Editing Sid and Marty Krofft

{{Short description|Canadian-American puppeteers and television producers}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Sid and Marty Krofft
| image              = Krofft.jpg
| caption            = The Krofft Brothers on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020
| other_names        = The Krofft Brothers
| occupation         = {{hlist|Television creators|television and film Producers|writers|puppeteers}}
| notable_works      = {{bulleted|''[[The Banana Splits|The Banana Splits Adventure Hour]]''|''[[H.R. Pufnstuf]]''|''[[Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]''|''[[Sigmund and the Sea Monsters]]''}}
| website            = {{URL|www.sidandmartykrofft.com}}
| module             = 
{{Infobox | decat = yes | child = yes
    | title = '''Sid Krofft'''
    | label1 = Birth name
    | data1 = Cydus Yolas<ref name="TM"/>
    | label2 = Born
    | data2 = {{birth date and age|1929|7|30}}<br />[[Montreal, Quebec]], Canada
    | label3 = 
    | data3 = 
   }}
| module2=
{{Infobox | decat = yes | child = yes
| title = '''Marty Krofft'''
    | label1 = Birth name
    | data1 =  Moshopopoulos Yolas<ref name="TM"/>
    | label2 = Born
    | data2 = {{Birth date|1937|04|09}}<br>Montreal Canada 
    | label3 = Died
    | data3 = {{death date and age|2023|11|25|1937|4|9}}<br>[[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
}}
}}

'''Sid Krofft''' (born July 30, 1929) and '''Marty Krofft''' (April 9, 1937 – November 25, 2023),<ref>{{Cite web|title=History {{!}} The World of Sid & Marty Krofft|url=https://www.sidandmartykrofft.com/about/history/|access-date=October 25, 2020|language=en-US|archive-date=August 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805162456/https://www.sidandmartykrofft.com/about/history/|url-status=live}}</ref> known as '''The Krofft Brothers''' and born as '''Cydus and Moshopopoulos Yolas''',<ref name="TM"/> were a Canadian sibling team of television creators, writers and puppeteers. Through their production company, Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures, they made numerous children's television and variety show programs in the U.S., particularly in the 1970s, including ''[[H.R. Pufnstuf]]'', ''[[Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]'', and ''[[Sigmund and the Sea Monsters]]''. Their fantasy programs often featured large-headed puppets, [[High concept|high-concept]] plots, and extensive use of low-budget special effects.

==Early years==
The Krofft brothers, Sid and Marty, were both born in [[Montreal, Quebec]], Canada, on July 30, 1929,{{citation needed|date=December 2023}} and April 9, 1937 {{citation needed|date=December 2023}} respectively. They are of Greek and Hungarian descent, with their original surname being Yolas.<ref name="TM">{{cite web |last=Ingall |first=Marjorie |date=October 16, 2017 |title=Sid and Marty Krofft: Not Stoned, Not Jewish, but Great and Back with 'Sigmund' Reboot |url=https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/sid-and-marty-krofft-not-stoned-not-jewish-but-great-and-back-with-sigmund-reboot |access-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004235121/https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/sid-and-marty-krofft-not-stoned-not-jewish-but-great-and-back-with-sigmund-reboot |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Andy |last2=Kit |first2=Borys |last3=Kit |date=January 15, 2016 |title=Inside Sid & Marty Krofft's Trippy World: 'We Screwed with Every Kid's Mind' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/inside-sid-marty-kroffts-trippy-856067/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321191309/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/inside-sid-marty-kroffts-trippy-856067/ |archive-date=March 21, 2023 |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=}}</ref> For years, they claimed to have been the fifth generation of puppeteers in their family but revealed in 2008 that this story had been invented by a publicist in the 1940s. Their father Peter was a clock salesman who moved from Canada to [[Providence, Rhode Island]], and then to [[New York City]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boucher |first=Geoff |date=July 26, 2008 |title=It's the Sid and Marty show |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jul-26-et-kroffts26-story.html |access-date=June 2, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=April 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402004205/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jul-26-et-kroffts26-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Sid Krofft became a popular [[puppeteer]] who worked in [[vaudeville]]{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} and was a featured player with the [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus]]. In the 1940s, Sid created a one-man puppet show regularly performed at burlesque shows as a teenager. A night club promoter from the Catskills was convinced by Sid to create a show he named from the name, Sydney Snitkovsk. Sid added an extra F due to its short length to "The Unusual Artistry of Sid Krofft",<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Jamie |date=March 23, 2024 |title=Jamie Kennedy Patreon 2 Hour UNCUT Interview with Legend Sid Krofft |url=https://www.patreon.com/posts/2-hour-uncut-sid-100942835 |access-date=March 28, 2024 |website=Jamie Kennedy Patreon 2 Hour UNCUT Interview with Legend Sid Krofft}}</ref> that began to be performed throughout the world. His father joined him on tour in Paris while Marty stayed in New York, where he began using his older brother's puppets to earn money by staging performances. By the 1950s, the Krofft brothers were working together, and in 1957, they developed ''[[Les Poupées de Paris]]'', a puppet show with more mature themes. One of their early exposures to a television audience was the premiere episode of ''[[The Dean Martin Show]]'' in 1965.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

