Science fiction/fantasy sculpturist Vincent Villafranca turned us on to Bigfoot and Wildboy the other day, and now we’re obsessed with watching all the episodes on Youtube. It’s just so wrong, from the Sean Cassidy-haired Wildboy to Bigfoot’s penchant for leaping high up in the air so that his shaggy crotch occupies the dead center of the screen. THis is the reason our formative years were more like deformative years.

Many of the Krofft shows are given unfair criticism. These people tend to forget that “C.H.I.P.S.”, “Starsky and Hutch” and “The Six Million Dollar Man” were top shows at the time. If you watch those shows today, they suffer from the same dated feel as “Bigfoot and Wildboy”.

Of all the Krofft shows, I remember watching this one the most as a 6-7 year old boy. I remember this was the only Saturday Morning show besides Land of the Lost that my father would watch with me. It had the same feel and story as some primetime hits of the day.

I think I need to bring more Bigfoot and Wildboy to KROFFT.NET. Anyone with who wants to contribute is welcome, just either post in the comments or send me an email.

For sale is one Happy Birthday Handmade Card featuring “Kreepy Kids H.R. Pufnstuf, Mayor of Living Island, with the Magic Flute and Jimmy” from Kreepy Kids Get Kroffty Series.

This card is blank inside, comes with a matching colour envelope, measures 6″ by 4″, and comes wrapped in a cellophane bag.

Go on over to Etsy and check it out.

I heard about this book (Love to Love You Bradys) two years ago when I was contacted by author Ted Nichelson. As a Krofft Fan, I was excited to hear a new book based on one of their properties was in the works, but at the same time wondered if was more a Brady book, than a Krofft book. The closer we got to the release, I started wondering if if my expectations were too high. I’m glad to say, they were too low.

I read this 300 page book in one sitting….I just couldn’t put it down. Nichelson’s over 7 years research and development pays off with a very engrossing, and well written book that pulls you in and won’t let you go. It’s a ‘coffee table book’, but structured well to tell a story from start to finish. What I found particularly interesting was the history of the show told from the writers’ point-of-view. Their insights provide us with a unique perspective of a Krofft production as well as 70s TV in general.

Being a coffee table book allows for lavish imagery throughout the book. Some pictures you’ve seen before, but more than not there is something new on every page. The show was such a visual experience that the photos are a must to experience the surreal-ality that was The Brady Hour. Also, the side notes by Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady) really put it over the top.

If you have any interest in the Brady Bunch, Sid and Marty Krofft, or just TV show business in the 70s in general, this is the book to get. This is the story from start to finish on how the Brady Hour came to be, and how it faded away. I loved every minute of it…twice.

GET YOURS NOW

Your pre-order for Land of the Lost #1 (APR090647F), which was scheduled to be released on 2009-06-24, has been canceled. The release of this item has been canceled by our supplier, and we are unable to obtain it at this time. We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience.

So it appears that the comic is dead. I can only assume it was because of the lackluster performance of the movie at the box office. It is a shame as I believe it could have been a good way to continue the story of LOTL.

In better news….
The highly anticipated book from Ted Nichelson and Susan Olsen which was originally to arrive on September 1st, looks as if it may be coming sooner than expected. This morning, Amazon sent me the following:

Ted Nichelson, et al “Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour”
Previous estimated arrival date: September 03 2009
New estimated arrival date: August 19 2009

Do you have your order in yet? If not, what are you waiting for?

By: Sean O’reilly, Tony Lee
Type: Comics
Genres: Action-Adventure
Series: Land of the Lost
Publisher: Arcana Studio
Pub. Date: June 24, 2009
Availability: Pre-Order
UPC: 89808400139209001

I’ve pre-ordered copy, but am a little concerned. It was supposed to be released on July 24th, and there is no cover art available. We’ll see when (if) I finally ships.

I’d expected more press for this comic (not even mentioned on the Krofft MySpace page) but only stumbled across it myself. Hopefully it’ll be release soon.

TOFFEE DOLLS make their debut at San Diego Comic Con

Los Angeles, CA (July 3, 2009) – Hailing from the Land of the Rising Sun and the fertile imagination of artist Riri Fukuju comes TOFFEE…a mix of both human and animal attributes in a being unto themselves. The inaugural limited edition series of TOFFEE dolls by Huckleberry are making their debut at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con.

