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H.R. Pufnstuf
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H.R. Pufnstuf
Created by
Sid and Marty Krofft
Starring
Jack Wild
Billie Hayes
Voices of
Lennie Weinrib
Joan Gerber
Walker Edmiston
Country of origin
United States
No. of seasons
1
No. of episodes
17
Production
Producer(s)
Sid and Marty Krofft
Running time
25 minutes (per episode)
Distributor
CBS Television Distribution
Release
Original network
NBC
Original release
September 6 – December 27, 1969
H.R. Pufnstuf is a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. It was the first Krofft live-action, life-sized-puppet program.[1] The seventeen episodes were originally broadcast from September 6, 1969, to December 27, 1969. The broadcasts were successful enough that NBC kept it on the Saturday morning schedule until August 1972. The show was shot in Paramount Studios and its opening was shot in Big Bear Lake, California. Reruns of the show aired 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 their "Super Retrovision Saturdaze" Saturday morning-related overnight programming block and in the summer of 2004 as part of their TV Land Kitschen (sic) late-night programming block, and was later shown on MeTV from 2014 until 2016.
In 2004 and 2007, H.R. Pufnstuf was ranked #22 and #27 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever.[2][3]
Contents
[hide]
1 Origins
2 Plot
3 Characters
3.1 Main characters
3.2 Other characters
4 Production
5 Theme song
6 Episodes
7 Cast
7.1 Krofft puppets
7.2 Voice characterizations
8 Film
9 Tours
10 DVD releases
11 McDonaldland lawsuit
12 Claims of drug references
13 Parodies and tributes
14 References
15 External links
Origins[edit]
The H.R. Pufnstuf character was originally created for the HemisFair '68 world's fair in 1968, where the Kroffts produced a show called Kaleidoscope for the Coca-Cola pavilion. The character's name was Luther, and he became the symbol of the fair.[4]
Plot[edit]
H.R. Pufnstuf introduced the Kroffts' most-used plot scenario: their fairy tale of good versus evil, as well as their second plot scenario: the stranger in a strange land.[1]
The show centered on a shipwrecked boy named Jimmy (played 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 his friend, a talking flute named Freddy, take a ride on a mysterious boat, which promised adventures across the sea to the kooky Living Island, home of dancing talking trees and singing frogs.
The boat was actually owned and controlled by a wicked witch named Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (played by Billie Hayes) who rode on a broomstick-like vehicle called the Vroom Broom. She used the boat to lure Jimmy and Freddy to her castle on Living Island, where she was going to take Jimmy prisoner and steal Freddy for her own purposes.
The Mayor of Living Island was a friendly and helpful anthropomorphic dragon named H.R. Pufnstuf (voiced by the show's writer Lennie Weinrib, who also voices many of the other characters) who found out about her plot upon witnessing the action and was able to rescue Jimmy, with the help of Cling and Clang, when he leaped out of the enchanted boat with Freddy and swam ashore. Jimmy was taken in by H.R. Pufnstuf, who was able to protect him from Witchiepoo, as the cave where he lived was the only place her magic had no effect.
Apart from Jimmy and Witchiepoo, all of the characters on Living Island were realized via large cumbersome costumes or puppetry of either anthropomorphic animals or objects. Since everything on Living Island was alive (namely houses, castles, boats, clocks, candles, books, trees, mushrooms, etc.), 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 most notably John Wayne as "The West Wind". A frequent plot device involves Witchiepoo and her henchmen Orson Vulture, Seymour Spider, and Stupid Bat trying to steal Freddy only to be thwarted by Pufnstuf. Another concerns Jimmy and Freddy's efforts to return home from Living Island with the same lack of success.
Characters[edit]
Main characters[edit]
Jimmy (portrayed by Jack Wild) – One of the main characters of the series. He is a young 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 Albert F. Bentley, voiced by Lennie Weinrib in a Southern accent) – The title character of the series. H.R. Pufnstuf is a friendly dragon who is the Mayor of Living Island.
Freddy the Flute (voiced by Joan Gerber) – Freddy is a magic talking flute that is owned by Jimmy. He is often targeted by Witchiepoo.
Cling and Clang (performed by Joy Campbell and Angelo Rossitto) – Cling and Clang are two short mute keystone cops with furry three-toed feet and bird-like faces who work for H.R. Pufnstuf as his Rescue Racer Crew. Cling wears red and Clang wears green.
Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (portrayed by Billie Hayes) – The primary antagonist of the series. Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo is a wicked but inefficient witch who has been targeting Freddy the Flute to use him in her own agendas. She rides a large rocket-powered broom with a steering wheel called the Vroom Broom. She is mean to everyone around her, even her henchmen, whom she constantly whacks with her wand. Yet when faced with failure, she usually starts to pity herself, by asking "Why me?"
