Marty Krofft, co-producer of children’s television classics HR Pufnstuf and Land of the Losthe died at the age of 86.
The businessman, who worked on the programs alongside his older brother and creative partner Sid Krofft, died of kidney failure Saturday in Los Angeles, a family representative confirmed to PEOPLE.
Nicknamed the “Saturday Morning King,” Marty worked on the family entertainment and primetime program for more than 50 years. He and Sid first collaborated on HR Pufnstuf.
A scene from ‘The Banana Splits Adventure Hour’.
the Everett Collection
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The live-action series debuted on NBC in 1969 before getting a second life through reruns on ABC and elsewhere throughout the 1970s and beyond. The series also spawned a 1970 live-action adaptation Pufnstuf.
The brothers — who were born in Montreal, Quebec, and were the first to create costumes for Hanna-Barbera’s Banana Splits — in the end he continued to create Land of the Lostwhich premiered on NBC in 1974 and later aired as reruns on other networks.
The series, which consisted of 43 episodes, ran for three seasons on NBC, according to IMDB. It followed the story of a family that lived in a land ruled by dinosaurs and other creatures. Land of the Lost it finally hit the big screen in 2009, thanks to a film adaptation starring Will Ferrell.
While Marty was best known for his work on children’s television — including other hits such as Bugaloose, Leedsville, Sigmund and the sea monsters and Pryor’s Place starring Richard Pryor — also had several prime-time hits. The producer was responsible for series such as DC crazinessthe The Donny & Marie Show, The Brady Bunch Hour and Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.
Marty’s extensive career also included opening the World of Sid & Marty Krofft amusement park in 1976 in Atlanta, his work on Everyone in the family TV set and creating 25-foot-tall puppets for *NSYNC at the 2000 American Music Awards, according to a family representative.
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The Krofft brothers won a 2018 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award, as well as a star on the 2020 Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Several friends and fans shared memories of Marty on social media, including The Brady Bunch star Maureen McCormick, who tweeted the photo himself and the producer at his Walk of Fame ceremony.
“Rest in sweet peace Marty Krofft. Thank you for all the joy. You are in mine [heart] forever,” she wrote. “Love to Marty’s family and friends.”
In an interview for Hsu Untied podcast earlier this year, Marty joked that the “biggest highlight” of his career is that he’s “run this thing for 50 years and I’m still above weed.”
“So that’s a big highlight. There’s been really so many things outside of the shows and the movies… Is there a favorite? I just have a hard time with that.”
Marty is survived by his brothers Sid and Harry Krofft, three daughters, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The family has not announced a service and is asking for donations to Marleys Mutts in Marty’s honor.
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Source: HIS Education