by Jimmm Kelly
MEISTER EDER UND SEIN PUMUCKL, the TV Series
Created by Ellis Kaut
Directed by Ulrich König
Starring Gustl Bayrhammer as Meister Eder
Starring Hans Clarin as Pumuckl (voice)
1st Season/1te Staffel (’82 – ’83)
2nd Season/2te Staffel (’88 – ’89)
extra: the Theatrical Movie (’82)
Episode Titles in English are my translation. The official German titles are given and should be used when searching for these episodes on the internet.
see also . . .
MEISTER EDER FOREVER!
==============================
1st Season/1te Staffel (’82 – ’83)
The first season was written, directed and
produced between '78 and '82.
[Air dates shown are for original BR broadcasts.]
1. Spook in the Workshop/Spuk in der Werkstatt
Pumuckl is invisible in the opening title credits for this first episode alone (he is visible in all the others). Meister Eder, the master carpenter and woodworker, is confused because things go missing on him. He thinks it’s a mouse. Just then, the “spook” gets stuck in the glue that Eder uses and when the carpenter throws a mallet to hit “the mouse,” Pumuckl becomes visible. Having been caught, he is visible to Eder and must now stay with him forever, this is the Kobold law. Whenever other people are around, Pumuckl becomes invisible, but he is still audible. At the local Wirtshaus (pub), Eder is mocked by his cronies. Pumuckl plays tricks on Eder’s friend Bernbacher–the locksmith–and his wife, as they get ready to go to the opera. Bernbacher the locksmith (played by Willy Harlander) was a recurring character in several episodes, being Eder’s closest friend–other than Pumuckl. Bernbacher’s wife wears a wig which is the source of much humour.
[24 September ’82]
*
2. The Sold Bed/Das verkaufte Bett
When Pumuckl becomes visible to Eder, he seems to have more human needs than what he had as an invisible Kobold. In the first episode he becomes immediately tired and needs to sleep, and in this episode he suffers from hunger. Continuing from the events of the previous episode, Eder doesn’t think it’s a good idea for Pumuckl to sleep among the wood shavings on the workshop floor so he makes a doll-bed for him (ein Puppenbett). Pumuckl loves his new bed, but then a customer comes and wants it for her daughter and won’t take No for an answer. Pumuckl is in a state as he sees his beautiful bed taken from him.
[1 October ’82]
*
3. The New Bathroom/Das neue Badezimmer
Meister Eder doesn’t like his old bathroom but can’t get anyone to make a new one. Pumuckl arranges to get the plumber and the tiler needed to make a better bathroom. Once completed this bathroom includes a small toilet just for Pumuckl. Later, following the creed of the Klabauter, Pumuckl tries to sail a make-shift boat in the bath. The Kobold nearly drowns! After a last minute rescue, Pumuckl is saddened that he can’t sail his own ship, so Eder has an idea to build him a swing-ship in the workshop–the Schiffschaukel. The caretaker (hausmeister), Herr Stürzlinger, makes his first appearance in this episode–singing King Ludwig’s song. He was played by Bavarian actor Werner Zeussel and appeared in several episodes.
[8 October ’82]
*
4. The Castle Ghost/Das Schloßgespenst
At the beginning of this episode, Eder completes the Schiffsschaukel and Pumuckl enjoys its use. Pumuckl hides inside a dresser that Eder has made for a fine lady who lives in a castle. At the castle, Pumuckl has fun pretending to be a ghost. The butler Jakob at the castle, who makes a couple of other appearances after this one, never gets Eder’s name right–always calling him Herr Ederer. As we see in this episode, as well as in the second season, while Eder doesn’t seem to employ a car or truck, he sometimes uses a bicycle for travel to his customers.
[15 October ’82]
*
5. The Superstitious Housekeeper/Die abergläubische Putzfrau
Meister Eder is sick and must rest in bed. When Frau Eichinger, the housekeeper, comes to do the cleaning she calls Eder a typical Aquarius. Pumuckl plays tricks on the housekeeper. But Eder suffers too much for all this and goes to sleep in the workshop. Frau Eichinger–played by established Bavarian actress, Erni Singerl– appeared in several episodes for both seasons.
[22 October ’82]
*
6. Pumuckl Takes a Holiday/Pumuckl macht Ferien
Eder is invited to take a holiday in the countryside on a farm. Pumuckl comes along with him and has some fun playing with all the animals. Making the usual chaos, but it’s all in good fun. The young twin brothers at the farm–Schorschi and Wiggerl–are not to be trusted.