Available at select fine retailers in August, the TOFFEE dolls are a plush, mixed medium doll that is meticulously hand-made with special attention to details in hand painting the facial expression, hand applying the hair, sewing the body and outfit. Each doll is articulated with 5 poseable joints (neck, legs and arms) and are hand numbered limited editions. The TOFFEE dolls also come with doll stands, certificates of authenticity and custom designed backdrop dioramas that can be displayed with the dolls.

In celebrating the inaugural series of TOFFEE dolls, Huckleberry has created three limited TOFFEE’s for summer conventions they are attending around the world. The first of these very limited dolls is HELLBOY™ FAN TOFFEE…a different twist on a much beloved character….taken from the inspiration of Mike Mignola’s comic artwork, HELLBOY™ FAN Toffee embodies something many a fan can relate to….dressing up in their own unique style to emulate a character they love. HELLBOY™ FAN TOFFEE is limited to 500 pcs.

The second summer convention exclusive is WITCHIEPOO TOFFEE. From the wildly fantastic and out of this world minds of Sid & Marty Krofft came the classic children’s television show H.R.PUFNSTUF in 1969. How can anyone forget that wicked laugh of Billie Haye’s Withciepoo and her quest to get her hands on Freddy the Flute from do-gooders Jimmy and Pufnstuf. WITCHIEPOO TOFFEE comes with a hand signed certificate of authenticity by creators Sid Krofft, Marty Krofft and actress Billie Hayes and is limited to 300 pcs.

The final summer convention exclusive is a TOFFEE original…JESSICA. JESSICA TOFFEE is limited to 300 pcs.

The inaugural series of TOFFEE dolls and summer convention exclusives will go on sale July 3, 2009 at www.huckleberrytoys.com while supplies last. TOFFEE creator Riri Fukuju will also be on hand to meet fans and sign dolls at the Huckleberry booth # 4449 during the San Diego Comic Con.

Huckleberry is a company dedicated to designing imaginative toys to foster fun, creative play for kids of all ages.

Honestly, this is the first time I’ve heard the term “Toffee doll”, but the doll does look cool. For the collectors out there, this would make a fine showpiece.

Love to Love You Bradys


Ted Nichelson, Susan Olsen and Lisa Sutton have teamed up to bring you Love to Love you Bradys: The Bizarre Story of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, an in-depth look at the most disastrous offering in television history. This is a must get book for any fan of The Bradys and/or Sid and Marty. The official site describes it:

In this colorful, glitter-filled retrospective Susan and her co-author Ted Nichelson investigate in very Brady detail how and why the rarely seen Variety Hour was conceived, produced, and ended up ranked in TV Guide’s top five “Worst Shows of All-Time.” Behind the scenes, this production was chock full of very serious human conflict: drug addiction, sexuality, weight issues, religion, and heated power struggles – all ultimately shattering the Bradys’ perfect image and forever scarring the legacy of TV’s favorite family.

Pufnstuf Movie Comes To iTunes and DVD

Throw away that old fuzzy VHS copy you got in the 90s from your friend on USENET. The original H.R. Pufnstuf Movie is now available on DVD and iTunes alike. Originally released after the cancellation of the TV Show, the movie has all the returning cast with the addition of Martha Raye as Boss Witch. At times it appears to be a prequel to the series, but I’ve always interpreted as a alternative to the series. And, I wasn’t kidding about that old-VHS tape. The copy I had (until the DVD) was a fuzzy-VHS I got from a guy in Australia about 12 years ago.

This is a must have for Pufnstuf fans!

Pufnstuf Complete Series on iTunes

After you get your movie DVD, head on over to iTunes to get the complete H.R. Pufnstuf Series! This is the show that we all know and love. Get the series at iTunes can be expensive, so if you look around you might find the DVD set still available.

Land of the Lost in Theaters Soon!!

It’s almost here. On June 5th, Will Ferrell brings Rick Marshall to the screen in Sid and Marty Krofft’s Land of the Lost. I’ve had many misgivings about this movie since it was announced. I like Ferrell in most cases, but was worried about LOTL turning into a “Will Ferrell movie”. The addition of Anna Friel got me excited as I feel she is an amazing actress, and can go toe-to-toe with Ferrell. The trailers at first made me worried again, but I’ve since decided to just sit back and enjoy. Enjoy the fact that Sid and Marty are back on the big screen, and see what they have to offer. Here is the latest trailer…

Let us know what you think!

