The Bugaloos - Characters

Characters

Actor / Character Name / Role In the Band

  • Wayne Laryea / Harmony (a bumblebee) / keyboards
  • John Philpott / Courage (a ladybug) / drums
  • Caroline Ellis / Joy (a butterfly) / percussion, lead and backup vocals
  • John McIndoe / I.Q. (a grasshopper) / guitars and lead vocals

Supporting characters were:

  • Sparky (portrayed by Billy Barty, in the first of many roles he would play from the Krofft Brothers), a firefly whom The Bugaloos took in
  • Nutty Bird, local messenger who periodically delivered messages to and from the Bugaloos
  • Peter Platter, a DJ for radio station KOOK in nearby Rock City
  • Mike, Peter Platters's smart-alecky talking microphone
  • Magico The Magician, magician & hypnotist extrordinaire
  • Gina Lolawattage, firefly singer & actress who becomes smitten with her #1 fan, Sparky
  • Bluebell Flower, a giant talking flower who alerted the Bugaloos of impending danger, such as Benita's latest schemes, serving as their "alarm bell."
  • The Grapevine, a bunch of talking grapes who aided Bluebell in giving the Bugaloos the latest bad news — a visual take on the hit Motown song "I Heard it Through the Grapevine."

Though peace-loving and hippie-like, The Bugaloos were pursued by an ugly, evil, jealous old crone named Benita Bizarre (Martha Raye) who lived in a gigantic jukebox, and used it to broadcast her own brand of blaring, obnoxious, unpleasant "music." A dreadful singer, she was furious at the popularity of The Bugaloos's more melodic, upbeat sound, and she plotted elaborate, unsuccessful schemes to destroy or enslave them.

Benita was aided by two bumbling henchmen, the anthropomorphic speakers Woofer and Tweeter (Joy Campbell and Van Snowden), and her chauffeur and chief flunky, the German-accented Funky Rat (Sharon Baird). She frequently made use of a powerful ultrasonic weapon called the Stereo Zapper, which could render its victim unconscious in seconds.

Raye also appeared the same year in the HR Pufnstuf movie as the Head Witch. The Funky Rat costume was also used for essentially the same role (the Head Witch's Chauffeur).

Voice Characterizations for the various characters in the series were provided by Joan Gerber and Walker Edmiston.

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