Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday Dance Party: What Were They Pufn?


Anybody who catches an episode of any Sid and Marty Krofft program will come away certain that those guys were puffing on something illegal. Lidsville, Bugaloos, Sigmund, Banana Splits, and especially The Brady Bunch Hour, are all proof of controlled substances being consumed in the Krofft production offices. (Go here for the Dance Party featuring the Bradys.) Nowhere is this more apparent than in their most famous creation, H.R.Pufnstuf. This wacko movie, based on the TV series, has already appeared on the Dance Party, to celebrate the late Cass Elliot. If you care to, you can watch her solo number from this nightmare here.
But in honor of Halloween, here is the other big production number from 1970's Pufnstuf. The film starred Jack Wild, seen here very briefly as an angel; he is continually upstaged in the film, as in the series, by Billie Hayes, who chews the cheesy scenery with no apologies (catch Hayes in another of her signature roles, Mammy Yokum, here). Martha Raye also appears here, clearly aware that her career ain't what it was. I guess you can't get more Halloweeny than these dancing, singing, cackling witches. Trick or Treat!