How The Bugaloos Changed My Life

     
    My name is Elizabeth Marie Ann Connell and I am the biggest Bugaloo fan there is and am proudly
the creator of my Bugaloos fan page on Facebook please visit http://www.facebook.com/TheBugaloos.
I also like Family Matters, Full House (The first 3 early seasons) and other Sid and Marty Krofft shows.
A little about my life, I was born November 15 1993, a great many years ago I might dare say (just kidding) to a attorney and a housewife, My father worked as a attorney for a bunch of other places. My mother worked at Safeway's offices doing paperwork before she signed up to be laid off. My dad probably would be proud especially since he also was a Bugaloos fan too.

I was born with a learning disability, which means I was born with a low muscle toe and a small form of autism, that means I had floppy muscles and couldn't cut well and I couldn't write great until elementry school, I also get tired easily if i run. I had to do therapy to walk and also to speak in complete sentences. I was picked on till the 7th grade, I've been to school for 15 now 16 years and I am pretty much normal except for math which I hate hate and hate forever. Math makes me feel stupid, English makes me feel smart. My father died when I was eleven it changed my life
 
   The first reason why I grew up liking The Bugaloos so much was because  Big John (Mcindoe), Little John (Philpott) {There are two Johns in the series} Caroline Ellis and Wayne Laryea (or as Elizabeth Josh's cousin refers him as Mr Harmony because she can't pronounce Armartie as his now name) were all like my big brothers and sister, I never did have any older siblings as I was the oldest of 3 yes three children. I have 2 younger brothers

The Bugaloos was also the place where I could go and ignore blissfully the fucking problems of my family life, the bullying and hypocrites. Anyways the show built conference in me, I also now believe in myself more because of Big John, Caroline, Wayne and Little John. I looked up to The Bugaloos as a kid

Thanks to the Bugaloos Im in college planning in majoring in early childhood development and am also going to get a bachelors degree in teaching. I ride horses, play soccer and am living life to the fullest. I like puppets, kids animals and I want 21 pets that include 5 dogs, 2 cats, an anole lizard, a hamster, a pond full of goldfish, 2 horses, backyard chickens, 3 goats, 2 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, 2 hermit crabs, a corn snake, a tortoise,  3 turtles, and an aviary full of canaries and parakeets, I would also like 2 rats, a parrot, a crayfish some ducks and 4 mice. I also would like to have 7 kids, but I can take 5. My hobbies are playing soccer, collecting old toys and books, I also draw and am learning to play the guitar.

Well that's me if you want to know about The Bugaloos visit my fan page

http://www.facebook.com/TheBugaloos
Also http://www.bugaloos.com Bill Ung's great website

Episode Review

Ok, so I'm a little bit rusty on reviews of episodes from The bugaloos but I am going to watch my little cousin's favorite episodes and review them, It may take time due to me working and going to school, Sorry about that :(

The first episode I will review is Circus Time At Benita's, I am almost done watching that episode, Episodes i will hopefully get to are in the list below,

The Uptown 500
The Good Old Days
Our Home Is Our Hassle
Benita's Double Trouble
Lady You Don't Look 80 (Elizabeth's favorite)


I am only going to review six episodes for now so any requests please forward to this website

http/www.bugaloos.com/‎

I also have a facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheBugaloos 
if anyone has requests you may post to it as well!!

My favorite Bugaloo

Im actually going to list a few of my favorite characters.

1.) Sparky- Sparky was just like me in many ways. He was afraid of heights, the dark, and many other things. Well Sparky always got a good quote from any Bugaloo telling him he needed to believe in himself one of the quotes came from IQ "It just goes to prove, you can do anything you want to as long as you got confidence in yourself." Sparky was lovable, shy and bumbling, he was also very gullible

and often believed in stuff such as pranks like Joy was 80 etc. So thanks Sparky for helping to believe in myself.

2.) Harmony- Harmony was what I wanted for a big brother/father. I never had a older brother as I was the eldest. Harmony was cool funny and smart. Oh he was very handsome. Even if i have to wait till i die to meet Wayne so be it cause im sure he's glad that i like The Bugaloos. Harmony is a bumblebee and he played the keyboard

3.) I.Q. was tall blonde and handsome, He was a grasshopper cute and loving. He was number 2 of my crushes. I.Q. was also like an older brother to me. He taught me to believe in myself when no one else did. I think he is cool too!

4.) Courage was cute too. He was always concerned for his friends and his courage made me feel braver. He was also like an older brother. Courage was a male ladybug who played the drums

5.) Joy was like my older sister, So kind and caring to Sparky and the boys. She reminded me of Snow White a little bit. She liked animals and treated the bug boys as if they were her brothers.

