I find it hard to believe that H.R. Pufnstuf only had a 17 episode run. It seemed like it was in syndication for years on Saturday morning.
Sid and Marty Kroft were geniuses and Pufnstuf was a great creation, maybe their greatest. The premise was young Jack Wild got into a boat with his talking magic flute Freddie. It was all part of a nefarious scheme by the resident villain Witchiepoo to gain the flute. And after Pufnstuf rescues Wild and gives him sanctuary every week we were treated to Witchiepoo's latest schemes to obtain Freddie and how Pufnstuf and Wild foiled them each week. Witchiepoo and Hamilton Burger had a lot in common.
For adults I found it interesting that the various characters on Living Island seemed to resemble TV and film personalities. Billie Hayes was hilarious as Witchiepoo and she followed in the great tradition of Margaret Hamilton. Dr. Blinky sounded like Ed Wynn, who else would play the West Wind but a John Wayne imitator, and Ludicrous Lion sounded like WC Fields.
As for Pufnstuf, his was the familiar television voice of an Andy Griffith soundalike. Made it a bit fun for an older generation who knew who these folks were.
Great children's entertainment
Sid and Marty Kroft were geniuses and Pufnstuf was a great creation, maybe their greatest. The premise was young Jack Wild got into a boat with his talking magic flute Freddie. It was all part of a nefarious scheme by the resident villain Witchiepoo to gain the flute. And after Pufnstuf rescues Wild and gives him sanctuary every week we were treated to Witchiepoo's latest schemes to obtain Freddie and how Pufnstuf and Wild foiled them each week. Witchiepoo and Hamilton Burger had a lot in common.
For adults I found it interesting that the various characters on Living Island seemed to resemble TV and film personalities. Billie Hayes was hilarious as Witchiepoo and she followed in the great tradition of Margaret Hamilton. Dr. Blinky sounded like Ed Wynn, who else would play the West Wind but a John Wayne imitator, and Ludicrous Lion sounded like WC Fields.
As for Pufnstuf, his was the familiar television voice of an Andy Griffith soundalike. Made it a bit fun for an older generation who knew who these folks were.
Great children's entertainment