In keeping with Hollywood's complete lack of originality, I see that a movie version of H.R. Pufnstuf is coming out in 2011. More interesting is a 2007 horror-spoof of the show, H.R. Puffnsnuf. I'll have to hunt that one down (though it might fuck with some relatively rare positive memories of childhood in disturbing ways).
Looking on IMDB, I discovered that Mama Cass Eliott played Witch Hazel in a 1970 movie version of Pufnstuf, though she wasn't on the series.
No sign of Papas Denny or John or Mama Michelle. John would have been picture perfect as the father of the protagonist, little Jimmie. He could have shown him how to smoke black-tar heroin from his talking flute.
Speaking of Jimmie and his flute, Jack Wild (who played our young English lad among puppets in Pufnstuf land) died of Tongue and Throat cancer just a couple of years ago. There was no mention as to whether his magical talking flute had anything to do with his demise, though that thing was no doubt filled with all sorts of toxic pixie dust (all the reason why Witchiepoo was forever trying to get her hands on it). I wonder if Witchiepoo or Mayor Pufnstuf made it to the funeral. That would be a great premise for a reunion show!
I'm a child of the 80s, so the only one of those shows I remember is Land of the Lost, from reruns. But I do know that, tragically, they just don't make children's TV like that any more.
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