From 1973 to 1975 Sid and Marty Krofft created an interesting take on Cinderella wrapped in seaweed and lovingly covered in crushed green faux velvet, and called it Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.

It all starts like a strange After School Special with the introduction of Sigmund’s dysfunctional sea monster family.  Imagine Archie Bunker’s family from All in the Family, except in this case it’s the Ooze family:  Big Daddy (voiced by Walker Edminson) and Sweet Mama (Van Snowden), two idiot twin brothers named “Burp” and “Slurp” (also voiced by Walker Edminson).    And poor Sigmund (Billy Barty), who’s family just doesn’t understand why he won’t be a “real” monster and scare people, so he decides to run away.

Enter television icon Johnny Whitaker who was best known as Jody from the 1960’s comedy Family Affair playing a boy named (remarkably) Johnny, and his brother Scott (Scott Kolden) who happen to find Sigmond tangled in some seaweed along the shore, and like many kids who find stray pets, decide to keep him in their “clubhouse” and hide him from their housekeeper Zelda (played by character screen legend actress Mary Wickes)

Quick side note here….The clubhouse that Johnny and Scott stash Sigmond in, is the reason no child was ever satisfied with any treehouse or clubhouse they could create for themselves.  This thing was pimp, and today would probably comfortably house a family of 6)

And the boys must be commended on several levels…first of all they show great love and care for Sigmond in not only constantly defending him from his family (bent on having him back just to have someone to kick around), but also in the fact that they could be having massive drug fueled teen parties in their seaside bungalow and instead decide use the space to shelter their talking, tentacled, green velour chaise instead.

And another side note here…bravo to Sid and Marty Krofft for their dire futuristic vision and warning about the breakdown of traditional family structures through both abuse and apathy, a warning we sadly failed to heed in time.

Now in the second season they introduced Rip Taylor as a sea genie called Sheldon, who really had no power other than to throw confetti all over the clubhouse…but it was fabulous and cool even for that era!

And thanks again for showing me in my youth that monsters are people too, with problems, and the need to be love (or consume) people too.  And for teaching me that singing about every little joy or trouble in life (as Johnny was prone to do in several episodes) is wrong even in a children’s 70’s Saturday morning cartoon.

“Now Sigmond the sea monster and Johnny and Scott are friends.  The finest of friends that ever could be on the land or on the sea.”

Oh and some good news…Amazon has licensed the property and will be creating a whole new version coming soon to a streaming device near you!!!!

It’s almost impossible to describe so here are some clips: