The Psychedelic World Of HR Pufnstuf: Facts You Didn’t Know

Marty and Sid Krofft Fought the Idea of a Laugh Track

Most live-action children’s shows today have a laugh track. The same could be said about shows from the ’70s. Pufnstuf was no different, but Marty and Sid originally fought the network about having a laugh track. They were against the idea until sitcom vet Si Rose said that he thought children wouldn’t know when to laugh.

Marty later defended the decision. “It’s sad—you gotta tell them when it’s funny. And the laugh track, [Si] was right. It was necessary, as much as we were always looking to have a real laugh track, a real audience. In comedies, if you don’t have them, you’re in big trouble, because if you don’t hear a laugh track, it’s not funny. And that’s the way the audience was programmed to view these shows.”