Sid and Marty Krofft

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Sid and Marty Krofft are a sibling team of prolific television producers who were influential in children's television and variety show programs, particularly throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. They are largely known for a unique brand of ambitious fantasy programs, often featuring large-headed puppets, high-concept plots, and extensive use of low-budget special effects. The team also dominated the arena of celebrity music/variety programs during the period.

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[edit] Early years

Sid Krofft was born July 30, 1929 in Montreal; his brother Marty was born there on April 9, 1937. Sid Krofft was a noted puppeteer who worked in vaudeville and was a featured player with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. In the 1940s, Sid created a one-man puppet show, "The Unusual Artistry of Sid Krofft," and performed it throughout the world. He and Marty designed the intricate puppets used in the show. In 1957, the Kroffts developed "Les Poupées de Paris," a puppet show with more mature themes.

[edit] Television productions

The Kroffts' producing career began in 1969 with the landmark children's television series H.R. Pufnstuf. The series introduced the team's trademark style of large scale, colorful design, puppetry, and special effects. Featuring a boy who has been lured into an alternate fantasy world and can never escape, the team also established a storytelling formula they would often return to. The Kroffts also favored quirky superhero stories, often with children involved as the heroes or part of a hero team.

Particularly visionary and popular Krofft productions have included Land of the Lost (1974), Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (1976), Wonderbug (1976), The Bugaloos (1970), Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973), and Lidsville (1971).

[edit] The World of Sid and Marty Krofft

Main article: The World of Sid and Marty Krofft

In 1976, a developer asked the Kroffts to develop an amusement park for the Omni International complex in downtown Atlanta. The World of Sid and Marty Krofft was the world's first indoor amusement park, but due to poor attendance it was closed after just six months.

[edit] The Kroffts' achievements

The Kroffts' memorable children's programs have developed a wide and enduring following, largely among adults who watched the shows as children. Krofft productions are also included prominently in an entertainment category known as camp.

The Kroffts were also responsible for a large number of prime time music/variety programs. These shows also tended to employ a reliable formula, in this case featuring a celebrity host or team of hosts, weekly celebrity guest performers, flashy and colorful sets, and frequent interludes of scripted banter and gag-driven, "corny," good-natured sketch comedy.

The Kroffts have occasionally departed from their successful formula, notably a new version of Family Affair (2002), and the political puppet satire DC Follies (1987). The team has recently attempted to update some of their most popular series for a younger generation, including new versions of Land Of The Lost, Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, and H.R. Pufnstuf.

The Kroffts are often acknowledged for the ambitious vision and creativity of their projects. In addition to their recognizably colorful and hyper-kinetic programs, they often created children's shows with complex stories, unusual protagonists, uniquely modern sensibilities, or with darker or more action-themed tones than most children's shows.

The Kroffts' "camp" popularity stems largely from their shows' low-budget production values, the often surrealistic feel of many of the programs, the uniquely "'70s" style of music and design, and many intentional or unintentional references to psychotropic drug use.

[edit] Sid and Marty Krofft Productions 1969-2003

[edit] External links

Interviews

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