[29 October ’82]
*
7. The Ghost of the Water/Der Geist des Wassers
Still on holiday in the country, Pumuckl and Eder visit a small lake, where Pumuckl wants to go sailing. After Eder purchases a toy sailboat, Pumuckl has fun sailing on the water. However, when they leave for a moment, Schorschi and Wiggerl (the naughty twins) go to look at what makes the sailboat go and end up breaking it. Pumuckl and Eder are angry with the boys and they play a trick on them, pretending to summon the Ghost of the Water.
[5 November ’82]
*
8. Pumuckl and the School/Pumuckl und die Schule
Pumuckl is curious about what happens inside a school and goes there to see what it is all about. At first it seems like a lot of fun and Pumuckl wants to make up his own verses for the poem that the children are learning. The teacher is a dry sort of character. When they have art class, Pumuckl draws sailboats over the children’s artwork–because this is so beautiful to him. But when his artistic efforts are thrown in the wastebasket, he tries to retrieve them but gets stuck on some gum and can’t free himself. He almost gets caught and fears he will have to stay at the stupid school forever.
[12 November ’82]
*
9. Pumuckl and the Pudding/Pumuckl und der Pudding
When Meister Eder’s sister comes to visit, she serves him a chocolate pudding. Seeing that he likes it, she gives him the recipe. Pumuckl has also tasted the pudding (schmeck schmeck schmeck) and would like some more, so Eder promises to make it for him on his birthday. Every day is his birthday in Pumuckl’s mind. So he wakes up the Meister early the next morning demanding chocolate pudding for his birthday–which he calls puddaling. Realizing that the Kobold will not take no for an answer, Eder tries to follow the recipe with comic results. The next day, wishing to have more chocolate pudding, Pumuckl tries to make it on his own. When Frau Eichinger comes to do the cleaning in the kitchen, she sees Pumuckl’s cooking efforts and believes Eder has simply forgot what he was doing–typical Aquarius. So she tells him she will make the pudding. Once the pudding is ready to eat, Eder tricks Pumuckl and eats all the pudding for himself. Frau Eichinger is surprised, because she made four servings and he gobbled it up so fast. In this episode, Eder’s sister is never given a name, nor in the other episodes she appears in. She was played by Elizabeth Karg–an established film actress. Karg starred with Lex Barker in WENN DU BEI MIR BIST (’70)–Barker having come to Europe, for a second movie career, after being type-cast in America for his role as Tarzan.
[19 November ’82]
*
10. The Mysterious Dog/Der rätselhafte Hund
Pumuckl promises to bark like a dog to tip off Eder if he sees something wrong, whenever other people are about. All goes well until Eder refuses to buy the Kobold a chocolate treat at the bakery. Then Pumuckl gets carried away with his dog act and others think that a real dog is in trouble. Various recurring character actors appear in this episode. The butler Jakob makes a second appearance in this episode, while the nervous Herr Schenk makes his first appearance.
[26 November ’82]
*
11. Pumuckl and the Nikolaus/Pumuckl und der Nikolaus
When Pumuckl hears the children talking about the Nikolaus coming to their house, he becomes curious. Meister Eder explains that Nikolaus brings presents in his sack to all good children, but he puts bad children in his sack and takes them away. Pumuckl won’t be good, so Eder dresses up as Nikolaus and the Kobold is mortally afraid. After Nikolaus leaves, Eder calms Pumuckl’s fears, saying that the Nikolaus brought a chocolate Nikolaus for Pumuckl, who then appreciates the saint much better. Nikolaus is St. Nicholas and his feast day is celebrated in certain parts of Europe on December 6. For this day, it’s traditional to give children a chocolate Nikolaus for Nikolaustag.
[3 December ’82]
*
12. Pumuckl, Hot on the Trail/Pumuckl auf heisser Spur
When Eder reads out from the newspaper to Pumuckl at breakfast, there is news that a false gasman is coming to homes and robbing them. Pumuckl complains that Eder leaves the workshop open and anyone can walk right in and steal Pumuckl’s precious property (sein ganzes Kapital). Later, a customer comes by the workshop, while Eder is napping upstairs in his apartment, and she snatches Eder’s gold watch from on top of a bureau. But Pumuckl is hot on the trail.