Orson Vulture (performed by Joy Campbell, voiced by Lennie Weinrib) – A stuffy, somewhat inept vulture who is one of Witchiepoo's henchmen. As her favorite flunky, he multitasks as her sounding board, butler, and co-pilot on her Vroom Broom. Orson once made the mistake of asking what the W. in his boss' name stood for. The answer: WHACK!
Seymour Spider (performed by Angelo Rossitto, voiced by Walker Edmiston) – A dim-witted spider who is another of Witchiepoo's henchmen. As her second favorite flunky, he primarily serves her as an alternative sounding board and hairdresser.
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, he is not very bright and his messages are usually delivered one second too late.
Skeleton Guards – Two skeletons who guard Witchiepoo's castle.
Other characters[edit]
Dr. Blinky (performed by John Silver, voiced by Walker Edmiston impersonating Ed Wynn) – An owl who is Living Island's local physician and scientist. Dr. Blinky is also the head of H.R. Pufnstuf's "Anti-Smog, Pollution, and Witch Committee".
Judy the 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.
Pop Lolly (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) – A living lollipop who makes and sells candy.
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 John Silver, voiced by Walker Edmiston impersonating W. C. Fields) – A lion who works as a pedlar 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 where he would often help to thwart Witchiepoo's plots.
Polka-Dotted Horse (performed by Felix Silla, voiced by Lennie Weinrib) – A good-natured 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 the husband of Grandmother Clock.
Grandmother Clock (voiced by Joan Gerber) – A mobile grandmother clock who is the wife of 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.
Lady Boyd (performed by Sharon Baird) – A blue bird who is the lead singer of The Boyds. She was often seen singing the end theme to this show.
Shirley 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) – Max Von Toadenoff is a monocled toad. He is a film director that directs movies. Max von Toadenoff the Great is based on Erich von Stroheim.
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 – 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 stereotypical Native American fashion.
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 Béla Lugosi)
Evil Tree #2 – A tree that speaks like Peter Lorre.
Evil Tree #3 – 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 Jimmy 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 inanimate talking 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), the South Wind (voiced by Joan Gerber), the East Wind (voiced by Walker Edmiston), and the West Wind (voiced by Lennie Weinrib impersonating John Wayne).
Production[edit]
After creating costumes for characters in the live-action portion of The Banana Splits Adventure Hour, Sid and Marty Krofft were asked to develop their own Saturday morning children's series for NBC. The plot was recycled from Kaleidoscope, a live puppet show the Kroffts had staged in the Coca-Cola pavilion of the HemisFair '68 world's fair in 1968, including several key characters from this show, such as Luther the dragon and a silly witch.[5] Other ideas were cultivated from Sid's life. As a child, he'd charged friends buttons, not pennies, to view puppet shows in his back yard;[6] buttons were standard currency on Living Island. Sid and Marty had toured with their puppets as the opening act for Judy Garland, and they based Judy the Frog on her.[7] Ludicrous Lion bears more than a passing resemblance to Irving, the eponymous lion in a pilot they had made in 1957 called Here's Irving.
Sid's friend, Lionel Bart, asked him to view a rough cut of the movie adaptation of Oliver. Sid took notice of young actor Jack Wild and immediately decided that was the kid he wanted to play the lead in his television series.[8] Only two actresses auditioned to play Witchiepoo. The first was then-unknown Penny Marshall,[8] but it was felt that she was not right for the part. Stage veteran Billie Hayes came in next, set into a maniacal cackle and hopped up on a desk. She was given the part on the spot.[5]
For Marty Krofft, the production was a particular headache. Marty accepted guardianship of Jack Wild while the teenage boy was in the United States filming the show.[5] He later described bringing Wild into his home as a mistake.[5]
Like most children's television shows of the era, H.R. Pufnstuf contained a laugh track, the inclusion of which the Kroffts were initially against. Sid Krofft commented "We were sort of against that, but Si Rose—being in sitcoms—he felt that when the show was put together that the children would not know when to laugh." Marty Krofft added "the bottom line—it's sad—you gotta tell them when it's funny. And the laugh track, (Si) was right. It was necessary, as much as we were always looking to have a real laugh track, a real audience. In comedies, if you don't have them (laugh track), you're in big trouble, because if you don't hear a laugh track, it's not funny. And that's the way the audience (at home) was programmed to view these shows."[9]
Witchiepoo later appeared in the Lidsville episode "Have I Got a Girl For Hoo Doo" where she lands a date with Horatio J. Hoodoo. H.R. Pufnstuf appeared in a segment of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters as well as in the Lidsville episode "Have I Got a Girl For Hoo Doo" where Hoo Doo conjures Pufnstuf as Witchiepoo's date for a witches' dance. The Krofft Superstar Hour also involved characters in two segments The Lost Island (which H.R. Pufnstuf was in) and Horror Hotel (which Witchiepoo, Orson Vulture, Seymour Spider, and Stupid Bat are featured with Hoodoo).
