Amazon Studios today announced it has signed a deal with iconic television producers Sid and Marty Krofft to develop a reimagined pilot of the classic ’70s children live-action series “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.”
The Saturday morning kids show “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters” ran from 1973-1975 and starred Johnny Whitaker and Scott Kolden as two brothers who befriend Sigmund (Billy Barty), a green tentacle creature who’s been banished from his undersea kingdom.
“Sid and Marty are geniuses and we are honored to be working with them to bring to the world a return of what we believe is TV’s most fabulous and funniest sea creature ever,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios.
“Sid found Sigmund swimming in the ocean as seaweed,” said Marty Krofft. “Boy, are we lucky to re-create ‘Sigmund and the Sea Monsters’ with Roy Price and Tara Sorensen at Amazon Studios.”
Comedian and “The Simpsons” scribe Dana Gould previously developed a script for a live-action Sigmund and the Sea Monsters feature at Universal and Mosaic in 2008, but the failure of 2009’s Land of the Lost derailed that project.
The Kroffts made their television debut in 1969 with NBC’s “H.R. Pufnstuf,” which centered on the magical adventures of a boy named Jimmy, a talking flute and a six-foot dragon. The series, which introduced the brothers’ innovative mix of live-action and puppetry, was made into a Universal Pictures feature in 1970. The show continues to be broadcast around the world. “Pufnstuf” was quickly followed by “The Bugaloos” on NBC (1970) and “Lidsville” on ABC (1971). “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters” and “Land Of The Lost” premiered on NBC in 1973 and in 1974, respectively.
