H.R. Pufnstuf is a fantasy-comedy television series for children, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft in the United States. Seventeen episodes were produced, airing Saturday mornings from September 6 to December 27, 1969. It was followed by a feature film in 1970.
Influence from The Wizard of Oz is quite apparent throughout the series. Sid Krofft has claimed that the this was the first movie he ever saw, in 1939 at age 10. The series revolves around a child (an English boy rather than an American girl) transported to a fantasy paradise, whose peace is disturbed only by a clumsy, inept Wicked Witch and her moronic minions. Billie Hayes' performance as Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo is clearly based on Margaret Hamilton's Wicked Witch of the West, and the talking trees that appear often in the series resemble the Fighting Trees from the film. The vaudeville singer Judy Frog is a caricature of Judy Garland, whom Sid Krofft had met on a performing tour, and who tragically died a few months before the show's debut. One of the regular characters is a Lion, although he has very little in common with the Cowardly Lion.
Joan Gerber was among the voice cast regulars.