LOS ANGELES, Nov. 26, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Marty Krofft, co-producer of the iconic children’s television shows “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost” is dead at age 86.
According to Krofft’s publicist the legendary producer passed away Saturday in Los Angeles surrounded by family and friends.
Marty, and his brother, Sid Krofft, started their Hollywood careers in the late 1960s when they gained notoriety as costume and set designers for the live-action series “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour.”
The success of the Hanna-Barbera TV production, which aired on NBC from 1968 to 1970, became a springboard for other successes, most notably “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost,” both of which featured life-sized puppets with oversized heads interacting with colorful human characters like boy-hero “Jimmy” played by young British actor Jack Wild, and his protector, the magical dragon puppet “Pufnstuf.”
In addition to their years of children’s programming Marty and Sid worked as independent producers for prime time network shows, including the “Donny and Marie” variety show, a smash hit for ABC in the late 1970s. They also produced a year’s worth of the “The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.”
In the 1980s the Krofft’s gained further fame for their syndicated comedy series “D.C. Follies,” in which puppet caricatures of top politicians and other hitters of the day shared their stories of woe with an understanding human bartender played by comic actor Fred Williams.
Marty and Sid continued working through the years and in 2015 brought the series “Mutt and Stuff” to Nickelodeon.
Variety reported that “in addition to his 94-year-old brother Sid, Marty Krofft’s survivors include a brother, Harry; three daughters, Deanna Krofft-Pope, Kristina Krofft and Kendra Krofft; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.”
