Sigmund and the Sea Monsters

Sigmund and the Sea Monsters
Starring Billy Barty
Johnny Whitaker
Scott Kolden
Mary Wickes
Joe Higgins
Rip Taylor
Fran Ryan
Fred Spencer
Paul Gale
Van Snowden
Sharon Baird
Sparky Marcus
Margaret Hamilton
Voices of Walker Edmiston
Sidney Miller
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 29
Production
Producer(s) Sid and Marty Krofft
Running time 25 minutes (per episode)
Release
Original network NBC
Original release September 8, 1973 – October 18, 1975

Sigmund and the Sea Monsters is an American children's television series that ran from September 8, 1973 to October 18, 1975, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft and aired on Saturday mornings. It was syndicated from December 1975 to June 1978 and later as part of the Krofft Superstars show from 1978 to 1985.

Plot

The show centered on two brothers, Johnny (Johnny Whitaker) and Scott Stuart (Scott Kolden), who discover Sigmund (Billy Barty), a friendly young sea monster who had been thrown out by his comically dysfunctional undersea family for refusing to frighten people. The boys hide Sigmund in their clubhouse.[1]

Sigmund, Scott and Johnny in the program's 1973 premiere episode, 1973.

Plotlines were very simple and straightforward, usually some variation on the idea of Sigmund doing something silly to arouse attention, and the boys working to prevent him from being found by Sigmund's brother monsters, Blurp (Bill Germaine, Larry Larsen) and Slurp (Fred Spencer, Paul Gale). The brothers also worked to hide Sigmund from their overbearing housekeeper Zelda (Mary Wickes), elderly neighbor Mrs. Eldels (Margaret Hamilton) and Sheriff Chuck Bevans (Joe Higgins). Zelda was the boys' housekeeper while their parents were away on vacation. Strangely, the parents were never seen on the show, nor did they return home by the end of the series.

The episodes included songs as part of the plot development. The character(s), generally Johnny, would sing a song about what he was thinking or feeling about something going on in his life, from things that made him happy to anxiety about girls.

While videotaping the first episode of Season Two, a hot light fell and started a fire.[2] No one was injured, but the fire destroyed all of the sets and much of the costumes and other props.[2] Most of Season Two was taped with minimal sets.[2] Rip Taylor joined the cast as a magical 'Sea Genie' named Sheldon who lived inside a sea shell. Unfortunately, Sheldon was a bumbler, and his "whammy" spells seldom worked properly. Soon Sheldon's nephew, Shelby (Sparky Marcus), a small sea genie boy, joined in on the fun. Also in the second season, Zelda was replaced by a new housekeeper named Gertrude, played by Fran Ryan. Gertrude was a tough USMC drill instructor. The boys were relieved when Zelda returned after Gertrude was scared away by the house being "haunted".

Music

The songs for the show were co-written by Danny Janssen, Bobby Hart and Wes Farrell.

A cover of the show's theme song, performed by Tripping Daisy, is included on the 1995 tribute album Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, produced by Ralph Sall for MCA Records.

Album

Eleven songs from the show were released on Johnny Whitaker's album Friends (Music from the Television Series 'Sigmund and the Sea Monsters') (Chelsea Records, BCL1-0332).

All songs written by Danny Janssen and Bobby Hart, except where noted.

Side 1

  1. "Friends" (Janssen, Hart, Farrell)
  2. "Keep It a Secret"
  3. "A Simple Song"
  4. "The Magician"
  5. "Monster Rock" (Janssen, Hart, Farrell)
  6. "It's Up to You"

Side 2

  1. "Can't Get You Off My Mind"
  2. "Running 'Round in Circles"
  3. "Lovin' Ain't Easy"
  4. "Sigmund and the Sea Monsters"
  5. "Day and Night"

Production

Sigmund and the Sea Monsters was the first Krofft Saturday morning production that was produced for more than one season. Previous entries H.R. Pufnstuf (1969), The Bugaloos (1970), and Lidsville (1971) were in production with new episodes for only a single season.[2]

Sigmund, however, did not follow the "stranger in a strange land" premise as many of the previous Krofft shows had done. Other Krofft shows which did not follow the premise were Bugaloos, Bigfoot and Wildboy, Pryor's Place and Wonderbug.[2]

Costumes were created by Oliver Soublette.

One episode features an appearance by H.R. Pufnstuf and another that features Jack Wild (who had played Jimmy on H.R. Pufnstuf).

The series was created and produced by Sid & Marty Krofft and Si Rose.