Theme song[edit]
The show’s theme song, titled "H.R. Pufnstuf", was written by Les Szarvas but is also credited to Paul Simon. Simon's credit was added when he successfully sued The Kroffts, claiming that the theme too closely mimicked his song "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)".[10] He is credited as the song's co-writer in TeeVee Tunes's Television's Greatest Hits Volume 5: In Living Color.[11]
A cover of the show’s theme song, performed by The Murmurs, is included on the 1995 tribute album Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, produced by Ralph Sall for MCA Records.
Episodes[edit]
No.
Title
Original air date
1
"The Magic Path" September 6, 1969 (1969-09-06)
Jimmy and H.R. Pufnstuf infiltrate Witchiepoo's castle to rescue Judy Frog so that they can get directions to the Magic Path. The Magic Path is the only way off Living Island. Will Jimmy and Freddy get back home?
2
"The Wheely Bird" September 13, 1969 (1969-09-13)
Jimmy and H.R. Pufnstuf use a bird-shaped "Trojan Horse" as a ruse to enter Witchipoo's castle and recover Freddy from Witchiepoo.
3
"Show Biz Witch" September 20, 1969 (1969-09-20)
When shyster Ludicrous Lion convinces Jimmy that he has a super-duper pogo stick for sale that could bounce him home, H.R. Pufnstuf and Jimmy conduct a talent show to raise the money.
4
"The Mechanical Boy" September 27, 1969 (1969-09-27)
Witchiepoo puts a spell on Jimmy that turns him into a mechanical boy and commands him to acquire Freddy for her. The Clock people have to find a way to cure Jimmy.
5
"The Stand In" October 4, 1969 (1969-10-04)
When H.R. Pufnstuf’s sister Shirley comes to Living Island to make a movie, Jimmy and Freddie get parts in it. Together, they hatch a plot to get Witchiepoo into the movie so that Jimmy can steal her Vroom Broom to escape.
6
"The Golden Key" October 11, 1969 (1969-10-11)
Sour Jimmy buys a map to the location of the Golden Key which unlocks the Golden Door (a secret way off of Living Island), Witchiepoo captures H.R. Pufnstuf and imprisons him in her dungeon diverting Jimmy from his escape.
7
"The Birthday Party" October 18, 1969 (1969-10-18)
It's Jimmy's birthday! Pufnstuf and his friends fixes a surprise birthday party for Jimmy. Witchiepoo invites herself to Jimmy's party and steals Freddy by rendering the partygoers helpless with laughing gas.
8
"The Box Kite Kaper" October 25, 1969 (1969-10-25)
Jimmy and Freddy attempt to fly from Living Island in a giant box kite during a kite-flying contest.
9
"You Can't Have Your Cake" November 1, 1969 (1969-11-01)
Witchiepoo hides in a cake to steal Freddy.
10
"The Horse with the Golden Throat" November 8, 1969 (1969-11-08)
The Polka-Dotted Horse accidentally swallows Freddy causing a big catastrophe with Dr. Blinky, H.R. Pufnstuf, and Jimmy.
11
"Dinner for Two" November 15, 1969 (1969-11-15)
Jimmy and Freddy both age 70 years when the Clock Family's time machine malfunctions. Witchiepoo mistakes Jimmy for an old man and falls in love with him.
12
"Flute, Book and Candle" November 22, 1969 (1969-11-22)
Freddy gets turned into a mushroom by the touch of Witchiepoo's evil mushrooms. Jimmy disguises himself as a beggar to rescue Freddy from the spell.
13
"Tooth for a Tooth" November 29, 1969 (1969-11-29)
Disguised as a little girl, Witchiepoo visits Dr. Blinky about a bad tooth. But she breaks into fits of rage when the pain becomes too much forcing the doctor to calm her down via love potion.
14
"The Visiting Witch" December 6, 1969 (1969-12-06)
Witchiepoo receives a message from headquarters that the Boss Witch is coming to Living Island for an inspection. In a plot to impress the Boss Witch, she ends up kidnapping H.R. Pufnstuf.
15
"The Almost Election of Witchiepoo" December 13, 1969 (1969-12-13)
Witchiepoo runs for Mayor of Living Island challenging H.R. Pufnstuf with another of her spells.
16
"Whaddya Mean the Horse Gets the Girl?" December 20, 1969 (1969-12-20)
H.R. Pufnstuf's sister Shirley stars in a movie to raise money for Living Island's anti-witch fund.
17
"'Jimmy Who?" December 27, 1969 (1969-12-27)
Jimmy gets amnesia that Dr. Blinky and Witchiepoo take turns trying to cure with flashbacks from earlier episodes.
