Lidsville: World in a Hat

Lidsville: World in a Hat
ABC
September 11, 1971
Children's
DVD
C+

This might well be the strangest Krofft production, although not the most entertaining.  A post-Munsters Butch Patrick faces evil magician Hoodoo (Charles Nelson Reilly), with the help of the gender-confused Weenie the Genie (Billie Hayes).  And almost everyone else is a hat, except for Raunchy Rabbit.  As pilots go, this is OK.  It sets up the setting, characters, and conflict, but I wasn't particularly drawn in.

Si Rose wrote for this as well as Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos, while Tony Charmoli also directed Bugaloos.  The Krofft regulars this time:

1. Sharon Baird
2. Joy Campbell
3. Buddy Douglas
4. Walker Edmiston
5. Joan Gerber
6. Jerry Maren
7. Angelo Rossitto
8. Felix Silla
9. Van Snowden
10. Hommy Stewart
11. Lennie Weinrib

The Bugaloos: Firefly, Light My Fire

The Bugaloos: Firefly, Light My Fire
NBC
September 12, 1970
Children's
DVD
B-

Because Pufnstuf wasn't psychedelic enough.  Martha Raye as Benita Bizarre wants the British human-insect hybrid band the Bugaloos to be her back-up but they refuse.  Hey, it beats sitting around watching a witch try to kidnap an annoying talking flute every week.  In fact, everything is better here, except the acting by the Brits and the special effects.  All I have is the pilot, so I don't know if the series stayed at this level.  It seems like it got less airplay in the '70s than Pufnstuf and it was never my favorite but it was fun when I saw it.

This time the Kroft regulars are:

1. Sharon Baird (playing the Nazi rat sidekick that Raye had as Boss Witch in the Pufnstuf movie)
2. Billy Barty
3. Joy Campbell
4. Walker Edminston
5. Joan Gerber
6. Van Snowden

Si Rose would go on to write for Lidsville, while John Fenton Murray had already written a bit for Gilligan and Brady, among many others.  Tony Charmoli would also direct Lidsville.