[10 December ’82]
*
13. The Christmas Present/Das Weihnachtsgeschenk
Pumuckl wants to give Eder a gift for Christmas, but has some trouble arranging it. He hears the little girls in the neighbourhood talking about how a present should be made with love, so he steals the present that one of them has made with love for her mother. In the end, Pumuckl realizes his mistake and seeks to make his own present for the Meister Eder. The silver paper that Pumuckl uses to make this special present comes from the chocolate Nikolaus that he got for Nikolaustag.
[17 December ’82]
*
14. The First Snow/Der erste Schnee
When the first snow arrives, Pumuckl will have his fun. Wishing to play with the snow inside, where it’s warm, he brings it into the workshop, not realizing that it will melt. Later as he pushes more snow down onto the courtyard and onto the locals, a young boy is blamed. Eder takes Pumuckl to task for framing the boy and will not speak to the Kobald. So Pumuckl takes action to remove suspicion from the boy–and all is well in the end.
[31 December ’82]
*
15. The Wool Pullover/Der Wollpullover
The winter cold is too much for Pumuckl. Eder has the idea to get the Kobold a wool pullover to keep him warm. But this is not so easy to accomplish. First he tries the toystore, but there is nothing there that fits. Then he asks Frau Schröderbach to knit one and this is very nice, but the neck hole is too small for Pumuckl’s head. The Kobold uses scissors to cut the hole bigger, but that causes the wool to unravel, so he uses Eder’s glue, which works but is not so good when it hardens. Then Eder asks a girl in the neighbourhood if she would knit one. She begins the work, but leaves it for the morning. However, still cold, Pumuckl steals it away in the night, even though it only has one sleeve–which he transfers from one arm to the other. When the girl sees that her knitting is gone, her mother agrees to knit the pullover and brings it to the workshop. So now Pumuckl has all that he needs.
[7 January ’83]
*
16. The Big Break-Up/Der große Krach
Warning: this is the saddest episode. After Pumuckl, in his nature, pulls some trick–Eder becomes furious with him, destroys the Schaukelschiff and the Puppenbett, and says that he doesn’t want to see Pumuckl again, then leaves his workshop in anger. Pumuckl is heartbroken and departs from the workshop, without knowing where he should go. Very sad but beautiful music plays during this scene. Children had to wait a whole week to see what would happen next. I’m sure it was the saddest week of their lives.
[14 January ’83]
*
17. The Big Break-Up and What Followed/Der große Krach und seine Folgen
Pumuckl tries living at Bernbacher’s apartment, playing his usual tricks on the locksmith and his wife. At the pub, Bernbacher tells Eder that he thinks the Kobold has moved in with him, although he can’t see Pumuckl. Meister Eder, having repaired the bed and the swing-ship, brings them to Bernbacher for Pumuckl, revealing how much the Eder misses Pumuckl and so the Kobold returns to the workshop.
[21 January ’83]
*
18. Eder Gets a Visit/Eder bekommt Besuch
Eder’s sister comes for a visit and brings her daughter, Bärbel. When the little girl notices all the strange things happening in the workshop, Eder tells her of how he first met Pumuckl. In the night, she lays a trap for Pumuckl so she can catch him and have him for her own, but he’s not easily tricked. Although she can’t see him, Bärbel talks to Pumuckl and wins his heart–so much so that he wonders if he wouldn’t be better off with her. While she makes a stellar impression on Pumuckl in this episode, this is the only episode in which Bärbel appears, but she is referenced in episode 25. The young actress who plays Bärbel is Monika Petrillo–now an adult known as Monika von Manteuffel. Monika has worked on many big movies as a script supervisor. Her long list of credits includes BEFORE SUNRISE (the ’95 movie set in Vienna, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy), ZOOLANDER (’01), SIN CITY (’05) and GRINDHOUSE (’07).
