The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl
Encyclopedia
The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl was a live show at The Hollywood Bowl on July 29, 1973 that was filmed and aired as a television special, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft
. It originally aired in syndication on Thanksgiving
weekend, 1973
. Although shot at the Hollywood Bowl in front of a live audience, the special also utilized a laugh track, like other Krofft shows, for sweetening.
. Johnny Whitaker
hosts the show and performs "Friends," the theme song from Sigmund and the Sea Monsters
. Jack Wild
appears as Jimmy, who searches high and low for his friend H.R. Pufnstuf
(Van Snowden). H.R. Pufnstuf
's resident villain, Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (Louise DuArt
, substituting for the original Billie Hayes
) and Lidsville
's wacky magician Horatio J. Hoodoo (Paul Gale, substituting for the original Charles Nelson Reilly
) each showcase their unique magic talents. The Brady Bunch Kids perform a medley of songs, though they would not appear in a Sid and Marty Krofft TV production until The Brady Bunch Hour
in 1976.
first aired the special in a half-hour time-slot during their "Pufapalooza" marathon. This version was missing the opening sequence (Billy Barty
and other little people prepared the stage) and all of the scenes with Witchiepoo and Hoodoo. The special later aired frequently in an hour-long time-slot on TV Land
with some minor trims to compensate for increased commercial time.
The uncut version of the special was released on VHS
by Rhino Home Video in 1997
under the title H.R. Pufnstuf Live at the Hollywood Bowl.
Sid and Marty Krofft
Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft , are a sibling team of television producers who were influential in children's television and variety show programs in the USA, particularly throughout the 1970s and early 1980s....
. It originally aired in syndication on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
weekend, 1973
1973 in television
The year 1973 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1973.-Events:*January 4 – The record breaking, long-running comedy series in the UK and the world "Last of the Summer Wine" starts as a 30-minute pilot on BBC1's Comedy Playhouse show....
. Although shot at the Hollywood Bowl in front of a live audience, the special also utilized a laugh track, like other Krofft shows, for sweetening.
Plot
The special consists of a series of performances and skits based around the shows of Sid and Marty KrofftSid and Marty Krofft
Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft , are a sibling team of television producers who were influential in children's television and variety show programs in the USA, particularly throughout the 1970s and early 1980s....
. Johnny Whitaker
Johnny Whitaker
Johnny Whitaker is an American actor and singer notable for several performances for film and television during his childhood...
hosts the show and performs "Friends," the theme song from Sigmund and the Sea Monsters
Sigmund and the Sea Monsters
Sigmund and the Sea Monsters was an American children's television series that ran from 1973 to 1975, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft and aired on Saturday mornings...
. Jack Wild
Jack Wild
Jack Wild was a British actor who is best remembered for his performances in both stage and screen productions of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! with Ron Moody, Shani Wallis, and Oliver Reed. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the age of 16 for the role of the...
appears as Jimmy, who searches high and low for his friend H.R. Pufnstuf
H.R. Pufnstuf
H.R. Pufnstuf was a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. It was the first Krofft live-action, life-size puppet program. The seventeen episodes were originally broadcast September 6, 1969 to September 4, 1971...
(Van Snowden). H.R. Pufnstuf
H.R. Pufnstuf
H.R. Pufnstuf was a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. It was the first Krofft live-action, life-size puppet program. The seventeen episodes were originally broadcast September 6, 1969 to September 4, 1971...
's resident villain, Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (Louise DuArt
Louise DuArt
Louise DuArt , is an American comedian and impersonator.She began her career on the children's show, The Krofft Supershow, playing Nashville, a member of the fictional band, Kaptain Kool and the Kongs; she later worked on Krofft's last kid's show, The Krofft Superstar Hour, in which Kaptain Kool...
, substituting for the original Billie Hayes
Billie Hayes
Billie Hayes is an American actress best known for her comic portrayal as Witchie-poo on the Sid and Marty Krofft television series H.R. Pufnstuf. Her characteristic cackle and animated physicality were notable during the show's 17-episode run in 1969–70...
) and Lidsville
Lidsville
Lidsville was Sid and Marty Krofft's third television show following H.R. Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos . As did its predecessors, the series combined two types of characters: conventional actors in makeup filmed alongside performers in full mascot costumes, whose voices were dubbed in post-production...
's wacky magician Horatio J. Hoodoo (Paul Gale, substituting for the original Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly
Charles Nelson Reilly was an American actor, comedian, director and drama teacher known for his comedic roles in theater, movies, children's television, animated cartoons, and as a panelist on the game show Match Game....
) each showcase their unique magic talents. The Brady Bunch Kids perform a medley of songs, though they would not appear in a Sid and Marty Krofft TV production until The Brady Bunch Hour
The Brady Bunch Hour
The Brady Bunch Hour is an American variety television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in association with CBS Television Distribution, which aired on ABC between 1976 to 1977....
in 1976.
Alternate versions
Originally the special was broadcast in an hourlong time-slot with a total running time of 50 minutes (sans commercials). In 1995, Nick at NiteNick at Nite
Nick at Nite is the nighttime Cable network that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon on Sundays from 8.p.m.-7.am., Monday through Fridays from 9 p.m.-7 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. . Though it shares channel space with Nickelodeon, A.C. Nielsen Co...
first aired the special in a half-hour time-slot during their "Pufapalooza" marathon. This version was missing the opening sequence (Billy Barty
Billy Barty
Billy Barty was an American film actor.-Biography:Barty, an Italian American, was born William John Bertanzetti in Millsboro, Pennsylvania...
and other little people prepared the stage) and all of the scenes with Witchiepoo and Hoodoo. The special later aired frequently in an hour-long time-slot on TV Land
TV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
with some minor trims to compensate for increased commercial time.
The uncut version of the special was released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
by Rhino Home Video in 1997
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
under the title H.R. Pufnstuf Live at the Hollywood Bowl.