And that;s all my favorite characters so thanks for reading!

Martha Raye, A Legend

I would like to write about the great Martha Raye, Although I never knew her personally I would like to thank the late Martha Raye. Martha Raye died in 1994 while i was still a baby so even though i've never met Maggie. I knew her on Pufnstuf the movie and The Bugaloos. So although i never got to meet her . i want to thank her.

Martha aka Margaret Teresa Yvonne Reed was born August 27 1916 in Butte, Montana. Her parents were in show business. So at the age 3 she started to perform with her brother Bud. Martha Raye had little education as she only went to school until the 5th grade. Because of her little education she had to have someone read documents and scripts to her. Tony Charmoli who directed The Bugaloos remembers this of Martha. "She would have a girl read the script for the day to her while she was getting her make up done and she would memorize her lines by the time we were ready to shoot the scene she knew all of her lines"

Martha Raye was sucessful in show business as she always got good pay. Many people didn't know that she was also a hero. Durning World War II, the Korean War and mostly the Vietnam War she entertained the troops and did comedy. Martha Raye was a sweet caring woman who cared about her troops. She worked with Bob Hope and many other comedies. Durning the Vietnam War, Martha was blacklisted in Hollywood for supporting the Vietman War. Durning that time two puppeteers named Sid and Marty Krofft dragged Martha Raye out of retirement and put her first in their movie Pufnstuf That led her to being casted in The Bugaloos. The younger costars Caroline Ellis Wayne Laryea, John Mcindoe and John Philpott all said she was *wonderful* to work with. You could really tell they meant it as they raved about her.

Martha Raye continued to sucess until her untimely death. She was married to her seventh husband (she was married seven times) Mark Harrison. She is survived by a daughter Melanie by her fifth husband and a grandson. So to Martha Raye thank you so much for being on The Bugaloos you must be more beautiful and happy in heaven knowing i like her show.

The Bugaloos

The Bugaloos was about four british bug musicians who lived with a scared firefly named Sparky.  They lived in Tranquility Forest which was not far from Rock City. A witch named Benita Bizarre was their enemy as she was jealous of the foursome and wished that she could sing as well as them!

Characters


I.Q. played by John Mcindoe, I.Q. was tall, blonde and very handsome. To this day he is still handsome! Anyways I.Q. was the smart one. He came up with plans to get out of trouble. Especially since Benita kidnapped them, evicted them from their home and voice swapped them! I.Q. played the guitar, sang very well and hey he was a grasshopper.  Like Courage I.Q. was more of an older brother figure. He was very kind, good natured and he had the serious look on his face whenever something was wrong. I guess he was serious.

Harmony played by Wayne Laryea, Harmony oh i had the biggest crush on this good looking bug! hehe anyways Harmony had a cockney accent and would often say things like apple pie- sky  elliot ness- mess donald duck - luck. None of the other Bugaloos would understand him. A couple times Sparky got confused. Harmony played the keyboard and sang good too. Like I.Q. Harmony came up with ideas that worked when it came to getting out of trouble. Harmony was a bumble bee. Still a very cute bumble bee!! He is still good looking to this day. Harmony was like a father figure to me since he was strict and very good natured,

Courage played by John Philpott, was short dark and handsome. He is also still very handsome. Courage was brave and was willing to risk his life to help others. He was brave when Benita kidnapped      all of them and held Joy hostage. He wasn't afraid of anything which i admired. Courage was a ladybug  cute!! He played the drum and sang backup. Courage to me was like an older brother. His cute tender face made me feel like he was someone to talk to.

Joy played by Caroline Ellis, was sweet loving and beautiful, If there was anyone compared to Caroline   being the fairest of them all. It would be still Caroline. Not only was she like a mother figure to the guys. She to me was like an older sister. So caring so kind, Joy played the tambourine and sang. Joy was a very beautiful pink butterfly. I think I like all of The Bugaloos. But Joy she was pure Joy!

Benita Bizzare played by Martha Raye, Benita was the character that i liked the most. She was sneaky and the villianess oaf the show. I loved Maggie Raye on The Bugaloos as Benita not only was she always trying to force The Bugaloos to sing with her,  She also always had an evil plan up her sleve. Benita couldn't sing, She was also ugly. But do you know what that old witch taught me something. If you don't try your not going to suceed. Benita had a chaffure named Funky Rat and two henhmen named Woofer and Tweeter. Sadly Martha died in 1994 when i was a baby so i never got to meet Ms Raye. It's a shame. I liked Benita! but i bet she is smiling down in heaven knowing that a new generation loves The Bugaloos.

