Mid-term Project - Saturday Morning Kidshows by Sid and Marty Kroft

H.R. Pufnstuf: H.R. Pufnstuf was the first live-action, life-size puppet program broadcasting 17 episodes begininning September 6, 1969 until August 1972. In this fairy tale of good versus evil, an 11 year old boy named Jimmie (Jack Wild) and his magic flute named Freddie, climb onto an abandoned boat belonging to a wicked witch named Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes), which is a trick to capture Jimmie and steal Freddie. As the boat approaches her castle on Living Island, Jimmie and Freddie leap out of the boat and swim to shore where they are rescued by the Mayor of Living Island, a helpful dragon named H.R. Pufnstuf (voiced by Lennie Weinrib). Pufnstuf protects Jimmy in his cave where he lived and where Witchiepoo's magic had no effect. Everything on Living Island was alive, such as houses, castles, books, trees and mushrooms, which become characters. In her effort to steal Freddie, Witchiepoo and her helpers Orson Vulture, Seymour Spider, and Stupid Bat are thwarted by Pufnstuf, while Jimmie and Freddie unsuccessfully try to return home.

Lidsville: Created in 1971, this kidshow is about a teenager named Mark (Butch Patrick) who, while at an amusement park with this friends, curiously sneaks away backstage at a magician's show find out how he he does his tricks. As he looks into the magician's hat, it begins to grow, and as Mark climbs on top to get a better look, he falls in and is transportated to another dimension... a land of living hats ruled by an evil, green skinned magician named Horatio Hoodoo (Charles Nelson Riley). Hoodoo captures Mark, but he is able to escape and takes Hoodoo's genie named Weenie (Billie Hayes) with him. Mark heads for Lidsville where he lives and becomes friends with the good hats. While he and Weenie try to find their way back to the real world, Mark trys to help the good hats gain independence from Hoodoo and his bad hats.

Sigmund and the Seamonsters: Sigmund and the Seamonsters ran 29 episodes in two seasons from 1973-1975 on Saturday mornings. This kidshow was about two brothers, Johnny (Johnny Whitaker) and Scott Stuart (Scott Kolden), who discover a friendly young sea monster named Sigmund, who had been thrown out by his disfunctional undersea family because he refused to frighten people. Johnny and Scott hide Sigmund in their clubhouse to prevent him from being kidnapped by Sigmund's brothers, Burp (Bill Germaine, Larry Larsen) and Slurp (Fred Spencer, Paul Gale), and keeping him a secret from their housekeeper Zelda (Mary Wickes), elderly neighbor Mrs. Eldels (Margaret Hamilton) and Sheriff Chuck Bevans (Joe Higgins).

The Bugaloos: The Bugaloos, airing on Saturday mornings from 1970-1972 is about a rock band of four British teenagers who dress as bugs with antennas and wings which allow them to fly. Joy, a butterfly (Caroline Ellis), Harmony, a bumblebee (Wayne Laryea), Courage, a ladybug (John Philpott), and I.Q., a grasshopper (John McIndoe). The plot involves an evil, jealous woman named Benita Bizarre (Martha Raye), who is a dreadful singer that lives in a gigantic jukebox through which she broadcasts her own unpleasant music through. Benita furious about the popularity of the Bugaloos and continually plans unsuccessful schemes to destroy them along with her two bumbling henchmen, Woofer and Tweeter (Joy Campbell and Van Snowden).