Sigmund and the Sea Monsters was a Saturday morning children’s show that ran from 1973-75. It was the fourth series from producers Sid & Marty Krofft, who had a long family tradition of entertainment, as they were fifth-generation puppeteers. According to Sid, it was their most successful. This set has 17 episodes spread over three discs.
The premise is that Sigmund Ooze, played by Billy Barty, is kicked out of his family’s home because he isn’t a good sea monster since he can't scare anyone. Upon leaving the family's cave at Dead Man's Point, he meets brothers Johnny and Scott on the beach. He has nowhere to go, so the boys take Sigmund to live in their backyard clubhouse.
Most of the episodes revolve around keeping Sigmund hidden from grown-ups as he learns about the human world, keeping Sigmund’s family from taking him back home for some scheme that usually involved making money or getting out of work, or rescuing someone who has been kidnapped by Sigmund’s family. They usually wrapped up with a song by Johnny.
Sigmund and the boys are a good match for each other because they both come from very strange families. Sigmund's parents are Big Daddy and Sweet Mama. Big Daddy is obviously based on Archie Bunker, but there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on Sweet Mama. One person from the show says Edith Bunker, which I didn’t see, while someone else says Maude. To me, she appeared to resemble Phyllis Diller. Older brother Slurp’s voice is similar to Jim Nabors, while older brother Blurp appears unique. They have a pet lobster named Prince.
Johnny and Scott have an even odder family situation. Their parents are never around. It’s just accepted with no explanation of where they are or what’s going on. There was one episode when they were going to come home from a trip, but then called to say they weren’t coming because a storm caused their plane to get cancelled. I was baffled why they didn’t reschedule when the storm passed. Their housekeeper Zelda, played by Mary Wickes, raises them. She has a thing for Sheriff Bevans, so he is around a lot. Mrs. Eddels, played by The Wicked Witch of the West, Margaret Hamilton, is their noisy neighbor in three episodes. She sees Sigmund and his family running around, but luckily, no one ever believes her.
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Article comments
1 - Joanie
Do you know how envious I am that you got to share this with your niece and nephew? I loved this show when I was a kid.
You better run, you better hide, you better keep this DVD out of sight when we meet!