"Sigmund and the Sea Monsters" (1973) TV series 1973-1975

Directors:

Dick Darley
Murray Golden

Writers:

Rita Sedran Rose (2 episodes)
Fred S. Fox (episode)
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

8 September 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Sigmund is a sea monster. He's also a tremendous embarrassment to his family because, unlike a normal sea monster...

Plot Keywords:

San Diego California

Cast

Johnny Whitaker	...	Johnny Stuart (13 episodes, 1973)
Scott C. Kolden	...	Scott Stuart / ... (13 episodes, 1973)
Billy Barty	...	Sigmund Ooze / ... (13 episodes, 1973)
Mary Wickes	...	Aunt Zelda (12 episodes, 1973-1975)
Sharon Baird	...	Big Daddy Ooze / ... (11 episodes, 1973)
Van Snowden	...	Sweet Mama Ooze / ... (11 episodes, 1973)
Larry Larsen	...	Blurp Ooze / ... (8 episodes, 1973-1975)
Paul Gale	...	Slurp Ooze / ... (6 episodes, 1973-1975)
Joe Higgins	...	Sheriff Chuck Bevans (6 episodes, 1973)

Series Directed by
Richard Dunlap		(6 episodes, 1973)
Bob Lally		(5 episodes, 1974)
Dick Darley		(unknown episodes)
Murray Golden		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
John Fenton Murray		(3 episodes, 1973)
Rita Sedran Rose		(2 episodes, 1973)
Jack Raymond		(1 episode, 1973)
Warren S. Murray		(1 episode)
Fred S. Fox		(unknown episodes)
Seaman Jacobs		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Marty Krofft	....	producer (3 episodes, 1973)
Sid Krofft	....	producer (3 episodes, 1973)
Si Rose	....	producer (3 episodes, 1973)
Thomas M. Hill	....	associate producer (unknown episodes, 1973-1974)
Barbara Searles	....	associate producer (unknown episodes, 1974-1975)
Tom Swale	....	associate producer (unknown episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Original Music by
Michael Lloyd		(unknown episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Cinematography by
Jeff Engel		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Elayne Barbara Ceder		(unknown episodes)
Herman F. Zimmerman		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Cheryal Kearney		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Michael Westmore	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes, 1973-1974)
David H. Lawrence	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes, 1974-1975)

Series Art Department
Nicky Nadeau	....	creative designer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Curtis Dixon	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dean Hall	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Parker Roe	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Martin Strudler	....	character designer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Caroljane Rapp	....	production assistant (17 episodes, 1973)
Bob Masters	....	technical director (unknown episodes)
Rolf Roediger	....	puppet fabricator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions

Distributors

• Gold Key Entertainment
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973-1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures

Other Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  taped at

Runtime:

30 min (29 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Quotes:

Sigmund Ooze:Oh, I love you Fluffy!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Night of the Blood Beast (#8.1)" (1996)

A few more details about the show

"Sigmund and the Seamonsters" was probably the last Sid and Marty Kroft show I ever watched, except for maybe Land of the Lost. Like H.R. Puffinstuff, the Bugaloos, and Lidsville, I watched the shows every week and even knew the order the shows fell in when they did re-runs.

Just a few details some people may have forgotten since they are not being included and some people seem a little hazy. There were at least two theme-songs (the early one, started out 'Nothing like a day out on the beach' and the main chorus was, "Friends, friends, friends (everybody needs friends). After season 1, the theme song shifted to something in a more minor-key.

The name of the town/beach was Dead Man's Point. There were rocks so it was probably in California or Maine. Zelda was a housekeeper, not an aunt, and she was very matter-of-fact down to business.

The boys' names, of course, were Johnny and Scott. They had a troublesome next-door neighbor, Mrs. Eddles, who would occasionally see something involving the boys and the sea monsters and would get hysterical and call the sheriff or Zelda. The Sheriff's name was Sheriff Bevins, and he seemed to have a crush on Zelda.

As for the sea-monsters themselves, Sigmund's troublesome brothers names were 'Blurp' and 'slurp'. They were very destructive and rude. Sigmund's mother and father (Sigmund ran away from home to live with the boys, staying in their clubhouse) were simply referred to as "Big Daddy" and "Sweet Mama." They were awful, too. Big Daddy was something between Archie Bunker and a gangster in his personality, the mother was whiny and pathetic and repulsive, always miserable. They did have a pet lobster named Prince which barked like a small dog.

The sea monsters lived in a cave in the cliffs by the sea, and usually (the way the plot worked) whatever was going on at Johnny and Scott's place was being paralleled at the sea monsters' cave. For instance, if Zelda the Housekeeper insisted on cleaning the house on a certain day, Sweet Mamma, the Seamonster mother, was usually forcing her family of sea monsters to do the same thing.

Most episodes involved the monsters' harassing Sigmund or stealing something from the humans which had to be retrieved, and most episodes involved Johnny and Scott deceiving the dimwitted sea monsters and escaping with their prize. Pursuit would follow, and many scenes involved running around the dark caves.

What a life -- every kid wants to live by the sea, and discover caves, treasure, sailing, surfing, and sea monsters. A classic childhood dream. Maybe Sheldon the Genie was OK in the second season, but the show certainly took on a different character then, and eventually lost my interest.

the two boys also did promos for the Heart Association and for the Boy Scouts, in their characters.