Partial episode list

Episode Number Air Date Episode Title Synopsis
Season 1
S01E01 Sep. 8, 1973 The Monster Who Came to Dinner Johnny and Scott bring Sigmund home to live in their clubhouse.
S01E02 Sep. 15, 1973 Puppy Love Sigmund falls in love with a canine named Fluffy. Zelda cleans the clubhouse and Slurp tries to lure Sigmund home.
S01E03 Sep. 22, 1973 Frankenstein Drops In Sigmund's family kidnaps Scott, so Johnny dresses up like Frankenstein to save him.
S01E04 Sep. 29, 1973 Is There a Doctor in the Cave? Johnny gets captured. The Wolfman makes a surprise appearance at the Ooze cave.
S01E05 Oct. 6, 1973 Happy Birthdaze Sigmund decides to surprise the boys by cleaning the house, but his brothers crash in.
S01E06 Oct. 13, 1973 The Nasty Nephew Zelda's obnoxious nephew Leroy stays the weekend.
S01E07 Oct. 20, 1973 Monster Rock Festival Sigmund submits his song to a radio songwriting contest and wins.
S01E08 Oct. 27, 1973 Ghoul School Days Sigmund runs away because he feels like he's getting in the way. The Assistant Principal visits to discuss the boys' slipping grades.
S01E09 Nov. 3, 1973 The Curfew Shall Ring Tonight Sigmund accidentally breaks Aunt Zelda's bowl and decides to get money from his family's cave to replace it, but he is caught after curfew by the sea monster sheriff.
S01E10 Nov. 10,1973 Sweet Mama Redecorates Sigmund's mother Sweet Mama decides to redecorate the sea monster cave.
S01E11 Nov. 17, 1973 Make Room for Big Daddy When Blurp and Slurp destroy the family Shellavision, they run away and move into the club house with Sigmund. Big Daddy chases them home, but elects to stay and watch the club house TV.
S01E12 Nov. 24, 1973 It's Your Move Sigmund's family evacuates the cave for a storm and Sigmund moves home to avoid Johnny and Scott's parents.
S01E13 Dec. 1, 1973 Trick or Treat Sigmund discovers the joys of trick or treating. The Ooze family learns that Sigmund has won a TV contest.
S01E14 Dec. 8, 1973 Uncle Siggy Swings Sigmund's Uncle Siggy comes for a visit and falls for Zelda.
S01E15 Dec. 15, 1973 The Dinosaur Show A caveman and his pet dinosaur move into the Ooze's cave and force them out.
S01E16 Dec. 22, 1973 The Wild Weekend Jack Wild spends the weekend with the boys. Prince runs away from home.
S01E17 Dec. 29, 1973 Boy for a Day Sigmund gets amnesia and thinks he's a human boy.
Season 2
S02E01 Jul. 7, 1974 A Genie for Sigmund Sigmund finds a genie in a sea shell.
S02E02 Sep. 14, 1974 Paul Revere Rides Again Sheldon zaps Paul Revere into the club house to settle a dispute.
S02E03 Sep. 21, 1974 Now You See 'Em, Now You Don't Sheldon makes Johnny and Scot invisible.
S02E04 Sep. 28, 1974 Johnny-O, the Great With Sheldon's help, Johnny performs a magic act.
S02E05 Oct. 5, 1974 Super Sigmund Sigmund has Sheldon give him super strength.
S02E06 Oct. 12, 1974 Pufnstuf Drops In Sheldon accidentally zaps Pufnstuf into the club house.
S02E07 Oct. 19, 1974 Sheldon and the Nephew Sitters Sheldon has to baby-sit his magic nephew.
S02E08 Oct. 26, 1974 One Way Whammy to Tahiti Shelby sends Johnny and a girlfriend to Tahiti, but cannot bring them back.
S02E09 Nov. 2, 1974 Cry Uncle Zelda has to leave town.
S02E10 Nov. 9, 1974 The Haunted House While Zelda and the Sheriff are at the movies, the Oozes sneak into the house.
S02E11 Nov. 16, 1974 Mother Makes Ten Shelby's mother takes care of Burp and Slurp.
S02E12 Nov. 23, 1974 You Can't Beat a Magic Carpet Shelby and Sigmund get lost on a magic carpet ride.

Home Media releases

In the United States, the first season of the show was released on DVD in 2005 by Rhino Entertainment, featuring all 17 original broadcast episodes, uncut and digitally remastered. It was released again in September 6, 2011 from Vivendi Entertainment. Although there were plans for season two to be released on DVD, it was scrapped because of low sales. In Australia, the complete series was released in a region-free four-disk set by Beyond Home Entertainment.[3]

Reboot

In 2015 Sid and Marty Krofft announced that Amazon was partnering with them to create an updated remake of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. In June 2016, a pilot was released on Amazon as a pick with a few other Amazon children's shows as a vote up to air the series or not.[4] In late 2016, it was announced that Sigmund would get picked up for a first season. Production for the first series started in early 2017 and was finished in June 2017.

A teaser trailer for the pilot was released in Comic Con 2017 with changes from the original show: David Arquette plays the evil villain Captain Barnabus who believes sea monsters are real and devotes his time capturing them, and instead of living with a housekeeper the boys are spending the summer at their aunt's place with their cousin when they discover Sigmund. On October 13, Amazon Prime streamed out 6 episodes of Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.[5]

References

  1. ↑ CD liner notes: Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits, 1995 MCA Records
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Martindale, David (1998). Pufnstuf & Other Stuff: The Weird and Wonderful World of Sid & Marty Krofft. St. Martin's Press. pp. 124–137. ISBN 1-58063-007-3.
  3. ↑ "Fire-Breathing Dimetrodon Time: Sigmund and the Sea Monsters 1.2 – Puppy Love".
  4. ↑ https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/sid-and-marty-krofft-sigmund-and-the-sea-monsters-revival-video-1201928730/
  5. ↑ http://lufkindailynews.com/article_5e41b9b3-eec7-5708-b406-fb3276a59757.html
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