Sid Krofft, a puppeteer turned producer of beloved children’s programs such as “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Land of the Lost,” has died. He was 96.
Krofft died of natural causes Friday, April 10, at the home of his friend and business partner Kelly Killian, Krofft’s publicist, Adam Fenton, told USA TODAY on April 13. Krofft underwent surgery in November, and “although the surgery was a success, recouping was difficult and frustrating for Sid,” his representative’s statement said.
Killian also spoke out about his death in a post shared on Krofft’s Instagram account. “That man embodied love, life, and happiness—right to the very end,” Killian wrote in the caption, alongside a montage of photos and videos documenting Krofft’s final years.
A statement on behalf of Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures and the Krofft family read, “Having only been informed of their uncle’s passing, nearly 72 hours after the fact, following reports that had already appeared in the media, the Krofft sisters, along with the rest of the company, are all saddened to hear about the passing of Sid Krofft.”
The statement went on to describe Krofft as “a rainbow-colored, prolific and creative genius who rose from humble beginnings to become a true embodiment of the American Dream.” Sid and Marty Krofft had “contrasting styles and personalities ultimately produced a perfectly complementary blending of visions, creating dazzling and imaginative worlds that have entertained and shaped future generations,” the family said.Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
The brothers’ collaboration “left an indelible mark” on five films, around 50 TV shows and “an undeniable influence on popular culture,” the statement said, adding that “Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures successfully continues its great legacy, with both Sid and Marty looking over us.”
Marty Krofft died of kidney failure in 2023 at 86 years old. Last year, their older brother, Henry, died at 97.
Sid Krofft’s dream was ‘already’ to be in show business
Sid and Marty Krofft were the minds behind imaginative children’s programs beginning in the late ’60s, with “H.R. Pufnstuf” debuting on NBC in 1969. The series about a shipwrecked boy Jimmy (played by Jack Wild), which aired until 1971 but lived on in reruns, was followed by other memorable series such as “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters,” “Land of the Lost,” and variety shows “Donny and Marie” and “Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters.”
“Land of the Lost,” which originally aired from 1974 to 1976, was rebooted in the early ’90s and adapted into a 2009 film starring Will Ferrell, Anna Friel and Danny McBride.
“My dream, always, was just to be in show business,” Krofft told The New York Times in 2006. “My whole strategy was to be different. That was the only way you were going to get special attention.”
Krofft, born Cydus Yolas in Montreal on July 30, 1929, immigrated with his family to the U.S. in 1938. He started his showman career at age 10, when he bought his first puppet and started performing on the street in Providence, Rhode Island. As a teen puppet performer, he started touring with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus, and in the late ’50s he opened for Judy Garland on tour
Marty Krofft left his car salesman job and joined his brother on the road and in the 1960s the two masterminded the the ambitious adult-oriented puppet show “Les Poupées de Paris,” which had features including an ice rink and a pool. Their puppetry – and vibrant imaginations – led to some wide-ranging work at theme parks, and the brothers opened their own amusement park, the since-shuttered World of Sid and Marty Krofft, in the late ’70s.
The Kroffts’ creative vision landed them the gig of creating costumes for the children’s program “The Banana Splits,” which paved the way for their TV career. Sid and Marty Krofft were honored with a lifetime achievement award at the 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards.
Sid Krofft’s final act: Interviewing celebrities on Instagram
Sid Krofft, who stayed busy with appearances at fan conventions until his final months, discovered a new career in the social media age: interviewing celebrities on Instagram Live. On “Sundays With Sid,” he spoke with Charo, David Copperfield and friend Paul Reubens, among dozens of others.
Hollywood stars were often landing on his doorstep, he told the Los Angeles Times in 2021.
“They searched me out! A few days ago, Anderson Cooper contacted me. I don’t know Anderson. And Katie Couric. People are reaching out to me that I never knew,” Krofft said. “Half of the people that I have had on, they reached out to me. I’m floored over that.”
“I’m re-living my life. That’s what I’m doing right now,” he added. “And it’s just been the cherry on the cake for me.”
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