Cast[edit]
Jack Wild – Jimmy
Billie Hayes – Wilhemina W. Witchiepoo
Krofft puppets[edit]
[12]
Performer
Character(s)
Voice(s)
Sharon Baird Stupid Bat Lennie Weinrib
Judy Frog Joan Gerber
Shirley Pufnstuf
Lady Boyd End credits vocals
Joy Campbell[13] Orson Vulture Lennie Weinrib
Cling No voice
Albert F. Bentley H.R. Pufnstuf Lennie Weinrib
Angelo Rossitto Seymour Spider Walker Edmiston
Clang No voice
John Silver Dr. Blinky Walker Edmiston
Ludicrous Lion
Jerry Landon ?
Jon Linton
Scutter McKay
Harry Monty
Andy Ratoucheff Tick Tock Lennie Weinrib
Robin Roper ?
Felix Silla Polka-Dotted Horse Lennie Weinrib
Voice characterizations[edit]
Lennie Weinrib – Bela Lugosi Tree, H.R. Pufnstuf, Dr. Blinky's Talking Book, Stupid Bat, Pop Lolly, West Wind, Max Von Toadenoff the Great, Orson Vulture, Polka Dotted Horse, Jimmy as Movie Villain
Walker Edmiston – Boris Karloff Tree, Dr. Blinky's Candle, East Wind, Grandfather Clock, North Wind, Chief Redwood, Alarm Clock, Dr. Blinky, Dr. Blinky's Test Tube, Ludicrous Lion, Seymour Spider
Joan Gerber – Freddy the Flute, Grandmother Clock, Judy the Frog, Madame Willow, South Wind, Lady Boyd, Shirley Pufnstuf
Film[edit]
Main article: Pufnstuf (film)
While the television series was still in production, the Kroffts were approached to do a film adaptation.[14] A joint venture between Universal Pictures and the show's sponsor Kellogg's Cereal,[15] the 1970 film retained most of the cast and crew from the series and featured guest appearances by Cass Elliott as Witch Hazel and Martha Raye as Boss Witch. The movie was finally released on VHS in 2001 by Universal Home Video as part of their Universal Treasures Collection, and on DVD on May 19, 2009.[16] The film also included Googy Gopher, Orville Pelican, and Boss Witch's chauffeur Heinrich Rat who were exclusive to the movie. A main difference in the film is that the characters that were voiced by Lennie Weinrib were each voiced by Allan Melvin and Don Messick.
The Kroffts have long had plans for a new H.R. Pufnstuf film. Sony first attempted a remake in 2000, but dropped the project.[17] In September, 2008, it was revealed that a live-action feature film was again being developed at Sony. But after 9 years of waiting, it is currently unknown when a release date for the film will be announced.[18]
Tours[edit]
A number of USA stage show tours were run starring the same characters from the show. The most prominent of these was "H.R. Pufnstuf & The Brady Kids Live at the Hollywood Bowl", which was performed and recorded in 1973. This performance was released on VHS in 1997.
DVD releases[edit]
In 2004, Rhino Entertainment released H.R. Pufnstuf: The Complete Series, featuring all 17 episodes on three discs, remastered and uncut, accompanied by interviews with Sid & Marty Krofft, Billie Hayes, and Jack Wild. The Complete Series has gone out of print, but individual (best-of) releases continue to be sold. Pufnstuf, a major motion picture released in 1970, was also released on May 19, 2009, by Universal Studios. SMK and Vivendi Entertainment has obtained the home video rights to the series and released the complete series on Jan. 11, 2011. Two versions of the release exist; one is a traditional complete series set, while the other is a collector's set, featuring a bobble-head of H.R. Pufnstuf. The series is also available in Digital media format at iTunes Store. The whole catalog is available to stream at www.qkids.com and the Qkids app in iTunes Store.
McDonaldland lawsuit[edit]
H.R. Pufnstuf at Knott's Berry Farm, 1970s
The show was the subject of a successful lawsuit brought by the Kroffts against the fast food restaurant McDonald's, whose McDonaldland characters were found to have infringed the show's copyright. The case, Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions Inc. v. McDonald's Corp., 562 F.2d 1157, was decided by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in 1977.