==Television productions==
[[File:Les Poupées de Paris Marty Krofft 1962 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Marty Krofft in 1962]]

After designing the characters and sets for [[Hanna-Barbera]]'s ''[[The Banana Splits]]'' (NBC, 1968–1970), the Kroffts' producing career began in 1969 with the landmark children's television series ''[[H.R. Pufnstuf]]''. The series introduced the team's trademark style of large-scale, colourful design, puppetry, and special effects. Featuring a boy who has been lured into an alternate fantasy world and can never escape, the team also established a storytelling formula to which they would often return. Some people suggested that the Krofft brothers were influenced by [[cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] and [[Lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]], although they have always denied these claims. In a 2005 interview with ''[[USA Today]]'', Marty Krofft said, "No drugs involved. You can't do drugs when you're making shows. Maybe after, but not during. We're bizarre, that's all."<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2002-02-13-krofft.htm | work=USA Today | title='The World of Sid and Marty Krofft': Marty Krofft | date=January 21, 2005 | access-date=September 11, 2017 | archive-date=May 19, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519071731/http://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2002-02-13-krofft.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> Referring to the alleged LSD use, Marty said in another interview, "That was our look, those were the colours, everything we did had vivid colours, but there was no acid involved. That scared me. I'm no goody two-shoes, but you can't create this stuff stoned."<ref>[http://www.albany.net/~genxtv/krofft.html The Krofft Oeuvre<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050212075342/http://www.albany.net/~genxtv/krofft.html |date=February 12, 2005 }}</ref>

The Kroffts favoured quirky superhero stories, often with children portraying the heroes or part of a hero team. Krofft productions have included ''[[The Bugaloos]]'' (1970), ''[[Lidsville]]'' (1971), ''[[Sigmund and the Sea Monsters]]'' (1973–1975), ''[[Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]'' (1974–1976), ''[[The Lost Saucer]]'' (1975), ''[[Electra Woman and Dyna Girl]]'' (1976), and ''[[Wonderbug]]'' (1976–1978).

==The World of Sid and Marty Krofft==
{{Main|The World of Sid and Marty Krofft}}
In 1976, a developer asked the Kroffts to develop an indoor amusement park for the new Omni International complex downtown [[Atlanta]]. The park, The World of Sid and Marty Krofft, closed after six months due to poor attendance. The Omni International building that contained it was renamed the [[CNN Center]] when the site was converted to the CNN headquarters.<ref name=Martindale>{{Cite book| last = Martindale | first = David | title = Pufnstuf & Other Stuff: The Weird and Wonderful World of Sid and Marty Krofft | publisher = St. Martin's Press| year = 1998 | location = Los Angeles, California | isbn = 1-58063-007-3}}</ref>

==Achievements==
The Kroffts' children's programs have developed a wide and enduring following, especially among adults who watched the shows as children. They were also responsible for a large number of prime-time music and variety programs. These shows also tended to employ a reliable formula featuring a celebrity host or team of hosts, weekly celebrity guest performers, flashy and colourful sets, and frequent interludes of scripted banter and gag-driven, "corny", good-natured sketch comedy.<ref name=Martindale/>

The Kroffts are often acknowledged for the vision and creativity of their projects. In addition to their colourful and hyper-kinetic programs, they often created children's shows with complex stories, unusual protagonists, and uniquely modern sensibilities, or with darker or more action-themed tones than most children's shows.<ref name=Martindale/> Their "camp" popularity stems largely from their shows' low-budget production values, the often surrealistic feel of many of the programs, and the uniquely "70s" style of music and design.<ref name=Martindale/>

==Later years==
The Kroffts have occasionally departed from their formula while making new programs, such as on ''[[Pryor's Place]]'' (1984) and the political puppet satire show ''[[D.C. Follies]]'' (1987). They have attempted to update some of their classic series for a younger generation, including new versions of ''[[Land of the Lost (1991 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]'', ''Electra Woman and Dyna Girl'', ''H.R. Pufnstuf''<ref name=Martindale/> and ''Sigmund and the Sea Monsters''. A new original series, ''[[Mutt & Stuff]]'', aired on [[Nickelodeon]] from 2015 to 2017.

