Sid Krofft, a puppeteer who, with his younger brother Marty, created eccentric children’s shows such as “H.R. Pufnstuf,” “Land of the Lost,” and “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour,” died on April 10. He was 96.
Krofft’s death, at the home of his friend Kelly Killian in Los Angeles, was confirmed by a publicist, Adam Fenton, The New York Times reported.
The brothers were puppeteers in 1968 when they were hired to design the costumes for the live-action portion of “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Saturday morning children’s show was an instant hit and ran through 1970 before becoming a staple in syndication.
The next year, the brothers created “H.R.Pufnstuf,” a show featuring a shipwrecked boy who lands on a magical island, the entertainment news outlet reported.
Krofft was an eccentric visionary that the Times described as “a kids’ show P.T. Barnum.” His brother handled the business end, keeping the duo solvent and smoothing over issues with television executives when Sid went too far, according to the newspaper.
“I get a dream, and Marty gets it done,” Krofft said during a 2006 interview for the TV Academy Foundation.
The shows had a drug-like feel to them during the psychedelic 1960s, but the brothers denied that it was done intentionally.
“If we did the drugs that we’ve been accused of doing all these years, we wouldn’t be here answering your questions,” Krofft said in an interview with The Washington Post in 2009.
Sid Krofft, who with his brother Marty created and produced memorable kids shows “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost,” has died.https://t.co/P1Bj7pnljg
— Variety (@Variety) April 13, 2026
His philosophy, Krofft told the Times in a 2006 interview, was direct.
“When you’re nuts, you’ve got to go nuts all the way,” he said.
The Krofft children’s shows featured young actors and familiar entertainers, including Richard Pryor, Jim Nabors, Ruth Buzzi and Bob Denver, the Times reported.
“Land of the Lost” focused on a family that accidentally traveled to an alternate Earth ruled by dinosaurs and primate-like people called Pakuni and the Sleestak, Variety reported.
The series ran from 1974 to 1976 and then aired in syndication during the early 1980s.
The Kroffts went on to make “The Bugaloos,“ ”Lidsville” and “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters,” according to the Times.
Marty Krofft died in November 2023 at the age of 86.
Sid Krofft’s nieces and Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures released a statement, calling him a visionary whose empire “continues to inspire generations,“ Variety reported.
“Sid Krofft was a rainbow-colored, prolific and creative genius who rose from humble beginnings to become a true embodiment of the American Dream,” the statement said. “The brothers’ history of contrasting styles and personalities, ultimately produced a perfectly complementary blending of visions creating dazzling and imaginative worlds that have entertained and shaped future generations.”
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