[28 January ’83]
*
19. The Suckling Pig Roast/Das Spanferkelessen
Bernbacher is having a suckling pig roast feast at the Wirtshaus (pub), in celebration of his birthday, and invites Eder to attend. Pumuckl wants to come along, but Eder says No to that. Pumuckl insists he is a come-along-Kobold–but it’s a no-go. Locked inside, Pumuckl goes up to the apartment to entertain himself by playing music. The Stürtzlingers hear the music coming from the Eder’s apartment and they get Frau Eichinger, who has a key, to open the door. As they check on the radio, this affords Pumuckl the chance to go out and attend the feast. The Kobold creates chaos as he plays with the knödel (traditional ball-shaped dumpling–lecker lecker). Eder suspects that his Kobold is at fault for the mess and he goes back to the workshop to finds that Pumuckl has indeed gone out. Returning to the feast, all is in disarray, after Pumuckl has done his work. Eder commands Pumuckl to leave, but even after his departure–the best laid plans go astray with the birthday cake. As is normal–whether there is a Kobold or not. And everyone has a good laugh. Meanwhile Pumuckl is alone in the workshop, and the full moon outside his window reminds him of a knödel. He is inspired to compose a poem about knödel then falls asleep in his swing-ship. Eder returns with leftovers for his Pumuckl, but finding him fast asleep, the Meister gently puts him into his doll-bed and turns out the light. This story was in the theatrical film, with a few differences, and here there are extended scenes with the birthday cake and with Pumuckl’s poetry.
[4 February ’83]
*
20. Pumuckl and Puwackl/Pumuckl und Puwackl
Pumuckl complains that the other children have dolls, but he doesn’t have any. Eder begins to carve a doll head and then has the idea to make it in the likeness of Pumuckl. He makes a marionette that he calls Puwackl and Frau Schröderbach helps out by sewing the clothes for the Puwackl. But Pumuckl is not amused. In the night, believing that Puwackl will eat all the pudding, Pumuckl steals into the apartment and cuts the marionette’s strings. In the morning, seeing what has been done, Eder realizes that he pushed his joke too far and seeks to remedy the injustice he has done to his Kobold. Frau Schröderbach previously appeared in episode 15, and was played by the Bavarian actress, Marianne Brandt.
[11 February ’83]
*
21. Pumuckl and the Fear/Pumuckl und die Angst
The children are playing pranks on each other in the cellar. Pumuckl decides he also wants to pull some pranks and the children mistake him for a rodent. The Kobold then is trapped inside a box and he fears that the cat will get at him.
[18 February ’83]
*
22. The Fateful Whipped Cream/Der verhängnisvolle Schlagrahm
Eder’s cousin Irma and her son Fritz come by for coffee. Pumuckl is interested in the whipped cream that Eder has made for Fritz. Pumuckl worries that Fritz will eat all the whipped cream and leave nothing for him, but Eder brings what is left into the kitchen for Pumuckl to finish. However, Fritz comes into the kitchen and steals some more; but Pumuckl is able to finish off the last. After Irma and Fritz have left, Eder warns the Kobold that he will get sick from having gobbled down the whipped cream and Pumuckl starts to turn green. Just then Irma returns with Fritz who is also sick. Eder gives Fritz some drops of medicine, but Pumuckl decides to drink the whole bottle, which makes him even sicker.
[25 February ’83]
*
23. Pumuckl in the Zoo/Pumuckl im Zoo
Eder and Pumuckl go to visit the zoo, where Pumuckl is happy to visit all the animals. When Eder sits down for a beer, he drowses and the Kobold goes off on his own. At first all goes well, but then Pumuckl gets caught on the door of the gunea pig cage and is in danger of being seen. Luckily, Eder is able to find the Kobold before disaster strikes.
[4 March ’83]
*
24. The Mysterious Letters/Die geheimnisvollen Briefe
Pumuckl wants to lean how to write, so Meister Eder shows him how to print a few words: ICH BIN BRAV (I am good) and ICH WILL BIER (I want beer). The Kobold then composes letters using these few words and puts them through the Stürtzlingers’ mail slot. These mysterious letters cause Frau Stürtzlinger some angst.
[11 March ’83]
*
25. Pumuckl and the Easter Eggs/Pumuckl und die Ostereier
Meister Eder and Pumuckl visit his sister and her family for the Easter holidays. Bärbel is away, but her sister Monika is there and the adults have hidden easter eggs and other treats in the yard. However, Pumuckl believes they haven’t done a good enough job and goes out early in the morning to put the Easter gifts where they won’t be found. Eder, along with Monika’s Papa and Mama, searches high and low for the Easter treasures, having fun in the process. Later, when they are about to go out to Easter service, none of the house keys can be found. So Eder agrees to stay behind, so the family can go to church together. When they are gone, Pumuckl throws the keys at Eder. He’s in a bad mood because they spoiled his fun and, anyway, they didn’t find all the eggs. One red egg is hidden in the house, so Eder hunts for it.