In 2018, the Kroffts received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the [[Daytime Emmys]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Today in Entertainment: Carol Burnett to receive Golden Globe award for TV achievement|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-2018-htmlstory.html|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times|date=December 13, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=October 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024101009/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-entertainment-news-updates-2018-htmlstory.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, the Kroffts were honoured with a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] for their contributions to television.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Hurwitz|first1=Matt|date=February 13, 2020|title=The Craft of the Kroffts: Sid & Marty's Road to Hollywood's Walk of Fame|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/sid-marty-krofft-hr-pufnstuf-crafts-walk-of-fame-interview-1203481956/|access-date=October 25, 2020|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=October 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027034202/https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/sid-marty-krofft-hr-pufnstuf-crafts-walk-of-fame-interview-1203481956/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2022, the Kroffts participated in the first Krofft Kon, a convention held in [[Orinda, California]], where they were joined by some of the actors from their television series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sfist.com/2022/05/20/h-r-pufnstuf-cosplay-convention-kroftt-kon-lands-in-orinda-this-weekend/|title=H.R. Pufnstuf Cosplay Convention 'Kroftt Kon' Lands In Orinda This Weekend|date=May 20, 2022|website=SFist|access-date=August 31, 2022|archive-date=August 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831002333/https://sfist.com/2022/05/20/h-r-pufnstuf-cosplay-convention-kroftt-kon-lands-in-orinda-this-weekend/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2023, Sid Krofft sued his brother Marty, as well as the Krofft companies for allegedly being delinquent in paying nearly $500,000 owed to the plaintiff as part of a buyout of Sid's business interests.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Famed Puppeteer Sid Krofft Files Court Papers Against Brother Marty {{!}} KFI AM 640 |url=https://kfiam640.iheart.com/featured/la-local-news/content/2023-01-30-famed-puppeteer-sid-krofft-files-court-papers-against-brother-marty/ |access-date=January 3, 2025 |website=LA Local News |language=en}}</ref>

Marty Krofft died from [[kidney failure]] in [[Los Angeles, California]], on November 25, 2023, at the age of 86.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dagan|first=Carmel|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/marty-krofft-dead-h-r-pufnstuf-1235808822/|title=Marty Krofft, Producer of 'H.R. Pufnstuf,' 'Land of the Lost,' Dies at 86|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=November 25, 2023|date=November 25, 2023}}</ref>

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Award
!Ceremony
!Organisation
!Presenter
!Year
! Notes/References
|-
|Emmy Award: Lifetime Achievement Award
|[[45th Daytime Emmy Awards|45th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards]]
|[[National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences]]
|
|2018
|<ref>{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Michael |title=Sid Krofft and Marty Krofft Reflect on Road to Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/awards/daytime-emmys-2018-lifetime-achievement-sid-krofft-marty-krofft-interview-1202776302/ |website=Variety |access-date=November 26, 2023 |date=April 27, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fairman |first1=Michael |title=All in the Family: Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients Sid and Marty Kroftt – The Emmys |url=https://theemmys.tv/all-in-the-family/ |website=theemmys.tv |access-date=November 26, 2023 |date=April 25, 2018}}</ref>
|-
|TV Land Award: Pop Culture Award
|[[TV Land Award|7th Annual TV Land Awards]]
|The TV Land Icon Awards
|[[Will Ferrell]]
|2009
|
|-
|Saturn Award: Life Career Award
|[[29th Saturn Awards]]
|Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films
|
|2002
|
|}

==Works==
{{Unreferenced section|date=November 2023}}

===TV series===
{{Div col}}
* ''[[The Banana Splits]]'' (1968; characters created for [[Hanna-Barbera Productions]])
* ''[[H.R. Pufnstuf]]'' (1969)
* ''[[The Bugaloos]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Lidsville]]'' (1971)
* ''[[Sigmund and the Sea Monsters]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Land of the Lost (1974 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Far Out Space Nuts]]'' (1975)
* ''[[The Lost Saucer]]'' (1975)
* ''[[Donny & Marie (1976 TV series)|Donny & Marie]]'' (1976; a.k.a. ''The Osmond Family Show'')
* ''[[The Krofft Supershow]]'' (1976)
** ''[[The Krofft Supershow#Kaptain Kool and the Kongs|Kaptain Kool and the Kongs]]'' (1976)
** ''[[Dr. Shrinker]]'' (1976)
** ''[[Electra Woman and Dyna Girl]]'' (1976)
** ''[[Wonderbug]]'' (1976)
** ''[[The Krofft Supershow#Magic Mongo|Magic Mongo]]'' (1977)
** ''[[Bigfoot and Wildboy]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Brady Bunch Hour]]'' (1977)
* ''[[The Krofft Superstar Hour]]'' (1978; a.k.a. ''The [[Bay City Rollers]] Show'')
** ''[[The Krofft Superstar Hour#Horror Hotel|Horror Hotel]]''
** ''[[The Krofft Superstar Hour#The Lost Island|The Lost Island]]''
* ''[[Pink Lady (TV series)|Pink Lady and Jeff]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Pryor's Place]]'' (1984)
* ''[[D.C. Follies]]'' (1987)
* ''[[Land of the Lost (1991 TV series)|Land of the Lost]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Mutt & Stuff]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Sigmund and the Sea Monsters#Reboot|Sigmund and the Sea Monsters]]'' (2016)
{{Div col end}}

