Throughout the 1970s innovative puppeteer Sid Krofft and business mogul brother Marty were household names thanks to the myriad of bizarre Saturday morning and primetime variety shows that they produced. Unfortunately, a few epic flops and failed business ventures found the brothers left in the dust as the landscape of TV changed in the '80s. Although the Krofft name was once very well-known, the public never really had the opportunity to get to know Sid. He was seldom asked for interviews, his more-articulate brother tended to dominate conversations, and all that journalists wanted to discuss were their two biggest hits: H. R. Pufnstuf and Land of the Lost. Few were interested in relating stories that predated Sid's TV career and partnership with Marty, which was a travesty since he had a full 30 years in the entertainment industry before breaking into TV.
Enter Kelly Killian, an acquaintance and neighbor who imposed herself upon Sid when she realized he was in need of assistance following a surgery. Kelly grew up in the '80s, so his name wasn't especially impressive to her, but she was awed as he regaled her with tales of headlining in the freakshow, touring the world with his puppets, and hobnobbing with a variety of entertainment royalty (Sid's a shameless name-dropper!). They developed a genuine friendship and a few years later when everyone went into COVID lockdown, Kelly created an Instagram account, pointed a phone at Sid, and demanded that he speak. He hesitantly obliged.
Amazing, seldom-heard stories began spilling out, and as he realized that people were genuinely interested, his comfort and confidence increased. The first chunk of the 2020 episodes were filled with anecdotes about his life prior to television -- and frankly, those are the most fascinating tales -- but eventually, he began discussing each of the TV shows in-depth. In July 2020, bestie Paul Reubens Zoomed in as an inaugural guest, and other big-named friends, former coworkers, current business associates, and obsessive fans followed suit. Sundays with Sid started as a video journal, but gradually morphed into something of a talk show.
Sid repeats his most cherished stories often (remarking that it's just what old people do!), but his mind is sharp and even as a cynical 90-something, he exudes the vibe of an eight-year-old boy who's still in awe of the world. That's his inherent personality, so it's easy to see why so many celebrities love him and where all of those joyously deranged kiddie shows came from! Meanwhile, Kelly anchors things off-screen by directing him, providing occasional banter, asking probing questions, and dealing with the various technical annoyances. With zoom calls and split-screen audio commentaries, the show is sometimes WAY more ambitious than the $0 budget allows, but the crude nature makes it feel all the more appropriately Krofft-like.
What else can I say? Sid attended one of the very first screenings of The Wizard of Oz and can recall the precise date and theater. He became close friends with Judy Garland and Liberace, he was fired by Gypsy Rose Lee and Dean Martin, and he has a personal story about practically every other Hollywood legend (ranging from Walt Disney to Joan Crawford to Courteney Cox!). At the height of his fame, he delighted in masquerading as a snake farmer, and he later hit the town with an even more incognito Michael Jackson. He survived a lethal hurricane, one of his puppets literally ignited a fire, he was ripped off by McDonald's in a truly epic way, he briefly had his own theme park... and this is all just the tip of the iceberg!
Sid Krofft is a guy who's led a very interesting life and sorta revels in the fact that he's a weirdo. Being familiar with his TV resume helps, but it's not a prerequisite to enjoy Sundays with Sid. He's overflowing with fascinating memories, and it's truly awesome that he's found this weekly outlet to share them with the world!
