HR Pufnstuf is a popular children's television show that aired in the late 1960s and early 1970s. One of the most beloved characters from the show is Witchy Poo. Witchy Poo is the main antagonist of the series, and she constantly tries to outsmart the show's main hero, Jimmy, and his talking flute, Freddy. Witchy Poo is known for her distinct appearance, with her long black witch robes, pointy hat, and greenish skin. She is often portrayed as a bumbling and comical character, and her attempts to capture Jimmy and Freddy are always foiled in humorous ways. Despite her evil intentions, Witchy Poo is also depicted as a somewhat sympathetic character.

Series / H.R. Pufnstuf

H.R. Pufnstuf is a children's TV series, and the first in a long line of surreal and sometimes disturbing offerings from Sid and Marty Krofft Productions. The show (consisting of 17 episodes) originally aired on NBC from September to December 1969.

To get an idea as to what you're in for, we turn to VH1's "I Love the '70s" show:

Greg Proops: So, the deal with H.R. Pufnstuf is, Sid and Marty Krofft did a lot of drugs back in the '70s when they were given a TV show.

For a more technical description, read on.

Jimmy (Jack Wild), a young boy with a British accent and a speech impediment, is abducted by the sinister and disturbingly Oedipal witch Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (Billie Hayes) in a gambit to snatch his magical talking golden flute. Her plan involves tricking both boy and flute into riding inside a boat that at first looks lovely and inviting, then turns sinister and violent. Yes, really.

But as the show's theme song goes, "Pufnstuf was watching, too, and knew exactly what to do. "

Jimmy is rescued by H.R. Pufnstuf (voiced by Lennie Weinrib), a large dragon muppet who serves as mayor of Living Island, a bizarre place where everything, even the trees, are "alive". (Yes, we know. Here, "living" basically means "anthropomorphic" or "sentient".)

The show follows the adventures of Jimmy, Puf and a talking flute named Freddie as they make several attempts to smuggle Jimmy off the island while staying clear of Witchiepoo and her henchmen. A film version, featuring guest stars Martha Raye and Cass Elliot, was released in 1970, a year after the show's premiere.

To say that people find H.R. Pufnstuf disturbing is like saying people find the ocean wet. Many say that there is something almost seductively creepy about the show, from Jimmy's constant prancing and the vaguely homoerotic relationship between boy, flute, and full-bodied puppet, to the bizarrely twisted maternal figure of the witch and the generally drug-induced artistic design of the costumes and sets. All in all, this is not a show to watch sober.

After the show's original 1969 run, the episode broadcasts were successful enough that NBC kept it on the network's schedule until 1972. It was rerun on ABC from 1972-1973 (also on some other markets between 1973-1974), syndicated by itself from 1974-1978, syndicated alongside six other Krofft shows under the Krofft Superstars banner from 1978-1985, rerun once more on TV Land in 1999-2004, and finally rerun again on MeTV from 2014-2016.

As a historical note, the basic design and characters of the McDonald's "McDonaldland" commercials were blatantly plagiarized from H.R. Pufnstuf in 1971 after Sid & Marty Krofft refused to license the Pufnstuf characters for use in a commercial campaign for the restaurant. The Kroffts sued in 1973, and won the case in 1977. (For more information, see this article at Cecil Adams' The Straight Dope, or this one at coolcopyright.com.) However, the Kroffts themselves were sued by the singer-songwriter Paul Simon, who argued successfully in court that the show's Theme Song sounded too much like his song, "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," and the court settlement included Simon getting a mention in the credits.

Despite her evil intentions, Witchy Poo is also depicted as a somewhat sympathetic character. She is often portrayed as lonely and desperate for acceptance, which adds a layer of complexity to her character. Additionally, she is not always successful in her schemes, suggesting that she has a softer side that sometimes shines through.

Tropes:

• Aborted Arc: The gang's mission to help Jimmy get off Living Island and return home seems to have been forgotten by episode twelve. The Series Finale doesn't resolve Jimmy's desire to get back home either, and is instead presented as a Clip Show. The Movie doesn't deal with this either, instead it retells the story of how Jimmy got onto the island.
• Amazing Technicolor Population
• Animate Inanimate Object: Living Island is populated by talking books, talking buildings, talking clocks and even talking test tubes.
• Ascended Extra: Stupid Bat was the least-used of all of Witchiepoo's henchmen, only appearing in the odd episode, but in The Movie he's a fairly major character throughout.
  • Also, in the later Krofft series, Horror Hotel, Stupid Bat is also an employee of Witchiepoo's inn.
  • Both Sid and Marty seem to like mentioning Stupid Bat in their interviews and anecdotes about the series.

  Jimmy: See you next week!
  Pufnstuf: Keep those cards and letters comin'! note In later broadcasts after the show’s original run, Pufnstuf instead says "I sure hope so!"