===Television specials/pilots===
{{Div col}}
* ''[[Fol-de-Rol]]'' (1972)
* ''[[The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl]]'' (1973)
* ''Prevue Revue'' (1974)
* ''[[Really Raquel]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Saturday Morning Preview#ABC|Jimmy Osmond Presents ABC's Saturday Sneak Peek]]'' (1976)
* ''[[The Paul Lynde Halloween Special]]'' (1976) - Did not produce, but includes Witchiepoo and other Krofft regulars
* ''[[The Brady Bunch Hour|The Brady Bunch Variety Hour]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Saturday Morning Preview#ABC|Kaptain Kool and the Kongs Present ABC All-Star Saturday]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Saturday Morning Preview#NBC|The Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars]]'' (1978)
* ''The Krofft Komedy Hour'' (1978)
* ''Bobby Vinton's Rock 'n' Rollers'' (1978)
* ''Anson & Lorrie'' (1981)
* ''Oral Roberts Celebration'' (1981)<ref>{{Cite book | title=Oral Roberts: An American Life | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rtz1InGWAmYC&pg=PA399 | page=399 | year=1985 | author=David Edwin Harrell Jr. | publisher=Indiana Univ. Press |isbn = 0253114411| access-date=October 27, 2016 }}</ref>
* ''[[Saturday Morning Preview#CBS|The CBS Saturday Morning Preview Special]]'' (1983)
* ''[[Saturday Morning Preview#CBS|Saturday's the Place]]'' (1984)
* ''The Cracker Brothers'' (1985)
* ''[[Saturday Morning Preview#CBS|Rock 'n' Wrestling Saturday Spectacular]]'' (1985)
* ''The Patti LaBelle Show'' (1985)
* ''[[Sid & Marty Krofft's Red Eye Express]]'' (1988)
* ''Krofft Late Night'' (1991)
* ''[[Electra Woman and Dyna Girl#Unaired WB television pilot|Electra Woman and Dyna Girl]]'' (2001, unaired pilot)
{{Div col end}}

===Direct-to-video===
* ''[[Toby Terrier#Video series|Toby Terrier and His Video Pals]]'' (1993–1994) – Created to interact with an electronic toy manufactured by [[Tiger Electronics]]
* ''Wishing Well Willy'' (1995)

===Films===
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* ''[[Pufnstuf (film)|Pufnstuf]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Middle Age Crazy]]'' (1980)
* ''Side Show'' (1981)
* ''[[Harry Tracy, Desperado]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Land of the Lost (film)|Land of the Lost]]'' (2009)
{{Div col end}}

===Live shows===
{{Div col|colwidth=15em}}
* ''Howdy, Mr. Ice of 1950'' (1949)
* ''[[Les Poupées de Paris]]'' (1961)
* ''Funny World'' (1966)
* ''Circus'' (1966)
* ''Kaleidoscope'' (1968)
* ''Fol-de-Rol'' (1968)
* ''A Broadway Baby'' (1984)
* ''Comedy Kings'' (1988)
* "Blast" (1991)
{{Div col end}}

===Web series===
* ''[[Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (web series)|Electra Woman and Dyna Girl]]'' (2016)
* ''[[Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (Amazon series)|Sigmund and the Sea Monsters]]'' (2017)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0471898|name=Sid Krofft}}
* {{IMDb name|id=0471897|name=Marty Krofft}}
* {{Discogs artist|Sid & Marty Krofft}}
* [http://www.sidandmartykrofft.com The World of Sid and Marty Krofft]

{{Sid and Marty Krofft}}
{{The Life Career Award}}
{{Daytime Emmy Award Lifetime Achievement}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krofft, Sid and Marty}}
[[Category:Sid and Marty Krofft| ]]
[[Category:Canadian television producers]]
[[Category:American television producers]]
[[Category:People from Montreal]]
[[Category:Brother duos]]
[[Category:Sibling filmmakers]]
[[Category:Hanna-Barbera people]]
[[Category:Canadian puppeteers]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Greek descent]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Hungarian descent]]
[[Category:American people of Greek descent]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian descent]]