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Renowned TV producer Marty Krofft, 86, passed away on Saturday, November 25, in the company of relatives and his loved ones at his Los Angeles home due to kidney failure.
The news of his passing was confirmed on Saturday by Krofft's longtime representative, Harlan Boll. Meanwhile, Krofft and his older brother Sid are considered to be pioneers of children's television entertainment.
Marty and Sid are most well-known for creating H.R. Pufnstuf, a live-action, life-sized puppet program about a boy trapped on an island inhabited by anthropomorphic and mystical animals and creatures. Despite only one season, the show's unique psychedelic aesthetic managed to capture the attention of children and young adults alike.
"Love you Marty; What a trip we had!": Sid Krofft pays tribute to his brother Marty Krofft
On Saturday, television suffered the loss of one of its pioneers, Marty Krofft, who passed away at the age of 86. The Canadian producer, along with his brother Sid, was a staple of 1970s television and a household name throughout the decade. According to Marty's rep, Harlan Boll, he passed away due to kidney failure in his LA residence, surrounded by friends and family.
Ball's statement to ABC News read:
"On behalf of the Krofft family and Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures, I have been asked to announce the passing of their brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather - the legendary and iconic industry mogul, Marty Krofft."
Also, Sid Krofft took to Instagram to post a tribute to his brother. I've Got the World on a String by Tony Bennett played somberly in the background of his post, which contained pictures from when Marty was a kid spanning their journey together in the industry.
In another story, Sid requested that his followers hug their loved ones tight and call up someone and "tell them that you love them." Sid Krofft wrote in the post:
"Love you Marty; What a trip we had!"
He captioned the post:
"I’m heartbroken over the loss of my baby brother. I really know that all of you meant the world to him. It’s YOU that made this all happen. Thank you for being there with us all these years. Love, Sid."
Meanwhile, Marty Krofft's wife, German playboy model and actress Christa Speck, passed away in 2013. Marty is survived by his daughters Deanna, Kristina, and Kendra, grandchildren Taylor, Karson, Griffin, Georgia, and Drake, and great-grandchild Maddox, and brothers Sid and Harry.
Marty Krofft and Sid captivated audiences with their unique aesthetic
Sid and Marty were an iconic pop culture duo. While Sid was the artist behind their success, Marty had the business acumen. Sid became a puppeteer in the 40s, and Marty began staging performances to make money.
The duo's first big break came in the successful 1957 adult-themed puppet show Les Poupées de Paris that successfully toured the country throughout the '60s, playing in jam-packed venues.
Towards the end of the '60s, the duo was designing the costumes for the Hannah-Barbera variety show, The Banana Splits. In 1969, the duo successfully launched their television production career with Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures and their debut, an iconic, era-defining live-action, life-sized-puppet children's show, H.R. Pufnstuf.
Sid and Marty Krofft gave viewers a colorful, playful, and bizarrely psychedelic world full of magical creatures with H.R. Pufnstuf. The plot follows a young boy who gets stranded on Living Island following the antics of a witch. The island is filled with anthropomorphic creatures, along with a friendly dragon mayor named Pufnstuf.
The series ran for a single 17-episode season on Saturday mornings on NBC but failed to renew for a second season as the brothers rejected the minute fee increase offered by NBC for a renovation. Despite this, reruns of the first season continued successfully, managing to captivate a generation of young adults.
The bizarre aesthetic of the show led to debates about whether the brothers took LSD for inspiration in making the show. The claims were vehemently denied by the duo. Marty Krofft told USA Today in 2005:
"You can't do drugs when you're making shows. Maybe after, but not during. We're bizarre, that's all."
In a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, he further clarified:
"You can’t do a show stoned."
In the '70s, riding high off the success of H.R. Pufnstuf, the duo went on to create more successful kids shows like Pufnstuf with The Bugaloos, Lidsville, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Land of the Lost, The Lost Saucer, Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, and Wonderbug.
In 1978, they even opened up an amusement park in Atlanta named "The World of Sid & Marty Krofft." However, the park was shut down after six months due to financing issues. They've also stepped out of their aesthetic to create sitcoms and live-action variety comedy skit shows like The Brady Bunch Hour, Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters, Pryor's Place, and D.C. Follies.
After the 1991 reboot of Land of the Lost, Sid and Marty Krofft took a long hiatus from TV shows only to return with the 2015 Nickelodeon hit, Mutt & Stuff, followed by a 2017 re-boot of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters starring David Arquette.
The two received a Pop Culture Award at the 7th annual TV Awards in 2009 after winning the Life Career Award at the 29th annual Saturn Awards in 2002. In 2018, Sid and Marty Krofft were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award. Two years later, in February 2020, both of them received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
