Here's Irving Logo
Irving
Ballerina
Barker the Seal
Billy & Barker
Barker
Here's Irving is a color television pilot, made in 1957 and produced by Sid and Marty Krofft, featuring a wide array of their marionettes. The pilot never aired on television, but it was released in 2003 as a special feature on the H.R. Pufnstuf DVD boxed set (the title is cited as simply Irving on the DVD packaging and menu).
Plot[]
The show begins with a two-minute opening title sequence introducing viewers to a variety of characters on a circus stage.
Next the camera zooms in on a traveling circus wagon, home to an aging circus lion named Irving. Once inside, Irving introduces himself to viewers and begins digging through a scrapbook, relating anecdotes about an ugly ballerina and a rollerskating bear. This segues into the tale of Barker the seal.
Barker is doing his circus routine with the horns one day when his mother is taken aback by the intricate jazz music emanating from the horns. Barker decides to make use of his newfound musical abilities, so he runs away from home and meets struggling jazz guitarist Billy McGuffey. Barker returns to the circus with Billy in tow and together, their act is an instant success.
The focus returns to Irving, who gives a teaser for the next story, "The Dragon and the Dragonfly." The picture fades out (as if to go to commercial) and the show abruptly ends.
Music[]
- When the Saints Go Marching In
Notes[]
- There are no cast or crew credits cited on this pilot.
- Variations of several puppets that were later used in Les Poupées de Paris -- including several from the Night of Horror segment (Karloff, Lugosi, etc.) and Madame Jenkins Foster -- are briefly featured in this pilot.