With the impending release of Land of the Lost, and future projects such as Sigmund and the Seamonsters, this tribute should go a long way in bringing them back into the pop culture consciousness.

Friend of KROFFT.NET, author Ted Nichelson, had this report from the event:

I went to the taping of the TV Land Awards on Sunday evening at Universal Studios. They had a huge, spectacular musical production number dedicated to Krofft shows, so you won’t want to miss it. It was like a Broadway revue and ran about 8 minutes. They touched on everything just about, and had many Krofft characters in full costume – including HR Pufnstuff and Sigmund. Others were Kilng and Klang, Lidsville hats, Hoo Doo, and Billie Hayes reprised her role as Witchiepoo. They had some Bugaloos flying around. Cyndi Lauper sang “ElectroWoman and DynaGirl” while Clint Black sang “Land of the Lost.” Sid and Marty came up afterwards and accepted the Pop Culture award. It was truly amazing to see in person.

I really regret my decision not to go, but I couldn’t justify the expense. After seeing the broadcast on Sunday, I’m very envious of those who attended. The production number was very Krofft, and I’m sure there were thousands of viewers who said, “Hey, I remember that show!” every time a new song was sung. Now, when do they get their Emmy tribute?

The costumes were wonderful; each reproduced to the original puppets of the 70s. Cindy Lauper and Clint Black seemed to fit in, but Barry Williams (as much as I like him) didn’t fit in well. Also, where was Billie Hayes? The actress that portrayed Witchiepoo did a wonderful job, but Billie should have been involved in some fashion. She was part of the Krofft’s early success and, I assume, available to participate.

Photos provided by Ted Nichelson

In all, I thought the show was great and hope that it is only a precursor to the coming wave of respect to be show to these great legends. Also, thank you Sid and Marty for recognizing us fans who’ve stuck by you all these years, and helped to keep your creations alive.

Welcome to the World of Sid and Marty Krofft!

ECW PRESS SIGNS ‘BRADY BUNCH’ STAR SUSAN OLSEN FOR NEW COFFEE TABLE BOOK

Hollywood, CA – (January 2, 2009) Brady Bunch star Susan Olsen and ECW Press announced today their joint collaboration for the coffee table book Love to Love You Bradys: the bizarre story of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour which is scheduled to be released in September, 2009. Susan’s co-author is Los Angeles writer Ted Nichelson and pop-culture maven Lisa Sutton will serve as art director and designer.

This colorful, glitter-filled retrospective will take a look back at the most disastrous offering in television history and explain how and why the rarely seen Variety Hour was conceived, produced, and ended up ranked in TV Guide’s top five “Worst Shows of All-Time.” Behind the scenes, this production was chock full of very serious human conflict: drug addiction, sexuality, weight issues, religion, and heated power struggles – all ultimately shattering the Bradys’ perfect image and forever scarring the legacy of TV’s favorite family.

Originally airing as a 60-minute special, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour was produced by Sid and Marty Krofft and premiered on ABC on November 28, 1976 . It featured the actors from The Brady Bunch sitcom singing and dancing their way through the disco era on stage above an enormous swimming pool populated by the enchanting Krofftette Water Follies. Largely derivative of the hit series The Donny and Marie Show, from the same production team, the success of this special led to a semi-regular series of which eight additional 60 minute episodes were produced and aired as monthly specials from January to May 1977. None of the installments were ever repeated on network television. Now a confirmed cult classic, the Variety Hour has been successfully parodied on such recent hit television series as The Simpsons, That 70’s Show, The Family Guy, Tiny Toons, and The Gilmore Girls.

The book features hundreds of never-before-published photos and interviews with cast, crew, and production staff, including the Brady Bunch, Sherwood Schwartz, Sid and Marty Krofft, Bruce Vilanch, Paul Shaffer, and Rip Taylor.

Pre-Order the Book here

Electric Tiki and Sideshow Collectibles are proud to present the first ever mini-bust set based on 70′s super duo ElectraWoman and DynaGirl. This very special “Tooned-Up” mini bust set features the duo in classic poses atop a retro style electro-generator base. Each figure pair is roughly 5.5-inches tall and comes individually numbered in matching numbered sets, and is limited to only 500 sets. Designed by Tracy Mark Lee and sculpted by Karen Palinko.

I’m excited to see all the new toys and collectables that will be coming out with the upcoming “Land of the Lost” movie, and other Krofft creations. This is a good start.