Billie Hayes, whose portrayal of the flamboyantly and comically wicked witch Witchiepoo on the 1969-70 Saturday morning live-action children’s classic H.R. Pufnstuf, died of natural causes April 29 at Cedar’s Hospital in Los Angeles. She was 96.
Her death was announced by her family.
A Broadway veteran by the time she reached national fame as the flute-stealing nemesis to a psychedelic dragon, Hayes had starred as Mammy Yokum in both the Broadway and film versions of the popular late-1950s musical Lil’ Abner. She’d made her Broadway debut in New Faces of 1956 along with an ensemble that included actress Maggie Smith.
Following a couple of guest appearances on episodic TV in 1967 – including a Mammy Yokum-type matriarch in the “Hillbilly Honeymoon” episode of The Monkees – Hayes endeared herself to a generation of glued-to-the-tube Saturday morning viewers in 1969 as the eccentrically costumed, ever-cackling and always bumbling Witchiepoo (full name: Wilhelmina W.
Her death was announced by her family.
A Broadway veteran by the time she reached national fame as the flute-stealing nemesis to a psychedelic dragon, Hayes had starred as Mammy Yokum in both the Broadway and film versions of the popular late-1950s musical Lil’ Abner. She’d made her Broadway debut in New Faces of 1956 along with an ensemble that included actress Maggie Smith.
Following a couple of guest appearances on episodic TV in 1967 – including a Mammy Yokum-type matriarch in the “Hillbilly Honeymoon” episode of The Monkees – Hayes endeared herself to a generation of glued-to-the-tube Saturday morning viewers in 1969 as the eccentrically costumed, ever-cackling and always bumbling Witchiepoo (full name: Wilhelmina W.
- 5/3/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Similar News
Original Movies, Meet the Resistance: ‘Monkey Man’ and ‘The First Omen’ Underwhelm Box Office
- 4/7/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The Choral | Alan Bennett’s first original screenplay in 40 years begins filming this summer
- 3/21/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent & Simon Russell Beale To Star In Nicholas Hytner-Alan Bennett Reteam ‘The Choral’; SPC Lands Rights
- 3/21/2024
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Kelsey Anderson and Daisy Kent will make an appearance on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette
- 4/22/2024
- by Shaunee Flowers
- Monsters and Critics
Survey Says: Our Fellows Tell Us Which Movies—Old and New—They Consider a Masterpiece
- 4/22/2024
- by Film Independent
- Film Independent News & More
The New Cult California Wines: Sip Into Something More Comfortable
- 4/18/2024
- by Elycia Rubin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Wick: Chapter 4 Headshots New Franchise Record At The Box Office With $73.5 Million Debut
- 3/27/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
‘Yellowstone’ Pushes Texas to Up the Ante to Court Film and TV Projects
- 3/27/2023
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ makes killer £4.8m debut at UK-Ireland box office
- 3/27/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
More to explore
‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Casts Thandiwe Newton (Exclusive)
- 4/23/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Terry Carter, ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and ‘McCloud’ Actor, Dies at 95
- 4/23/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety - Film News
‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ Trailer: Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds Fight to the F—ing Death in Raunchy MCU Debut
- 4/22/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety - Film News
Netflix to Present Sneak Peek of New Wallace & Gromit, Zack Snyder’s ‘Twilight of the Gods’ at Annecy
- 4/22/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘Lord of the Rings’ Owner Embracer to Separate Into Three Standalone Publicly Listed Entities
- 4/22/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran and K.J. Yossman
- Variety - Film News
Meg Bennett, Soap Opera Actress and Writer, Dies at 75
- 4/21/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Chuwi Is the Voice of a New Puerto Rican Generation
- 4/23/2024
- by Juan Arroyo
- Popsugar.com
Camila Mendes on Why We Need More Latine Representation in Rom-Coms
- 4/22/2024
- by Brenda Barrientos
- Popsugar.com
Saraciea Fennell: "The Black Girl Survives in This One" Is the Representation I Didn't See in Horror Books
- 4/22/2024
- by Saraciea Fennell
- Popsugar.com
Tell Me Más: Bodine Talks New Album "Quemo Lento" and Growing From Hardships
- 4/22/2024
- by Juan Arroyo
- Popsugar.com
Stephen Colbert Once Laughed So Hard at ‘Tropic Thunder’ His Wife Thought He Was Dying
- 4/24/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
The 10 Best Teen Rebellion Films: ‘Pump Up the Volume,’ ‘Heathers,’ and More
- 4/23/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Tarantino’s ‘The Movie Critic’ Could Have Included Olivia Wilde & David Krumholtz, But Probably Not Tom Cruise
- 4/23/2024
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
2 Crew Members Hospitalized in Accident on Set of Eddie Murphy Film ‘The Pickup’ for Amazon MGM
- 4/23/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Jerry Seinfeld Calls ‘Mad Men’ Finale the ‘Greatest Final Moment of a Series I’ve Ever Seen’
- 4/23/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ Trailer: Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds Fight to the F—ing Death in Raunchy MCU Debut
- 4/22/2024
- by Diego Ramos Bechara
- Variety - Film News
‘Uncropped’ Review: An Enticing Portrait of James Hamilton Makes You Wonder: Is He the Greatest New York Photographer Ever?
- 4/24/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety - Film News
Cast Assembled for ‘The Guns of Muschu’ Australian Wartime Survival Film
- 4/24/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
New industry convention in Los Angeles aims to “fill the local gap” of departing AFM
- 4/24/2024
- ScreenDaily
Stephen Colbert Once Laughed So Hard at ‘Tropic Thunder’ His Wife Thought He Was Dying
- 4/24/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
‘Wednesday’ Season 2 Casts Thandiwe Newton (Exclusive)
- 4/23/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Terry Carter, ‘Battlestar Galactica’ and ‘McCloud’ Actor, Dies at 95
- 4/23/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety - Film News
Netflix to Present Sneak Peek of New Wallace & Gromit, Zack Snyder’s ‘Twilight of the Gods’ at Annecy
- 4/22/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tues Night Monologues: Trial Day 2—Gags and Bigfoot
- 4/24/2024
- by Dennis Perkins
- LateNighter
Luke Kleintank to Exit ‘FBI: International’ After Three Seasons
- 4/24/2024
- by Michaela Zee
- Variety - TV News