"LIDSVILLE"

Readers who were watching kids' TV during the early 1970's will remember a couple of psychedelically strange shows called "LIDSVILLE" and "H. R. PUFNSTUF". Like many good things from that era, "LIDSVILLE" and "H. R. PUFNSTUF" was full of nods to the prevailing stoner counter-culture, and included many sly pot and drug references which most of us likely missed as children

In the 70's a pot head would have told you that a "lid" was a bag of marijuana, about an ounce (the stuff was so cheap back then most dealers would just grab a jar lid full and throw it in a baggie) if it was about 4 fingers, it was a lid.

The Saturday morning show "Lidsville" was a childrens show. It was not about marijuana, but who could have created such a show other than a pothead ?

The creators of "Lidsville" were Sid and Marty Krofft, who also created it's predecessors 1969's H.R. Pufnstuf and The Bugaloos in 1970. Lidsville aired for two seasons between 1971 - 1973.

Like H.R Pufnstuf, the older kids knew that Lidsville's title and subject matter were drug related (pot).

The star of the show was Butch Patrick (Mark) who fell into a the hat that was owned Merlo the Magician (Charles Nelson Reilly). He fell and fell and landed in the land of Lidsville. This was the magical land of living hats. The hats had the same role as humans who would normally wear them. The hats lived in hat shaped houses.

The villian of the show was also a magician (also played by Charles Nelson Reilly) named Horatio J. HooDoo. Horatio would fly around on his "Hatamaran" and demand that the citizens of Lidsville pay him for their Hat Checks. As Mark tried to find his way back home he would help the citizens fight HooDoo.

What a farout show, do you remember it ?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

..H. R. PUFFING STUFF ?

..H. R.= hand - rolled ?

..Pufnstuf is green with red hair, just like cannabis buds

..The theme song of the show..H.R. Pufnstuf, who's your friend when things get rough? H.R. Pufnstuf, can't do a little, 'cause you can't do enough!

..Some highlights include Witchiepoo offering a minion a "roach beef sandwich," Freddy the Flute getting turned into a magic mushroom, Pufnstuf telling Cling and Clang to "stop sniffing" the magic smoke, and Jimmy dosing Witchiepoo with a Love Potion.

..The evil Witchiepoo regularly uses drugs to mess with the good guys. In one episode she hits up the Pufnstuf gang with "laughing gas," a magic smoke pouring from her saxophone. She goes to each person and blasts them with smoke – they burst into laughter, soon followed by a heavy sleep.

..other episodes Witchiepoo plies the good guys with spiked "Campfire Granny" chocolate treats, and uses "love gas" to win the island folk to her side.

.."Puff and Stuff" is the perfect summation of their relationship with marijuana and food. So it's not surprising that the Krofft's creations were picked up by munchies salesmen pushing fast foodstuffs to hungry stoners. Although the Kroffts created the enduring Kool-Aid pitcher, the most successful commercialization of their oeuvre was done by McDonald's, who based their characters of Mayor McCheese, Grimace, Hamburglar and others on Pufnstuf and his pals. Unfortunately, the McDonald's ad agency scammed the Kroffts, stealing their ideas and puppet technology without crediting them at all. In 1971 the Kroffts sued McDonald's, and after six years of court battles, juries and appeal courts backed their claim. The Kroffts have received regular court-ordered royalty checks from the McDonald's empire ever since.HR Pufnstuf Opening and Closing Themes

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