Marty Krofft, the producer behind TV classics such as “Land of the Lost,” “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Donny and Marie,” has died at 86.
Krofft, who was a trailblazer in children’s television and primetime programming, died at his home in Los Angeles while surrounded by family and friends on Saturday, due to kidney failure, his rep confirmed to ABC News.
“On behalf of the Krofft family and Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures, I have been asked to announce the passing of their brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather – the legendary and iconic industry mogul, Marty Krofft,” Harlan Boll, Marty’s longtime rep said in a statement.
Often referred to as the King of Saturday Mornings, Krofft became a household name in the 1970s when he partnered with his older brother, Sid, to create Sid & Marty Pictures.
With a career spanning over 50 years, Krofft was best known for producing quality family entertainment, including, “Pryor’s Place” starring Richard Pryor, “Donny and Marie” starring brother and sister pop duo Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond, “The Bugaloos” and “Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters.”
In the late 1980s, the Kroffts created and produced “D.C. Follies,” a syndicated series starring Fred Willard as a bartender who would welcome puppet caricatures of politicians into his bar.
The show featured a cast of life-size puppets imitating political figures, ranging from Richard Nixon to Arnold Schwarzenegger. With an irreverent attitude toward elected officials, President Ronald Reagan called Krofft at home from the White House to tell him how much he enjoyed the humor directed toward himself.
Prior to amassing a television empire, Krofft was the creative director for Six Flags and produced live shows in theme parks across America. He opened the World of Sid & Marty Krofft amusement park in downtown Atlanta in 1976.
Krofft along with his brother, Sid, received the Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 2018, and in 2020, the duo received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Krofft is survived by brothers Harry and Sid; daughters Deanna (and her husband, Randy), Kristina and Kendra (Lou); grandchildren Taylor, Karson, Griffin, Georgia and Drake; and great-grandchild Maddox. He married Christa Rogalski in 1965, and she preceded him in death in 2013.
By Agencies
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