[18 March ’83]
*
26. The First of April/Der erste April
At the Wirtshaus (pub), the locksmith Bernbacher and his cronies hatch a plan to play an April Fool’s Day joke on Meister Eder. Bernbacher tells Eder of another carpenter across town who also has a Kobold. Eder and Pumuckl go there on the morning of April 1st, to meet this Kobold. Pumuckl is excited to see another Klabautermann and has prepared his best poems for the occasion. But when they get there, the other carpenter has no idea what Eder is talking about. Meister Eder realizes that it must be an April Fool’s prank. Pumuckl is down-hearted and angry, but when Eder explains to him about April Fool’s day, they hatch a plot to play their own trick on Bernbacher and the others.
[25 March ’83]
*
==============================
piano cover version of the melody for . . . 16. The Big Break-Up/Der große Krach . . .
[Musik: F. Muschler?, Georg Friedrich Händel (Sarabande aus Suite Nr.4 in D-Moll)
Arrangement: F. Muschler?]
==============================
Pumuckl from Barbara von Johnson
2nd Season/2te Staffel (’88 – ’89)
In the mid-'80s, production of a second season was begun.
[Air dates shown are for original ARD broadcasts.]
27. The Toy Car/Das Spielzeugauto
To celebrate the anniversary of their first meeting, Eder gives Pumuckl a toy car as a present. At first, the Kobold has fun playing inside the workshop, but then he will go out onto the street, despite Eder’s warning not to. Two little boys take the car and Pumuckl is characteristically enraged.
[1 October ’88]
*
28. Pumuckl and the Fruit Trees/Pumuckl und die Obstbäume
When Meister Eder explains that it is not possible to have a fruit tree outside the workshop, Pumuckl goes in search of one in the neighbourhood. Finding several fruit trees in a garden, the Kobold feasts on the unripened fruit and has to hurry home, because he is sick to his stomach. After relieving himself on his toilet, Pumuckl goes out again, not having learned his lesson. This time, he gets snagged on one of the fruit trees and has to free himself by taking off his green pants. Returning to the workshop and appearing without his pants, he gives the Eder a good laugh. Meister Eder goes to the garden to retrieve the pants. The episode ends with them both having a laugh over Pumuckl’s misfortune while singing a silly song.
[8 October ’88]
*
29. Pumuckl and the Mouse/Pumuckl und die Maus
Pumuckl discovers a mouse in the workshop. At first he is afraid of it, but then makes friends with it. When Eder wants to trap it, the Kobold is against it and takes the mouse as his own pet–Maximillianus. A really funny episode with Pumuckl and his mouse. And happy music, too.
[15 October ’88]
*
30. The Sailboat/Das Segelboot
By far one of the best episodes. Eder and Pumuckl go to the lake, where they rent a small sailboat, so that Pumuckl can sail on the water as a true Klabautermann. Taking a pause from sailing, Eder ties up at a pier. Pumuckl insists on staying on board the boat, while Eder goes to a cafe for a bite to eat. Accidentally, the Kobold slips the line and the boat drifts out onto the water. Several people on the pier hear Pumuckl’s cries of alarm and they believe there is a child on the boat. Eder sees the commotion at the pier and returns there, but is unable to rescue his boat. A young man comes to take his power boat out on the water and Eder begs him to fetch his sailboat. The young man complies, but not without making Eder look ridiculous in front of the other people. After the sailboat, with Pumuckl on board, is returned to the pier, the Kobold steals the young man’s keys to the power boat. Eder, with Pumuckl, takes the sailboat back out on the water and discovers the Kobold’s prank. They return to the pier again, this time to make the young man look foolish. The episode ends with a long scene on the lake, with Pumuckl and Eder talking, while wonderful music plays on the soundtrack, and the sun casts an orange twilight on the water.
