A Witchy Poo fan refers to an individual who is a dedicated follower or admirer of the fictional character Witchy Poo. Witchy Poo is a character from the children's television show "H.R. Pufnstuf," which aired in the late 1960s. The show revolved around a young boy named Jimmy and a talking flute named Freddy, who are transported to a magical land called Living Island. Witchy Poo is one of the main antagonists in the show, constantly scheming to steal Freddy the flute from Jimmy.
Now, how about that theme song!
My favourite joke in the whole series starts in the episode Show Biz Witch, which sees Jimmy and Pufnstuf organising a concert for the residents of Living Island. Hayes recent works include lending her voice for The Black Cauldron and for other classical cartoon features such as The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries , Trollkins , Darkwing Duck , The Brothers Flub , Transformers Rescue Bots and Paw Paws.
Witchy Poo is one of the main antagonists in the show, constantly scheming to steal Freddy the flute from Jimmy. She is depicted as a green-skinned witch with a large nose, red hair, and a pointy hat. Despite her evil intentions, Witchy Poo is often portrayed in a comical manner, making her a favorite among younger viewers.
Witch No. 10: Witchiepoo
As a kid, I was a big fan of the television show H.R. Pufnstuf. The show first aired in 1969, long before I was born, but in the early 1990s I owned a VHS cassette with two whole episodes on it. I remember watching those two episodes over and over again, marvelling at the technicolour world of Living Island: the talking trees, and the walking clocks, and the boy with his magic golden flute.
But none of that compared to Witchiepoo.
Of all the witches I’ve ever encountered, Witchiepoo was almost certainly the most formative. She’s a pantomime villain of the highest order, cackling her way through every scene, her tattered black cape flapping perfectly behind her. Most alarmingly, she can also teleport herself at will, and so can appear suddenly in any scene, her wicked wand pointed directly at “the good guys.” There were Witchiepoo moments that terrified me as a kid: particularly the moments when she would freeze Jimmy and his friends, laughing maniacally as her spell took hold.
But… Witchiepoo is also kind of funny. Her witchy servants, Orson Vulture and Seymour Spider, are always getting in her way, and so the scenes in the witch’s castle are always rife with slapstick hijinks. During the day the witch wears a pointy black hat and a ragged red dress, but during the night she wears a frilly pink nightgown and sets her hair in curlers. Plus, her evil plans are foiled so often that on occasion you even feel sorry for Witchiepoo.
Did I have my fear of witches before I met Witchiepoo? I’m not entirely sure. But because Witchiepoo made me laugh, she was the first witch I was able to keep on watching – no matter how nervous she sometimes made me feel.
Each episode of Pufnstuf unfolds in much the same way. Jimmy (an eleven-year-old boy) and Freddie (a magic talking flute) are trapped on Living Island; Pufnstuf (a plump yellow dragon) and his friends are looking for ways to help Jimmy and Freddie escape. But Witchiepoo covets Freddie, and so will always attempt to foil any escape attempts, so that she might steal Freddie for herself. Because everything on Living Island is alive, almost every character on the show is a puppet, or an actor in an extravagant costume; only Jimmy (played by Jack Wild) and Witchiepoo (played by Billie Hayes) are discernibly human.
But Witchiepoo is also a master of disguise. My favourite joke in the whole series starts in the episode “Show Biz Witch,” which sees Jimmy and Pufnstuf organising a concert for the residents of Living Island. Witchiepoo, Orson and Seymour decide to join the show, and so disguise themselves as “The 3 Oranges,” a groovy musical trio who only speak in cool 1960s lingo. They’re eventually found out, of course, which is all wryly amusing – but four episodes later, in “The Birthday Party,” Witchiepoo, Orson and Seymour again decide to disguise themselves as a band, so that they can infiltrate Jimmy’s birthday celebration. What do they call themselves? The 3 Lemons!
The relative success of the television series led to a 1970 film, simply titled Pufnstuf, which I watched for the first time just last week. The film turns the famous opening credits of the Pufnstuf television show into the entire first act, which was really quite interesting to watch, but it’s not much of a movie after that – more like a couple of episodes of the show stitched awkwardly together. There are also many more witches in the film, including a Boss Witch with a double-pointed hat, but the presence of a coven doesn’t really add much; Witchiepoo is far scarier when she’s the boss witch, rather than a simpering underling. The witches do get to sing a catchy song, but I’d only recommend the film to the show’s biggest fans.
