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This Day in Pop Culture

This Day in Pop Culture for September 6

Two of Sid and Marty Krofft’s TV series began premiering on this day.

September 6, 2020

2–3 minutes

1969: What’s an H.R. Pufnstuf?

It was at the San Antionio HemisFair in 1968 when inspiration for the Krofft Brothers first TV show came from. Sid and Marty had put together a children’s stage show called Kaleidoscope which featured a dragon called Luther. They then pitched a Luther Land TV show to NBC. The network liked the show, but didn’t like the name. The Krofft’s pivoted with Pufnstuf inspired by the song, “Puff the Magic Dragon.” Sid later added H.R. to the name meaning “royal highness” only backwards.

Premiering on this day in 1969, the show featured Jimmy (Jack Wild who played Oliver Twist in the movie musical, Oliver!) and his talking flute who boarded a happy-looking boat promising to take them on a happy adventure. Instead, the boat, which was owned by Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes), was a trap to steal the magic flute.

Jimmy was rescued by H.R. Pufnstuf (voiced by the show’s writer, Lennie Weinrib) and together they spent the next 16 episodes trying to get the boy back home. He never made it.

The show’s theme song was written by Les Szarvas but is also credited to Paul Simon when he successfully sued the Krofft brothers for mimicking his song, “Feelin’ Groovy,” too closely.

Though the show was a huge success, it was just too expensive for the Kroffts to continue to produce. However, the dragon made appearances in Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, C.H.I.P.S. and even The George Lopez Show.

1975: ‘The Lost Saucer’ and the ‘Far Out Space Nuts’ Fly for the First Time

Sid & Marty Krofft created two similar “lost in space” series that starred two different comedy duos for both ABC and CBS.

The Lost Saucer starred Ruth Buzzi and Jim Neighbors as androids Fi ad Fum from the year 2369. In the show’s premiere, the couple landed on Earth and invite a young boy, Jerry (Jarrod Johnson) and his babysitter Alice (Alice Playte) to check out their digs within the saucer, but accidentally take off along with their pet Dorse who was half dog and half horse.

Some have called Far Out Space Nuts as “Gilligan in Space” because the show starred Gilligan’s Island star Bob Denver who worked alongside Chuck McCann who slightly resembled the Skipper. The two played Junior and Barney, two dimwitted NASA maintenance workers who actually “launch” a space craft instead of having “lunch.” The pair found themselves in different misadventures for 15 episodes aided by their furry friend Honk who spoke with horn noise out of the top of his head.