[22 October ’88]
*
31. The Mountain Tour/Die Bergtour
In the original story by Ellis Kaut, Eder’s nephew was supposed to be a little boy, but in this episode Dieter is a grown-up, as old as his Uncle Franz if not older. And yet Dieter is very childish. He puts lots of sugar in his coffee just like a child (or a Pumuckl) and he complains just like a child. Eder and his nephew go on a trip to the mountains–and Pumuckl comes along. As they go up the mountain, Pumuckl carries his own rucksack, which contains one apple. When they take a pause, Pumuckl admires his apple before he gets ready to eat it. Yet Dieter picks up the apple, eats half of it and throws the rest away. Eder knows that Pumuckl will be upset about that. As Dieter continues up the mountain, the Kobold runs ahead and throws rocks down on him. Eder grabs Pumuckl and puts him inside his own rucksuck. The Kobold’s instincts tell him that a storm is coming and Eder tries to warn his nephew, asking him to come down so they can seek shelter before the storm comes. Dieter, of course, will not listen, so Eder lets Pumuckl out of the rucksack and the Kobold whisks away Dieter’s hat, forcing him to chase it down the mountain. When lightning strikes, Pumuckl leaps into Eder’s rucksack and they all run down the mountain to the shelter.
[29 October ’88]
*
32. The Cans/Die Blechbüchsen
This one has a lot of moving parts. Eder’s superstitious housekeeper tells hims about a trip to the circus. After she has left, he explains to Pumuckl what a circus is and what things you can see there. He then has the idea to show Pumuckl how to balance on a tight rope and he strings a line across the workshop. When Pumuckl has trouble balancing, Eder fashions a pole to help the Kobold balance. As this is going on, a horrible child named Charlotte is shouting outside in the courtyard. Next she starts throwing stones at the workshop, which disturbs Pumuckl’s balancing act and sends him crashing down. Eder warns Charlotte not to throw rocks at his window, but she continues. And then taunts Eder. As he becomes more impatient, the girl’s mother comes out onto her balcony and defends her child. Eder has to leave it at that, but Pumuckl decides to make a drum-set from old paint cans and won’t be quiet. Eder goes out to get some peace and quiet. Then Charlotte begins playing her recorder in the courtyard. Her mother wants some cigarettes and sends the child to the shop to buy some. While Charlotte is gone, Pumuckl steals the recorder and hides it under the mat in front of the workshop door. When Charlotte returns, she and her mother believe that Eder has taken the recorder. But they realize that he is out and when he returns, they feel foolish. They make peace with him, but Eder knows that Pumuckl has hidden the recorder under the mat and he takes it into the workshop, when they are gone. Then he and Pumuckl play a song together–recorder and drums–which is (sort of) the Pumuckl theme-song.
[5 November ’88]
*
33. The Treasure Seekers/Die Schatzsucher
There’s a lot of back and forth in this one. Meister Eder is overloaded with work and has no time to entertain Pumuckl, so the Kobold goes out in search of fun. In an abandoned lot, he sees three boys looking for treasure. Pumuckl goes back to the workshop to find out what treasure is. When Eder explains that it is something gold or silver, Pumuckl steals Eder’s pocket knife so the boys will have a treasure to find. The boys then get into a fight over who should have the knife. Pumuckl returns again to the workshop, but Eder now misses his pocket knife when he wants to open a Radler. So Pumuckl must go back again to the abandoned lot for the knife–the boys are now black and blue from their fight. He returns the knife to the workshop and goes back again to the lot, where now the boys are looking for the knife. So Pumuckl goes back and forth again. When a stranger (from episode 28) passes through the lot, the three boys offer the knife to him, thinking he must have lost it. He tells them that it is not his and they should take it to the police. Pumuckl returns to the workshop, he pretends to sleep in his bed, but Eder is missing his pocket knife again, so Pumuckl explains he overheard someone say that they were taking it to the police. So Eder and Pumuckl go to the police station to retrieve the pocket knife.
[12 November ’88]
*
34. The Ghost in the Garden House/Das Gespenst im Gartenhäuschen
One of Eder’s friends (the auto-mechanic from the pub) tells him about a woman–Frau Reinicke–who thinks she has a Kobold, in her small garden house, that is causing her a lot of angst. Eder agrees to investigate. Frau Reinicke leaves the house, while Meister Eder and Pumuckl spend the night there. They hear what appears to be a ghost, but do not see anything. The next morning, Pumuckl discovers that it’s all an elaborate set-up of strings and cans meant to create the ghostly noises. Eder makes alterations to the set-up to trap the malefactors. Frau Reinicke returns and Eder pretends to leave. The pranksters are caught–two boys, who are pressed into doing chores around the garden in penance for their crimes.
