HR Puff n Stuff

This classic series premiered on Australian television on September 6th, 1969. Created by Sid & Marty Croft, it continued throughout the 80’s & mesmerised  an entire generation with its extraordinary “living cartoons.”

Puff, Jimmy & Freddy

This show captured the imagination of a generation with surreal stories, hypnotic colours, and a maddening mix of real life and master puppetry. This story of a boy, his magic flute, a witch, and the giant Puff n Stuff, the friendly Mayor of Living Island. Stories usually revolved around Witchiepoo (Billy Hayes) and her henchman hatching various plots against the young Jimmy (Jack Wild) in an effort to steal his Magical Flute Freddy (voice of Joan Gerber) as Puff n stuff and friends help foil her attempts.

It began with Jimmy, a young English boy (Jack Wild of Oliver fame), playing near the edge of a river with his magical talking gold flute, Freddie (or “Fweddie”, as Jimmy called him). Whilst at the edge of a river Jimmy climbs aboard a boat that becko ns to him.

The evil Witchiepoo

As it drifts out to sea an evil witch named “Witchiepoo” (seekin g Freddie to add to her collecti on of magical possessions), casts a spell and makes the boat turn into an evil boat which attacks Jimmy(who then jumps overboard to save himself).

Swimming to the shore of Living Island, Jimmy is rescued by its mayor, HR Puff n stuff and his Rescue Ranger crew (Kling and Klang) before Witchiepoo can get her hands on the boy or the magic flute. They befriend Jimmy, sheltering and protecting him from the kooky old witch. Everything on Living Island is alive. Books have faces, houses sneeze and trees can talk, not to mention the regular citizens who all look like an animal of some sort. Dr Blinky is an Owl, Ludicrous a Lion and Judy Frog. And then there is the evil Witchiepoo (played by the great Billie Hayes).

 

She continually tries to satisfy her obsession for the talking flute with the aid of her goofy henchmen Orson, Seymore, Dumb and Stupid and her motorized broomstick, called the Vroom Broom. Each episode involves Jimmy attempting to escape from the island with the help of Puff n stuff and his friends, with flute intact of course.

This was another of my all time favourite shows. I used to rush home from school to watch even though Witchiepoo & her squealing voice absolutely terrified me! I knew the theme tune word for word & used to go round the house singing it. Whilst creating this website & finding the theme tune again, I hadn’t forgotten a word!

Watch the original Puff n Stuff theme tune

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