Still, nothing can tarnish my memories of watching H.R. Pufnstuf on VHS: a show from the 1960s that reminds me of being a kid in the 1990s. Witchiepoo’s ridiculous schemes still make me giggle, just as her sudden appearances still make me flinch. She’s everything a witch should be, and – although I don’t want to call it early – she may just be my favourite witch of all time.
Now, how about that theme song!
Final Musings
— When I was little, my parents told me to eat my broccoli because it was Witchiepoo’s favourite vegetable. To this day, broccoli is still the vegetable that I like best.
— Billie Hayes played Witchiepoo a couple of times after Pufnstuf, including a guest spot on the show Lidsville, which was also made by Pufnstuf creators Sid and Marty Krofft. Lidsville is a show about a human boy trying to escape from a land of living hats; these escape attempts are often foiled by the evil magician who lives nearby. So… yeah.
— Billie Hayes also cameoed as a witch in the television show Bewitched. The witch there isn’t explicitly identified as Witchiepoo, but she does cackle in a rather familiar way.
— Witchiepoo has a couple of other henchmen that are well worth mentioning. Stupid Bat has his moments, but I love the evil trees (particularly the one who speaks like Bela Lugosi). Also brilliant are the two skeleton guards, who drop their shields and helmets and flee at the slightest sign of danger.
— The two episodes on my VHS cassette were “The Box Kite Caper” and “The Birthday Party.”
— I’m not sure who designed Witchiepoo’s costume, but I think they did some wonderful things with colour. The obligatory black hat and black cape are still present, but the outfit also introduces red and white (and even green) through the witch’s hair, dress, vest, face, and socks. It’s a striking design that works perfectly as a whole, and it’s probably done a lot for Witchiepoo’s memorability.
— A weird piece of Pufnstuf film trivia: Witchiepoo’s friend Witch Hazel is played by Cass Elliot, or Mama Cass, who is best known as a member of the band The Mamas & The Papas. This is doubly weird for me, because at the same age I was watching H.R. Pufnstuf, “California Dreamin’” was one of my favourite songs.
— Oh, I didn’t even mention the Vroom Broom! Quick, I’ll mention it now. Has there ever been a more souped-up broomstick? I think not.
— A boy named Jesse said he’d be looking out for this post. Hi, Jesse!
— Need a disguise? No worries; I’ll leave you with one of Witchiepoo’s very best spells:
“Squash and cabbage, turnips and peas, make three lemons out of us please!”
Hayes’ recent works include lending her voice for “The Black Cauldron” and for other classical cartoon features such as “The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries", "Trollkins", "Darkwing Duck", "The Brothers Flub", "Transformers: Rescue Bots" and "Paw Paws".
A Witchy Poo fan is someone who appreciates the character's unique personality and the entertainment value she brings to the show. These fans may enjoy her mischievous antics, exaggerated facial expressions, and quirky sense of humor. They may find her attempts to outsmart Jimmy and acquire the magical flute amusing and entertaining. Being a Witchy Poo fan may involve watching reruns of the show, collecting merchandise featuring the character, and sharing their love for Witchy Poo with others. These fans may even dress up as Witchy Poo for costume parties or conventions. They may also enjoy discussing the show and the character's various escapades with fellow fans online or through fan clubs. While Witchy Poo was a memorable character from "H.R. Pufnstuf," her fan base may be relatively niche compared to other popular fictional characters. Nevertheless, Witchy Poo fans hold a special appreciation for her unique role in the show and the enjoyment she brings to their viewing experience..
Reviews for "Witchy Poo and the Power of Imagination: How a Simple Puppet Show Sparked Creativity in Children"
- John - 1 star
I really did not enjoy "Witchy poo fan" at all. The plot was confusing and disjointed, with no clear direction. The characters were shallow and uninteresting, and I found it hard to care about what happened to them. The writing itself was also lacking, with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing throughout. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.
- Sarah - 2 stars
I wanted to like "Witchy poo fan", but unfortunately, I found it to be quite underwhelming. The story lacked depth and failed to engage me. The pacing was off, with slow parts that dragged on and sudden rushed moments that left me confused. The characters felt flat and one-dimensional, lacking any real development. While there were some intriguing ideas present, they weren't executed well. Overall, I wouldn't say this book was terrible, but it definitely didn't meet my expectations.
- Michael - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Witchy poo fan", but ultimately, it fell short. The writing style was disappointing, with awkward dialogue and an overuse of clichés. The world-building was weak, leaving me with more questions than answers. I also found it hard to connect with the characters, as they lacked depth and complexity. Although the concept had potential, the execution fell flat for me. Sadly, I cannot recommend this book to others.