H.r. pufnstuf episode 17 Continue Season 1 Pufnstuf redirects here. For the film based on this series, see Pufnstuf (film). American children's television series HR. PufnstufCreated bySid and Marty KrofftStarching Jack Wild Billie Hayes Voices by Lennie Weinrib Joan Gerber Walker Edmiston Country of OriginUnited StatesNo. seasons1No. of episodes17ProductionProducer(s)Sid and Marty KrofftRunning time25 minutes (per episode)DistributorCBS Television DistributionReleaseOriginal networkNBCOriginal releaseSeptember 6 (1969-09-06) –27 December, 1969 (1969-1912-27) 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 program, of a lifetime of dolls. [1] The seventeen episodes were originally broadcast between 6 September 1969 and 27 December 1969. The shows were quite successful that NBC kept him on the Saturday morning program until August 1972. The show was filmed in Paramount Studios, and its opening was filmed in Big Bear Lake, California. Replays of the show were broadcast on ABC on Saturday morning from September 2, 1972 to September 8, 1973, and on Sunday morning in some markets from September 16, 1973 to September 8, 1974. It was syndicated on its own from September 1974 to June 1978 and in a package with six other Krofft series under the Krofft Superstars banner from 1978 to 1985. The show's replays were shown on TV Land in 1999 as part of super Retrovision Saturday morning related to the prime programming block overnight and in the summer of 2004 as part of their TV Land Kitschen late-night prime block programming, and was later featured on MeTV from 2014 to 2016. In 2004 and 2007, HR Pufnstuf was ranked #22 and #27 at TV Guide's top cult shows, respectively. [2] Overview The Kroffts created the character H.R. Pufnstuf for the HemiFair '68 world fair, where they produced a show called Kaleidoscope for the Coca-Cola pavilion. The character's name was Luther, and he became the mascot of the fair. [4] H.R. Pufnstuf introduced the most widely used scenario of Kroffts' plot, about a fairy tale about right versus evil, and the second plot scenario of the alien in a foreign country. [1] The show focused on a stranded boy named Jimmy, played by teenage actor Jack Wild. He is 11 when he arrives on the island and turns 12 in the episode called The Birthday Party. Jimmy and a talking flute named Freddy take a ride on a mysterious boat, but the boat was actually owned by a wicked witch named Wilhelmina W. Wischiepoo (played by Billie Hayes) who rode on a broom vehicle called 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 for their own purposes. The mayor of Living Island was a friendly and helpful anthropomorphic dragon called HR Pufnstuf, played by Roberto Gamonet Gamonet cast by the show writer Lennie Weinrib, who also voices many of the other characters. The dragon saved Jimmy and protected him from Witchiepoo, because his cave was the only place where her magic had no effect. All the characters on the Living Island were made by large cumbersome costumes or puppets of anthropomorphic animals and objects. Everything was alive on the island, including houses, boats, watches, candles and so on; virtually any part of Living Island sets could become a character, usually cast in a parody of a famous movie star, such as Mae West, Edward G. Robinson, or John Wayne. Main characters Jimmy (portrayed by Jack Wild) - A young English boy who was lured to Living Island by an enchanted boat. Witchiepoo controlled the boat in order to steal Jimmy's talking flute named Freddy. H.R. Pufnstuf (played by Roberto Gamonet, played by Lennie Weinrib in a southern accent) – A friendly dragon who is the mayor of Vii Island. Freddy the Flute (voiced by Joan Gerber) – A magic flute that is owned by Jimmy. He is often targeted by Witchiepoo. Cling and Clang (played by Joy Campbell and Angelo Rossitto) – Two silent keystone cops working for HR Pufnstuf as his Racer rescue team. Cling wears red and Clang wears green. Although they appear animal-like with their beaked faces, and fur three feet with legs, the Kroffts said they are actually bells, hence their names. Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (played by Billie Hayes) – The main antagonist of the series; a wicked but ineffective witch who targeted Freddy the Flute to use it in her own agendas. She ride a big broom with a rocket with a steering wheel called The Vroom Broom. She's mean to everyone around her, even her henchmen, whom she constantly whacks with her wand. However, when faced with failure, she usually begins to commisetly, asking why me? Orson Vulture (played by Joy Campbell, played by Lennie Weinrib) - A clogged, somewhat inept eagle, who is one of Witchiepoo's henchmen. As her favorite flunky, he multitasks like her sounding board, butler, and co-pilot on her Vroom broom. Orson once made the mistake of asking what W. means on behalf of his boss. Answer: WHACK! Seymour Spider (played by Angelo Rossitto, played by Walker Edmiston) – A weak-minded 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 (played by Sharon Baird, played by Lennie Weinrib) - A bat that is the least favorite and the one seen by Witchiepoo's henchmen. He mainly serves as her messenger. After suggesting his name, he is not very bright and the messages are usually delivered a second too late. Skeleton Guards - Two skeletons guarding Witchiepoo's castle. They are easily scared, and will often run from in an instant, but not before their armor and capes fly off in a cartoon mode. Others Dr. Blinky (performed by John Silver, cast by Walker Edmiston personifying Ed Wynn) - An owl who is the doctor and scientist of the local Living Island. Dr. Blinky is also the head of H.R. Pufnstuf's Anti-Smog, Pollution, and Witch Committee. Judy the Frog (played by Sharon Baird, played by Joan Gerber) – A singing and dancing frog who is one of the friends of HR Pufnstuf and the resident artist. Judy relies on Judy Garland, whom Sid Krofft had previously toured with and opened for. Pop Lolly (expressed by Lennie Weinrib) - A life lollipop that makes and sells candy and other sweet goods. Cheese Guards - Two guards who are living pieces of cheese that work for Pop Lolly. They would often help Pop Lolly defend themselves off a group of Hippie ants who want to have free candy. Ludicre Lion (played by John Silver, played by Walker Edmiston personifying W. C. Fields) – A lion who works as a street vendor and owns a horse-drawn cart. 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-Puntatade Horse (played by Felix Silla, cast by Lennie Weinrib) - A horse of good nature, working for the Ridiculous Lion. Tick Tock (played by Andy Rattoucheff, cast by Lennie Weinrib) - A mobile alarm clock that warns good characters when Witchiepoo comes and informs them of various other dangers. Grandfather Clock (voiced by Walker Edmiston) - A mobile grandfather watch who is married to grandma watch. Grandma Clock (voiced by Joan Gerber) - A mobile grandmother watch who is married to Grandpa Clock. Miss Wristwatch (voiced by Joan Gerber personifying 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 serving as Living Island's residential band. Lady Boyd (played by Sharon Baird, played by Joan Gerber) – A blue bird that is the lead singer of The Boyds. She was often seen singing the theme of the end of this show. Shirlee Pufnstuf (played by Sharon Baird, played by Joan Gerber, posing as a younger Shirley Temple) – A dragon who is the sister of Hr. Pufnstuf and a famous actress. Max Von Toadenoff the Great (voiced by Lennie Weinrib) – A monocled frog working as a film director. Max von Toadenoff the Great is based on Erich von Stroheim. Good trees - more walking, talking trees that always help HR Pufnstuf and boys In the film Pufnstuf, the song Living Island described them as Hippie Trees of Peace and Love. They consist of: Hippie Tree - (expressed by Lennie Weinrib) A tree with sunglasses and dreadlocks that often speaks in hippie slang. Madame Madame (expressed by Joan Gerber) - Also known as the Dowager Tree, Madame Willow is an older, elitist female with a lorgnette. Chief Redwood (voiced by Walker Edmiston) - Also known as Indian Tree, Chief Redwood dons a hairstyle with feathers and speaks stereotypically Native American. There's an older, male tree that may or may not be Mrs. Willow's husband. There's another female tree whose lips are always in the shape of an O. Bad Trees – Three trees on Witchiepoo's side that speak with a Transylvanian accent. Evil Tree #1 – (voice of Lennie Weinrib, posing as Béla Lugosi) – Leader of the Evil Trees. Evil Tree #2 – (voiced by Walker Edminston posing as Peter Lorre). Evil Tree #3 - (expressed by Lennie Weinrib) A tree that always speaks in rhyme. Mushrooms - A group of mushrooms talk on The Side of Witchiepoo that turn anyone who touches them into mushrooms.