywords:

San Diego California

Cast

Johnny Whitaker	...	Johnny Stuart (13 episodes, 1973)
Scott C. Kolden	...	Scott Stuart / ... (13 episodes, 1973)
Billy Barty	...	Sigmund Ooze / ... (13 episodes, 1973)
Mary Wickes	...	Aunt Zelda (12 episodes, 1973-1975)
Sharon Baird	...	Big Daddy Ooze / ... (11 episodes, 1973)
Van Snowden	...	Sweet Mama Ooze / ... (11 episodes, 1973)
Larry Larsen	...	Blurp Ooze / ... (8 episodes, 1973-1975)
Paul Gale	...	Slurp Ooze / ... (6 episodes, 1973-1975)
Joe Higgins	...	Sheriff Chuck Bevans (6 episodes, 1973)

Runtime:

30 min (29 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Quotes:

Sigmund Ooze: Oh, I love you Fluffy!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Homestarrunner.com: Everything Else, Volume 2 (2006) (V)

A few more details about the show

"Sigmund and the Seamonsters" was probably the last Sid and Marty Kroft show I ever watched, except for maybe Land of the Lost. Like H.R. Puffinstuff, the Bugaloos, and Lidsville, I watched the shows every week and even knew the order the shows fell in when they did re-runs.

Just a few details some people may have forgotten since they are not being included and some people seem a little hazy. There were at least two theme-songs (the early one, started out 'Nothing like a day out on the beach' and the main chorus was, "Friends, friends, friends (everybody needs friends). After season 1, the theme song shifted to something in a more minor-key.

The name of the town/beach was Dead Man's Point. There were rocks so it was probably in California or Maine. Zelda was a housekeeper, not an aunt, and she was very matter-of-fact down to business.

The boys' names, of course, were Johnny and Scott. They had a troublesome next-door neighbor, Mrs. Eddles, who would occasionally see something involving the boys and the sea monsters and would get hysterical and call the sheriff or Zelda. The Sheriff's name was Sheriff Bevins, and he seemed to have a crush on Zelda.

As for the sea-monsters themselves, Sigmund's troublesome brothers names were 'Blurp' and 'slurp'. They were very destructive and rude. Sigmund's mother and father (Sigmund ran away from home to live with the boys, staying in their clubhouse) were simply referred to as "Big Daddy" and "Sweet Mama." They were awful, too. Big Daddy was something between Archie Bunker and a gangster in his personality, the mother was whiny and pathetic and repulsive, always miserable. They did have a pet lobster named Prince which barked like a small dog.

The sea monsters lived in a cave in the cliffs by the sea, and usually (the way the plot worked) whatever was going on at Johnny and Scott's place was being paralleled at the sea monsters' cave. For instance, if Zelda the Housekeeper insisted on cleaning the house on a certain day, Sweet Mamma, the Seamonster mother, was usually forcing her family of sea monsters to do the same thing.

Most episodes involved the monsters' harassing Sigmund or stealing something from the humans which had to be retrieved, and most episodes involved Johnny and Scott deceiving the dimwitted sea monsters and escaping with their prize. Pursuit would follow, and many scenes involved running around the dark caves.

What a life -- every kid wants to live by the sea, and discover caves, treasure, sailing, surfing, and sea monsters. A classic childhood dream. Maybe Sheldon the Genie was OK in the second season, but the show certainly took on a different character then, and eventually lost my interest.

the two boys also did promos for the Heart Association and for the Boy Scouts, in their characters.