Billie Hayes, who starred as Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo on H.R. Pufnstuf, dies at 96 in LA
Billie Hayes, who starred as Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo on the hugely popular kids show H.R. Pufnstuf, has died.
She was 96.
The actress passed away from natural causes last Thursday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, a family spokesperson said.
Billie Hayes, who starred as Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo on Sid and Marty Krofft’s H.R. Pufnstuf, has died. She was 96 and passed away from natural causes in hospital in LA
The hugely popular kids program H.R. Pufnstuf ran for 17 episodes on NBC in 1969 with Hayes as the evil protagonist Witchiepoo.
She reunited with the Krofft brothers for Lidsville from 1971-72, according to THR.com, and the Kroffts paid tribute to Hayes on Twitter.
‘Margaret Hamilton (Wizard of Oz) once told us that Billie Hayes was “one of the best witches ever” We couldn’t agree more. Rest in Peace dear friend,’ they wrote alongside a photo of Hayes as Witchiepoo.
The hugely popular kids program H.R. Pufnstuf ran for 17 episodes on NBC in 1969 with Hayes as the evil protagonist Witchiepoo
She reunited with the Krofft brothers for Lidsville from 1971-72 (pictured with Sid Krofft in 2003)
The Kroffts paid tribute to Hayes on Twitter when news of her death broke
More recently, THR.com reported, Hayes worked as a voice actor for The Black Cauldron (1985) and for cartoons suchb as Trollkins, The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, Paw Paws, Darkwing Duck, The Brothers Flub and Transformers: Rescue Bots.
Her career in entertainment began in high school when the Illinois native played in bandleader Vince Genovese’s orchestra.
She went onto tour throughout the Midwest with her own song and dance act.
She played Mammy Yokum in Li’l Abner on Broadway and then again in the 1959 film version released by Paramount and and again in a 1971 TV movie version (pictured)
Hayes moved to New York where she successfully auditioned for principal roles in musical theater and she made her Broadway debut in Leonard Sillman’s New Faces of 1956.
She played Mammy Yokum in Li’l Abner on Broadway and then again in the 1959 film version released by Paramount and again in a 1971 TV movie version.
In 1966, she toured with the national company of Hello, Dolly!, starring Betty Grable, and later appeared on such TV shows as The Monkees, Bewitched, Trapper John, M.D. and General Hospital.
Hayes’ career in entertainment began in high school when the Illinois native played in bandleader Vince Genovese’s orchestra. She then went onto tour throughout the Midwest with her own song and dance act