KROFFT.NET » The Krofft Supershow

Bigfoot and Wildboy – An Unsung Krofft Show

xgdfalcon — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:45:15 +0000

Maybe it was because ‘Krofft’ was in the name. Maybe it was because of Kaptain Kool and the Kongs. Or, maybe because of the multiple show segements, but The Krofft Supershow is one the ultimate definition of the Krofft body of work. Bigfoot and Wildboy was one of those segments. And today at they have an article on the Krofft gem.

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.

SFGate Remembers “The Krofft Supershow”

xgdfalcon — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:42:37 +0000

Over at SFGate.com, “The Krofft Supershow” is remembered the article “Gone But Not Forgotten: The Krofft Supershow”:

This video comes from a different time, when they still let packs of supervised kids march unsupervised next to the freeway (and down train tracks) in the name of marketing. It was promoting the beginning of the Krofft Supershow — and while it’s quite possible I was the only one watching, I’m going to write about it any way.

The Krofft Supershow started in 1976, a full year before “Star Wars” came out, and special effects were still in the let’s-stick-a-piece-of-cardboard-on-the-back-of-a-lizard-and-call-it-a-dinosaur era. I’ll be honest, I don’t remember Kaptain Kool and the Kongs — or maybe I’m just supressing the memory. They were later replaced with the Bay City Rollers, but I don’t remember them on this show either.

It’s great to see our beloved shows discussed throughout the mainstream web. Besides “Lidsville”, the Supershow was my favorite Krofft Show. My dad’s favorite was “Bigfoot and Wildboy”, and I loved “Doctor Shrinker”.

What was your favorite part of the Supershow?

BILLY BARTY Dead at age 76

xgdfalcon — Mon, 25 Dec 2000 19:34:44 +0000

Billy Barty died December 23, 2000 of heart failure, age 76. Diminutive (3′10″ at his tallest) movie and TV actor who enjoyed a long career (over 70 years) playing everything from tough guy heavies to clowns to TV children show characters (including Sigmund the Sea Monster). He was memorable in 1976’s “Foul Play” portraying the helpless Bible salesman who’s literally hung out of a window by Goldie Hawn. In 1957, Mr. Barty helped found the The Little People of America, an organization concerned with the ethical treatment of people of small stature, and in 1976 he founded the Billy Barty Foundation.

REGULAR TV ROLES
As Billy Bitesize in Your Pet Parade (1951)
As a regular on Ford Festival (1951-1952)
As a regular on The Spike Jones Show (1954)
As Little Tom in Circus Boy (1957)
As a regular on Club Oasis (1958)
As Clang in H.R. Pufnstuf (1969-1971)
As Sparky the Firefly in The Bugaloos (1970-1972)
As Sigmund Ooze in Sigmund & the Sea Monsters (1973-1975)
As Hugo in “Dr. Shrinker” segment of The Krofft Supershow (1976-1977)
As a regular on The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour (1977)
As a regular on The Bay City Rollers Show (1978-1979)
As Inch in Ace Crawford, Private Eye (1983)
As voice of Dweedle in Wildfire (1986-1987)