Sparky played by Billy Barty, Sparky was a very scared shy loveable little firefly whom The Bugaloos adopted in the first episode. He was afraid of heights, the dark, being alone and of course Benita. Billy Barty made Sparky real to me. Out of all the characters in the Bugaloos. Sparky was the one i could relate to. I was afraid of the dark when i was little I was also afraid of heights as a child so Sparky was someone i could relate to. Now im not afraid of heights or the dark because Sparky taught me to believe in myself. Sparky was more of a follower and always was shy when it came to meating Gina Lolawattage. By the end of the series, Sparky could fly and became brave somewhat. Sad to say Billy Barty passed away in 2000 due to a heart failure. Too bad as i never met dear Sparky. Im sure he is happy that I like The Bugaloos knowing from heaven. Walker Edimiston who voiced Sparky and other bugaloo characters also died 7 years later,

Peter Platter played by Sharon Baird. He was a cool hippy disc jockey. He owned his own radio station Kook. He was friends with The Bugaloos and played their music. He dislike Benita because she kept bugging him to play her records,

Woofer and Tweeter played by Joy Campbell and Van Snowden were two of Benita Bizzare's henchmen, They weren't very smart and always goofed up. Van Snowden died in 2010 due to his battle of cancer, Tweeter will be missed!

Funky Rat played also by Sharon Baird, He was a Nazi German rat who was always willing to do Benita's bidding. He was her chaffure and her head henchmen. verry intresting also tricky! Walker Edmistion who voiced Funky/ Woofer/ Sparky/ other characters sadly died in 2007. One Bugaloos fan remembers from a Bugaloos teleconfrence Walker did in 2002/2003 "Walker was a friendly old guy who enjoyed talking about his life. There was something in this man which you wanted to sit and listen for hours. He was a very sweet old man" Bless Walker even though i didn't know about the Bugaloos until i was 12 Still, He's great. Probably smiling down in heaven know i like the show. I appreciate him doing those great voices.

Other Characters


Gina Lolla Wattage, Sparky's actress girlfriend who was also a firefly. She was voiced by Joan Gerber

Grapevine, a vine of grapes who told The Bugaloos news

Nutty Bird, a bird who was a messanger to The Bugaloos.

Mr Magico, A magician who was a friend to The Bugaloos he also hypnotised Sparky and Benita once. He reminded me of Dr Blinky.

Bluebell, A beautiful flower who was sarcastic to everyone. She had that attitude in her voice telling the grapes to shut up and getting angry when the grapes said a message she wanted to say.

Flash, Benita's talking light bulb who was a blinking bulb. He was Benita's grapevine

Broomhildia, Funky's little sister who was a Funky Rat costume with braids.

Mirror, Benita's magic mirror

What ever happened to The Bugaloos

Big John, Little John Caroline and Wayne were all ready to make more albums and a movie. Sadly it didn't happen and the four Bugaloos returned to England. They went on with their lives along with the rest of the cast Here's where thay are now

After The Bugaloos,

Caroline Ellis countinued to to televison shows movies and theater. She played a part of a brummie beauty contest participate in Confessions from a Holiday Camp and did a childrens television called Freewheelers. She also appeared in Only Fools and Horses and a performer in Cut Price Comedy Show.



Today Caroline lives in Spain with her daughter Sasha and is divorced. She works in real estate.


After The Bugaloos,

John Mcindoe did many bands including Love Affair and then returned to the states to work with the Krofft brothers. John owns his own puppetry company and builds characters all over the world for amusment parks.

Today Big John lives in Sedona Arizona with his wife Connie and son Wes. John also has his own website. He is no longer in acting.





After The Bugaloos

Wayne starred in a children's show called Pipkins from 1973-1978. Wayne also did Das Ding, Empire Road and Fairground. He also did Crown Court and Ace Reports. Wayne countinued acting and was an anchorman for Channel Report in the early 90's.  In 1978 Wayne auditioned to be a presenter in Blue Peter

Today Wayne's name is Armartie Laryea and He lives in London. Wayne has a sister Vilma who says he is fine and will in us in later of what's going on with him. UPDATE- Armartie is now working as an English teacher at Westminister Accadmy oxford street London England Thanks to Vilma for providing me the info. As far as i know Armartie is a very busy man and is in i believe in show business in some form.


After The Bugaloos

Little John worked in more bands. After His last band Life and Soul ended John lived in England got married to his wife Denise and had a son named Jonathan John Jr.

Today John lives in France with his wife and son.