Claims of drug references[edit]
The Krofft brothers have responded in several interviews to popular beliefs that subtle recreational drug references exist in the show.[19][20][21] For example, the title character's name Pufnstuf has been interpreted as a reference to smoking hand-rolled (H.R.) marijuana (puffin' stuff);[19][20][21][22][23][24] Marty Krofft has said the initials H.R. actually stand for "Royal Highness" backwards.[23][24] The show's theme song lyric "he can't do a little, 'cause he can't do enough" has been read as referring to the addictive nature of drugs. Pufnstuf has quotes like "Whoa, dude!" and other "hippie" slang words. Lennie Weinrib, the show's head writer and the voice of Pufnstuf, has said, "I think fans gave it a kind of mysterious code-like meaning, like ‘Ah, was Pufnstuf puffing stuff? Like grass?’ Was it psychedelic? Was it drug oriented? Not to us, it wasn’t."[25][26] In a 2000 interview, Marty Krofft answered the question by saying, "The Krofft look has a lot of color, but there were no drug connotations in the show." He addressed the topic at length in an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2004, in response to the question, "OK, let's get this right out in the open. Is H.R. Pufnstuf just one giant drug reference?":
We've heard that for 35 years. We did not intentionally do anything related to drugs in the story. People thought we were on drugs. You can't do good television while on drugs. People never believe you when you say that, but you can't. The shows were very bright and spacey looking. They may have lent themselves to that culture at the time, but we didn't ascribe that meaning to them, and I can't speak to what adults were doing when they were watching the shows. We just set out to make a quality children's program.
—  Marty Krofft[23]
Authors of books on the show and its contemporaries, however, have not always accepted the Kroffts' alternative explanations for apparent references to drugs. David Martindale, author of Pufnstuf & Other Stuff, maintains that the Kroffts' desire to attract an audience who are now parents of impressionable children pushes them to downplay the double entendres: "But to deny it, the shows lose some of their mystique. The Kroffts prefer to remain playfully vague."[19] Martindale said in another interview that he fully believes Marty Krofft's insistence that he did not use drugs, especially given that Marty's focus was that of a businessman, but Martindale describes Sid Krofft as "a big kid" and "a hippy", saying, "His comment when I told him we were going to do this book was—and I quote—'Oh, far out.' He says these shows didn't come from smoking just a little pot, and you could say, 'Oh, yeah. It comes from smoking a lot of pot.' But I think he was very deliberately doing double meanings so the show could amuse people on different levels."[27]
Kevin Burke, co-author of Saturday Morning Fever: Growing Up with Cartoon Culture, argues that the "consistency of thought" in the rumors of drug references has a basis, although his co-author and brother Timothy Burke, a history professor at Swarthmore College, insists "human beings are capable of achieving hallucinatory heights without chemical assistance."[19] Contradicting his own position, Marty Krofft has neither admitted nor hinted in occasional interviews that the references were made knowingly; in one case, a writer reported that when pressed as to the connotation of "lids" in the title Lidsville, "Well, maybe we just had a good sense of humor", Krofft said, laughing.[24] His comments to another interviewer were more direct; in a Times Union profile whose author observed, "Watching the shows today, it's hard to imagine a show with more wink-and-nod allusions to pot culture, short of something featuring characters named Spliffy and Bong-O", Krofft conceded that the show's title had been an intentional marijuana reference, as had Lidsville, but "that was just a prank to see if they could get them past clueless NBC executives".[28]
Parodies and tributes[edit]
One of the most notable parodies of H.R. Pufnstuf was "The Altered State of Druggachusetts", a segment on the HBO comedy series Mr. Show with Bob and David. The sketch consists of a failed television pilot for a kids' show introduced by "Sam and Criminy Craffft" (portrayed by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross). The show itself is similar to H.R. Pufnstuf, with drug references made humorously overt. Instead of a talking flute, the boy carries a talking bong, and all of the residents in Druggachusetts take or are living incarnations of various drugs.[29][30]
Nike made a skateboarding shoe for their SB Dunk line named after the show, with the colors of the shoe resembling those of Pufnstuf.[31]
Excerpts from the show can often be seen playing on the TV in the hotel room Earl and his brother share in My Name Is Earl, and the October 18, 2007, episode features an extended scene with H.R. Pufnstuf as a super-crimefighter working alongside the title character's brother in a fantasy creative-writing exercise.
In an episode of the TV sitcom George Lopez, H.R. Pufnstuf makes a guest appearance at a birthday party. Lopez dances with him and the theme song is used as the music.
An episode of the animated television series The Simpsons features a "Hufnstuf on Ice" show which has characters that resemble the cast of H.R. Pufnstuf. Another episode features a muffin shop in Shelbyville called "H.R. Muffinstuff".
H.R. Pufnstuf appears in the eighth episode of the first-season of CHiPs, titled "Green Thumb Burglars" with his voice reprised by Lennie Weinrib. He is pulled over by Ponch (Erik Estrada) and Jon (Larry Wilcox) on one of Los Angeles, California's, numerous freeways. Though he was referred to by name, while Jon maintained a sense of decorum about the actor inside the Pufnstuf suit, he let the good Mayor Pufnstuf off with a warning. Ponch later declared himself a "big overgrown kid", in reference to the kids' show.[32]
In the film Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, the title character asks another character who is pushing him "Hey, what are ya, H.R. Shove n Stuff?"
The series has been cited as a major influence to the Cartoon Network program Adventure Time.