  • Pufnstuf himself arguably counts too. Word of God has said he's a dragon, but if so, he sure doesn't look like any traditional one.
  • Witchiepoo once appeared on Lidsville as HooDoo's date. At the episode's end, due to having been tricked, HooDoo brushes Witchiepoo off by sending her on her date with Pufnstuf instead!
  • Pufnstuf himself once appeared on Sigmund and the Sea Monsters after being accidentally conjured up by the local genie. He was nearly eaten by Sigmund's mother and her women's club.
  • The 1973 live stage show H.R. Pufnstuf & The Brady Kids Live at the Hollywood Bowl. While the Brady Kids themselves are little more than a glorified opening act, there's a lot of crossover between Pufnstuf and Lidsville during the main show.
  • The 2015 Krofft series Mutt & Stuff became a surprise hit, leading to the commissioning of a Mutt & Stuff/Pufnstuf special in 2016. The Living Island characters looked pretty much exactly like they did in 1969. though puppetry techniques had of course evolved greatly since then, so Pufnstuf's lip sync was notably better.

  Witchiepoo: [singing] Ain't they never heard of oranges — smoranges — poranges — coranges — a kumquat?

  • Short-Runner: The series only had seventeen episodes in total. The only reason most people believe it to be longer was because it had been rerun for so long.
  • Significant Monogram: Pufnstuf's "H.R" title stands for "Highness Royal". Why? Because Living Island folk don't do things in a typical order. It also implies that the status of "Mayor" on the island is akin to being Head of State.
  • The Smurfette Principle: And it's a fascinating case indeed given that the only named female character who has a major speaking role in every episode is the villain!
  • Spinoff: The Krofft Supershow featured a segment called "Horror Hotel", with Witchiepoo running the titular hotel along with Seymour, Orson, and Stupid Bat, although for some reason, Dr. Blinky (was originally one of the good guys), and Hoodoo (the lead villain from Lidsville) appeared as well.
  • Stock Footage: The movie features a rather obvious example during the "Living Island" number, where the "world" insert is just the Universal logo cut off just before any text appears.
  • Stop Trick
  • Surrounded by Idiots: Witchiepoo's bungling henchmen: Orson, Seymour, and Stupid Bat.
  • Talent Show: Occurs in "Show Biz Witch", when Pufnstuf and Jimmy use it to raise money for a new pogo stick.
  • Those Wacky Nazis: Benita Bizarre (from The Bugaloos) Expy Boss Witch's (she's even played by the same actress in Martha Raye) rat henchman, Heinrich (actually Funky Rat, also from The Bugaloos), who wears a Gestapo-type uniform.
  • Trojan Horse: In "The Wheely Bird", Freddie gives himself up to Witchiepoo, hoping she'll let Jimmy go home. Jimmy, Pufnstuf, Cling, and Clang use Dr. Blinky's latest invention, a hollow bird on wheels, to get into the castle and rescue Freddie.
  • Undercrank
  • Vanilla Edition: The Big Damn Movie of the series has had only one DVD release in 2009 (in succession with the Kroffts' Land of the Lostmovie), and contains nothing other than the feature itself and one theatrical trailer.
  • Vile Villain, Laughable Lackey: Witchiepoo had her comical moments to be sure, but she was conniving, greedy, and did wield powerful and dangerous magic. But she also had a minion named, we kid you not, "Stupid Bat".
  • Witch Classic: Witchiepoo certainly styles herself this way, with her pointed black hat.
  • Wicked Witch: Witchiepoo, who would take it as a compliment.
  • Wig, Dress, Accent: Everyone at some point, but especially Witchiepoo and company as the singing groups "The Three Oranges" and "The Three Lemons".

  Hr puffin stuff witchy poo

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  HR Pufnstuf - Witchiepoo Pop! Vinyl NYCC 2019

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  One of the most iconic aspects of Witchy Poo is her catchphrase, "I'm Witchy Poo, with a 'poo'!". This phrase has become synonymous with the character and is often quoted by fans of the show. In addition to her role on HR Pufnstuf, Witchy Poo has made appearances in other Sid and Marty Krofft productions, such as "The Bugaloos" and "Lidsville." She has also appeared in various spin-offs and adaptations of the HR Pufnstuf franchise, ensuring her enduring popularity among fans of the show. Overall, Witchy Poo is a memorable and beloved character from HR Pufnstuf. Her unique appearance, comical antics, and complex characterization have made her a fan favorite for decades. Whether she is causing mischief or showing a softer side, Witchy Poo is sure to continue delighting audiences for years to come..

  Reviews for "Witchy Poo's Impact on Pop Culture Through H.R. Pufnstuf"

  1. John - 2/5

  I found "Hr puffin stuff witchy poo" to be quite disappointing. The storyline seemed incredibly disorganized and the characters were poorly developed. Witchy Poo herself was particularly irritating with her exaggerated and over-the-top mannerisms. The humor fell flat for me and I just couldn't connect with the show. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it to others.

  2. Sarah - 1/5

  I do not understand the appeal of "Hr puffin stuff witchy poo" at all. The show seemed like a chaotic mishmash of strange elements that made no sense. The puppetry and costumes were fairly well done, but that was the only positive aspect for me. The dialogue was clichéd and the acting was subpar. I couldn't find any redeeming qualities in this show and would advise others to avoid it.

  3. Mike - 2.5/5

  "Hr puffin stuff witchy poo" didn't impress me as much as I had hoped. While the visuals were colorful and vibrant, the plot lacked depth and coherence. It seemed like a jumbled mess of random events without a clear direction. The song numbers were catchy, but they seemed forced and out of place. Overall, it was a mediocre show that failed to engage me.

  A Closer Look at the Spellbinding Spells of Witchy Poo in H.R. Pufnstuf