H.R. Pufnstuf
Created by Marty Krofft, Sid Krofft
On NBC
A whimsical, surreal children's fantasy built on life-size puppets and magical island adventures, designed to delight and reassure young viewers.
H.R. Pufnstuf is a children's television series produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. It was the first Krofft live-action, life-size puppet program. The seventeen episodes were originally broadcast from September 6, 1969 to December 27, 1969. The broadcasts were successful enough that NBC kept it on the Saturday morning schedule until August 1972. The show was shot in Paramount Studios and its opening was shot in Big Bear Lake, California. Reruns of the show aired on ABC Saturday morning from September 2, 1972 to September 8, 1973 and on Sunday mornings in some markets from September 16, 1973 to September 8, 1974. It was syndicated by itself from 1974 to 1978 and in a package with six other Kroft series under the banner Kroft Superstars from 1978 to 1985. In 2004 and 2007, H.R. Pufnstuf was ranked #22 and #27 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever.
Genres
Questions people ask
Is H.R. Pufnstuf sad? No. Less sad than 100% of series.
Is H.R. Pufnstuf easy watching? Yes, very. More comforting than 99% of series.
Does H.R. Pufnstuf leave you hopeful? Yes, very. More hopeful than 99% of series.
Is H.R. Pufnstuf scary? No. Less frightening than 92% of series.
Is H.R. Pufnstuf violent? Barely. Less violent than 89% of series.
These describe how the series comes across across its whole run, compared with other well-known series. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked episode by episode, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.
Cinnamon Score
How much this series gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.
Familiar shape, done well.
How unlike any other series this one feels
How much more it delivers than it promises
How much audiences actually like it
Ensemble
Like H.R. Pufnstuf
Nearest across the full emotional profile.
Same Mood as H.R. Pufnstuf
Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.
Like H.R. Pufnstuf, But Darker
Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.
Like H.R. Pufnstuf, But Lighter
Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.
Like H.R. Pufnstuf, But Less Popular
Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.