In 2015, H.R. Pufnstuf, Cling, Clang, and Freddy the Flute appear in a crossover episode of Mutt & Stuff titled "H.R. Pufnstuf Comes to Mutt & Stuff!" with H.R. Pufnstuf voiced by Randy Credico with Mary Karcz providing the in-suit performance while Donna Kimball provided the face performance, Freddy the Flute performed by Donna Kimball, and Cling and Clang performed by Arturo Gil and Joseph S. Griffo.[33] H.R. Pufnstuf is depicted as the uncle of Stuff.
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b CD liner notes: Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, 1995 MCA Records
Jump up ^ TV Guide's 25 Top Cult Shows - TannerWorld Junction Archived January 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. TannerWorld Junction: May 26, 2004
Jump up ^ TV Guide Names the Top Cult Shows Ever - Today's News: Our Take TV Guide: June 29, 2007
Jump up ^ "New video boxed-set "The World of Sid and Marty Krofft"". Liveworld.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Sid Krofft and Marty Interview Part 1 of 5 at YouTube. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
Jump up ^ Sid Krofft Interview Part One of One at YouTube. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
Jump up ^ Sid and Marty Krofft Interview Part Two at YouTube. Retrieved January 16, 2009.
^ Jump up to: a b E! True Hollywood Story: The Weird World of Sid and Marty Krofft
Jump up ^ "Sid & Marty Krofft - Archive Interview". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
Jump up ^ "Television's Greatest Hits, Vol. 5: In Living Color: Information from". Answers.com. November 5, 1996. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
Jump up ^ Erickson, Hal. Sid and Marty Krofft: A Critical Study of Saturday Morning Children's Television, 1969-1993. McFarland, 2007. p. 17, 41
Jump up ^ Erickson, Hal (1998). Sid and Marty Krofft : a critical study of Saturday morning children's television, 1969-1993. http://www.worldcat.org/title/sid-and-marty-krofft-a-critical-study-of-saturday-morning-childrens-television-1969-1993/oclc/39281871: Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, ©1998.
Jump up ^ Sid & Marty Krofft Interview on YouTube. Retrieved January 18, 2009.
Jump up ^ Passing Show, The Bridgeport Post, January 22, 1970 p. 21
Jump up ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
Jump up ^ Beck, Jerry (November 1, 2000). "Sony Pictures Family Entertainment drops theatrical plans". kidscreen.com. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
Jump up ^ Fleming, Michael (September 10, 2008). "Universal back for more Krofft". Variety. Retrieved 2011-06-03.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Owen, Rob. "'H.R. Pufnstuf' leads TV Land's foray into 'retrovision'", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 1, 1999, p.D1.
^ Jump up to: a b Boas, Liz. "When giant puppets walked the Earth, Sid and Marty Krofft creations like `H.R. Pufnstuf ' once roamed wild on kids' TV – now they're invading again: A Sid and Marty Krofft Primer", Austin American-Statesman, December 12, 1996, XL Entertainment section, p. 38.
^ Jump up to: a b Clodfelter, Tim. "Revival: the fantastic worlds of Sid and Marty Krofft are back in vogue again", Winston-Salem Journal (Winston-Salem, North Carolina), August 17, 2000, p.E1.
Jump up ^ Triplett, Ward. "Who's your friend?" (Etc. column), The Kansas City Star, February 2, 2004, p.D3.
^ Jump up to: a b c Finney, Daniel P. "Creators are clear: 'Pufnstuf' was definitely an acid trip", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 17, 2004, p.D3.
^ Jump up to: a b c Walker, Kevin. "Masters of puppets", The Tampa Tribune, June 18, 1999, Friday Extra! section, p.20.
Jump up ^ "H.R. Pufnstuf: The Strange World of Sid & Marty Krofft". E! True Hollywood Story. E!. 2000.
Jump up ^ Warren, Ellen; Armour, Terry. "Steppenwolf book impresses Metcalf, who should know" (INC. column; includes news brief on the E! special), Chicago Tribune, December 11, 2000, p.2.
Jump up ^ Silva, Elda. "Head back in time with David Martindale's 'Reruns' column", San Antonio Express-News, April 20, 1998, p.1C.
Jump up ^ McGuire, Mark. "Hey kids, it's Wink and Nod: Sid and Marty Krofft (mostly) made the '60s counterculture safe for Saturday morning television", The Times Union (Albany, New York), February 13, 2004, p.D1.
Jump up ^ Richard Leiby. "Wham! Right on the funny bone: the high low comedy of 'Mr. Show'", Washington Post, October 23, 1997, p.B1.
Jump up ^ Video clip of "The Altered State of Druggachusetts" on YouTube
Jump up ^ Nike Dunk Low Premium SB (Pufnstuf), Nike Skateboarding at skiptomyshoe.com
Jump up ^ "H.R. Pufnstuf - CHiPs Wiki". Chips-tv.com. February 5, 2008. Retrieved 2013-05-26.