[19 November ’88]
*
35. The Mysterious Swing/Die geheimnisvolle Schaukel
This one features the three boys from episode 33. A neighbour leaves their pet bird in the care of Meister Eder, but Pumuckl lets it out of its cage and it flies away. One of the boys comes to pick up the bird, but this bird has flown. Eder and the boy go out to look for the bird and are helped by other neighbours. The bird is in a tree, but when they climb up to get it, the bird has disappeared. Going back into the workshop with the boy, Eder finds the bird back in its cage. The boy wonders how the bird got back into the cage and Eder explains that his Pumuckl put the bird back in the cage. The boy doubts Eder until he sees the Schaukelschiff swinging on its own, with the invisible Kobold inside. This boy tells the other two about the Kobold and the mysterious swing-ship, but being older they doubt him. All three go into the workshop and they see the Schaukelschiff swinging. After they leave, Pumuckl tells Eder that children are not to be trusted with his secrets and sure enough, after they go upstairs to the apartment, the three boys climb into the workshop through an open window. Eder detects what they are up to and corners them. He explains that the Schaukelschiff is just an electronic device–and so they believe there is no Pumuckl. But then when they are missing their keys, the invisible Kobold throws the keys at them and they all run away in a fright.
[26 November ’88]
*
36. Pumuckl and the Cat/Pumuckl und die Katze
Eder finds a stray kitty-cat outside the workshop and takes it in. Pumuckl is totally opposed. Pumuckl makes a mess in the workshop, saying that a cat is a cat and a Kobold is a Kobold. Eder points out that a Kobold can make order and a cat can’t do that, then goes out to get milk for the cat and put up a notice in the neighbourhood that he has found the lost kitty. When Eder returns, he finds that Pumuckl has put everything in order. A woman stops by the workshop, looking to see if it’s her cat that Eder has found. But when they look for it in the apartment, it seems to have gone out the window. The woman leaves, but Eder hears the cat in the coal tray under the oven–having been put there by Pumuckl. The woman returns, to give her address to Eder, and she is reunited with her kitty–Kleopatra (or as Pumuckl says, Klo-pa-pa). The Kobold is covered in schmutz from the coal tray and Eder’s face also has schmutz when Pumuckl embraces him. Very beautiful music in this one–especially at the end as the credits start to roll.
[3 December ’88]
*
37. Pumuckl and the Cold/Pumuckl und der Schnupfen
After it rains Pumuckl is happy to play in the puddles of water. Later the Kobold comes down with a cold. As no one else can see Pumuckl, Meister Eder has the idea to consult with the doctor over the phone. Believing that Eder is the patient, the doctor comes to the workshop and insists that Eder should be in bed. He gives him a shot to put him to sleep. Pumuckl is too sick to do anything. The next morning, the doctor comes by again and insists on giving Eder another shot.
[10 December ’88]
*
38. Eder’s Christmas Present/Eders Weihnachtsgechenk
On Christmas Eve, Pumuckl must wait to see the present that Eder has promised him. One by one different neighbours and customers come by and Eder is caught short with what gifts to give them. He gives over the little wooden case he had promised to Pumuckl, but then the postman comes to the door delivering just such a box that Eder had mistakenly mailed to himself. So Pumuckl gets his Christmas present in the end. But as the credits roll, yet another visitor comes to the door with a present. Herr Bernbacher and Herr Stürtzlinger both make appearances in this one.
[17 December ’88]
*
39. Pumuckl is not to blame for anything at all/Pumuckl ist an gar nichts schuld
Eder’s sister asks him to build her a wardrobe. On the day before it is to be completed, Eder has one problem after another and mistakenly blames Pumuckl. Pumuckl, having become fed up with all of Eder’s accussations, packs up all his property and heads out of the workshop. But Eder realizes his error and tries to make it up to Pumuckl. And moreover, it turns out that Eder was also entirely in error about when the work needed to be completed. Throughout most of the second season, Pumuckl has his toy wooden horse (no doubt Eder made it for him), and here in this episode he uses it to pull the small wagon containing all his prized possessions–sein ganzes Kapital–the Schaukelschiff and the comforter from his bed.
[29 December ’88]
*
40. A Difficult Customer/Ein schwieriger Kunde
Meister Eder is having a problem with a customer, Herr Schladerer, who demands changes in the bureau that the craftsman has just finished. Pumuckl goes to Schladerer’s office and makes chaos for him and his secretary. The following day, Schladerer has decided to turn over a new leaf and adopt a positive attitude, being more than appreciative when he comes to Eder’s workshop again.