Jump up ^ http://www.ew.com/hr-pufnstuf-nick-jr
External links[edit]
70s Live Action Kid Vid
The Straight Dope - "Was McDonaldland plagiarized from the old "H.R. Pufnstuf" kids' TV show?"
DVD Verdict – Region 1 DVD review
DVD Times – Region 0 DVD review
"In Search Of..H R Pufnstuf" - The Nice Rooms Webzine
H.R. Pufnstuf on IMDb
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Land of the Lost (2009)
Live shows
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Other
The World of Sid and Marty Krofft Theme Park
Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions Inc. v. McDonald's Corp.
Toby Terrier and His Video Pals
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Biag ni Lam-ang
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Biag ni Lam-ang
Gender
Male
Region
Philippines (Ilocos)
Biag ni Lam-ang (English: "The Life of Lam-ang") is an epic poem of the Ilocano people from the Ilocos region of the Philippines. It is notable for being the first Philippine folk epic to be recorded in written form, and was one of only two folk epics documented during the Philippines' Spanish Colonial period, along with the Bicolano epic of Handiong.[1](p6) It is also noted for being a folk epic from a "Christianized" lowland people group (the Ilocano people),[2] with Roman Catholic elements incorporated into the storytelling.[1](p"6")
As oral literature, the poem is believed to have originated in pre-colonial times, evolving as it is passed on from poet to poet and generation to generation.[1](p"3") The poem's first transcription is sometimes attributed to the blind Ilocano poet-preacher Pedro Bucaneg, but historian E. Arsenio Manuel instead attributes its the first written documentation to Fr. Gerardo Blanco of Narvacan, working with the publicist and folklorist Isabelo de los Reyes.[1](p"11")
Contents
[hide]
1 Historiography
2 Narrative
2.1 Literary structure
2.2 Lam-ang's extraordinary birth
2.3 The quest for Lam-Ang's father
2.4 The pursuit of Ines Kannoyan
2.5 Lam-ang's death and magical resurrection
3 Notable themes and storytelling elements
3.1 Comedic elements
3.2 Roman Catholic elements
3.3 Influences from the Indian Hindu epics
4 Adaptations
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Historiography[edit]
As oral literature, the poem is believed to have originated in pre-colonial times, evolving as it is passed on from poet to poet and generation to generation.[1](p"3")
The poem is sometimes attributed to the blind Ilocano poet-preacher Pedro Bucaneg, who supposedly dictated it so that it could be written down.[3][better source needed] However, it is unclear whether this "transcription" refers to an extant copy of the Biag ni Lam-ang text. Some texts, such as Celedonio Aguilar's "Readings in Philippine Literature" (Rex Bookstore, 1994) even state that this transcription occurred in 1640[4] - long after Bukaneg is believed to have died.[5]
Instead, historian E. Arsenio Manuel attributes the first written documentation of Biag Ni Lam-ang to the parish priest of the municipality Narvacan Fr. Gerardo Blanco and to publicist and folklorist Isabelo de los Reyes. It was Fr. Blanco who sent the text of the poem to De Los Reyes, who then published the text, in Ilocano, along with a Spanish prose translation, in his paper, the El Ilocano, 1889 to 1890.[1](p"6")
Narrative[edit]
Literary structure[edit]
Prologue: The Birth of Lam-ang (lines 5-108)
Quest for Father (lines 109-370)
Preparation (lines 109-192)
Obstacle: Burican (lines 193-261)
Triumph (lines 262-315)
Return to Home (lines 315-370)
Quest for Wife (lines 455-1300)
Preparation (lines 455-586)
Obstacles: Sumarang and Saridandan (lines 587-724)
Wedding Banquet (lines 725-1286)
Return to Home (lines 725-1286)
Epilogue: The Death and Restoration of the Hero (lines 1301-1477)[6]
Lam-ang's extraordinary birth[edit]
Lam-ang is an extraordinary being, manifesting when he begins to speak in his early years, thus enabling him to choose his own name.
The quest for Lam-Ang's father[edit]
His adventures begin when his father, Don Juan, set out for a battle but never returned. At barely nine months, Lam-ang goes to search for Don Juan in the highlands where the latter was said to have gone. Aware that her child was a blessed, exceptional creature, his mother Namongan allows him to go. Lam-ang then goes off in search of his father, leaving his grieving mother behind.
He sees his father beheaded and the head put on a spike. While the headhunters are celebrating, in his anger, he challenges all of them to a duel. The headhunters throw spears at him, but he just catches it and throws it back to them. He defeats the headhunters, kills them all and takes his father's head down to the plains...
The pursuit of Ines Kannoyan[edit]
Upon arriving home, Lam-ang decides to court his love interest, Ines Kannoyan who lives in Calanutian (Kanluit). [7] Despite his mother’s disapproval, he follows his heart and set off again on another journey to his love. He faces one of Ines’ suitors and various monsters, but again is able to vanquish them with ease. Aiding him are his magical pets, a cat (in other versions, no cat), a dog, and a rooster. The bird flaps its wings and a house toppled over. This feat amazes everyone present, especially Ines. Then, Lam-ang’s dog barks and the house rose up. Invited to lunch with the family of Ines, Lam-ang impresses her parents with his wealth and upon returning, he gives the family two golden ships.
Lam-ang's death and magical resurrection[edit]
After his death due to being eaten by a huge fish, Lam-ang's bones are recovered and he is resurrected with the help of his magical pets. Ines is ordered by the rooster to wrap the bones with her tapis while the hen flapped its wings and the dog growled. In an instant, Lam-ang is happily reunited with his wife.
Notable themes and storytelling elements[edit]
Comedic elements[edit]
Biag ni Lam-ang, though dominated by action and tragedy, nonetheless contained some comedic points. A prominent example is the scene in which Lam-ang was on his way home. He passes by the Amburayan River (identified by some as the biggest river in Ilocos[who?]) and decides to have a dip. The dirt and blood that came off from his body causes the death of the river's fish, crabs, and shrimp. As he is bathing, some of the maidens who were present at the river gladly attend to him.
Roman Catholic elements[edit]
The tale of Lam-ang, as a story passed on for generations as oral literature and recorded well into the Philippines' Spanish Colonial period, is notable for incorporating Roman Catholic Christian elements in its story, such as references by the characters of Lam-ang and Ines Kannoyan to marriage as a sacrament. Folklorist Mellie Leandicho Lopez notes that "later versions of the epic differ from the early texts due to the addition of more Christian and Spanish elements in the adventures of the Culture hero Lam-Ang."[2]
Influences from the Indian Hindu epics[edit]
See also: Indian cultural influences in early Philippine polities, Indian culture, Indosphere, Greater India, and Ramayana
Although most of the thematic scholarship regarding the Biag ni Lam-ang have focused on the evolving Roman Catholic influences of the epic, some Philippine textbooks[8] have suggested that it may have been influenced by Hindu epics the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Philippine anthropologists and historiographers such as F. Landa Jocano suggest that such Hindu influences probably arrived in the Philippines through the extensive trade local cultures had with the Majapahit empire during the 14th through 16th centuries,[2][9][10] although earlier scholars such as Juan R. Francisco and Josephine Acosta Pasricha had suggested earlier dates for this influence, during the 9th to 10th century AD.[2](pp"xxiv-xxv")
Adaptations[edit]
In 2012, a film adaptation of the story of Lam-ang was made. Called "Lam-Ang", the film starred actors Rocco Nacino and Rochelle Pangilinan. It was originally intended to be a TV series, but it was later decided to turn it into a film adaptation by Gabriel Lorenzo Quizon instead.[citation needed]
See also[edit]
Philippine mythology
Philippine literature
Pedro Bucaneg
Philippine epic poetry
Greater India
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Manuel, E. Arsenio (1963). "A Survey of Philippine Folk Epics". Asian Folklore Studies. 22: 1–76.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Lopez, Mellie Leandicho (2006). A Handbook of Philippine Folklore. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press. ISBN 9789715425148.
Jump up ^ Zaide, Gregorio F. Great Filipinos in History. Manila: Verde Bookstore, 1970.
Jump up ^ Aguilar, Celedonio (1994). Readings in Philippine Literature. Rex Bookstore, Inc. ISBN 9789712315640.
Jump up ^ Hill, Percy A. (1904). "Pedro Bukaneg - A Philippine Moses". Philippine Magazine. Manila, Philippine Education Co. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
Jump up ^ Flores, Randolf C. (2007). "Literary Unity and Structure of the Ilocano Epic, Biag ni Lam-ang". Diwa: Studies in Philosophy and Theology. 32: 25–38.
Jump up ^ Yabes, Leopoldo Y. (May 1931). "The Heroine of the Ilocano Epic, "The Life of Lam-ang"". Philippine magazine. Manila: Philippine Education Co. 31 (1). Retrieved 2015-08-17.
Jump up ^ Halilli, Maria Christine (2004), Philippines History, pp. 46
Jump up ^ Osborne, Milton (2004). Southeast Asia: An Introductory History (Ninth ed.). Australia: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-448-5.
Jump up ^ Jocano, F. Landa (2001). Filipino Prehistory: Rediscovering Precolonial Heritage. Quezon City: Punlad Research House, Inc. ISBN 971-622-006-5.
External links[edit]
Summary in Tagalog
Summary in English
Bilingual (Tagalog-English) version
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