[5 January ’89]
*
41. The Bloody Thumb/Der blutige Daumen
The children are having fun sliding on a patch of ice outside the workshop, but Meister Eder goes out to put sawdust on the ice, as he fears that someone will slip and fall. Pumuckl is upset with Eder for ruining their fun, but goes outside to have his own fun by sliding on a pile of snow. His happines is aborted, when the Kobold hurts his thumb and blood pours from the wound. In the workshop, Meister Eder bandages the thumb, then goes out to do the shopping, telling Pumuckl to remain in the workshop. Pumuckl doesn’t listen and goes outside to play again. But just then the children return and, while they can’t see the Kobold, they can see the bandage on his thumb. They chase this–what they think might be a mouse–into the cellar. The door is locked, so they can’t get at Pumuckl (who has slipped in through a window). The children fetch the caretaker (Herr Stürtzlinger) to open the door to the cellar and they try to trap the “mouse.” In the end, Pumuckl is lucky to make his escape out of the cellar, before being caught–and he returns to the safety of the workshop.
[12 January ’89]
*
42. Pumuckl and the Headache Pills/Pumuckl und die Kopfwehtabletten
In the morning, Meister Eder stays in bed, because he is sick. Having run out of headache pills, he writes a note for Pumuckl to take to the housekeeper, Frau Eichinger. But not knowing his left from his right, Pumuckl puts the note through the letter slot of the wrong apartment. Realizing that Pumuckl has got the directions wrong, Meister Eder sends the Kobold with another note for Frau Eichinger. Meanwhile, the housekeeper has arrived at Meister Eder’s apartment and goes out to the drugstore to buy more pills. After this, another neighbour, Frau Hartl calls Meister Eder on the phone and insists that she will bring her own pills for him. Then Frau Eichinger’s neighbour arrives at Meister Eder’s bedside and gives him some pills of her own. He takes these, but after that Frau Hartl arrives and insists on giving Eder her pills. After she departs, Frau Eichinger returns and forces her pills upon the master carpenter and leaves. Pumuckl tries one of the pills, thinking they must taste good and realizes they taste terrible. Next a doctor, a relation of Frau Eichinger, has found the note that was delivered to her, and he gives Eder his own pills. At the end, Pumuckl has become sleepy from the pill that he tasted and both fall fast asleep.
[19 January ’89]
*
43. A Scoop for the Newspaper/Ein Knüller für die Zeitung
At the local pub, the nervous Herr Schenk (from episode 10) overhears Eder and his cronies talking about the Pumuckl. Schenk tries to get more information from Eder, but the woodworker will have none of it. However, this man calls in his scoop to the newspaper and they send a young photo-journalist over to the workshop to get the story. Pumuckl wishes to be celebrated in the newspaper and plays tricks on Eder and the newswoman. But the Meister insists that she leave, explaining to Pumuckl afterward that this would be no good, there would be people always coming around and disturbing the peace, if they knew that there was a Kobold in the workshop. Barbara Rudnik, who was known for her erotic roles, played the photo-journalist.
[26 January ’89]
*
44. Pumuckl gets on the Telephone/Pumuckl geht an’s Telefon
Meister Eder has no work at the moment and so he promises to take Pumuckl to the zoo the next day. However, a new customer comes to the workshop and offers the carpenter a big job, but he needs Eder to come to his study the next morning to see what he wants done. So Eder has to take back his promise to Pumuckl. The Kobold insists that Eder should not break his promise. When Eder is out of the shop, Pumuckl attempts to use the phone to call the customer and cancel the meeting, but he can’t tell one number from the other and ends up calling the police. After the Kobold hangs up, the telephone rings and it’s the customer calling Eder. Pumuckl tells him that it’s not possible for Eder to come there the next morning and the customer says he will get another carpenter. Eder returns and Pumuckl says that they can now go to the zoo, because the customer will get another carpenter. Frau Eichinger arrives to do the housework and then Eder steps out to try and contact the customer. When the housekeeper is leaving the workshop, she’s stopped by the police who, having got the call from Pumuckl, believe Frau Eichinger has broken into the shop. Later, Eder returns and answers a call from the customer and clears up the misunderstanding. He promises Pumuckl that they will go to the zoo on the day after tomorrow.
[2 February ’89]
*
45. Pumuckl wants to be a Carpenter/Pumuckl will Schreiner werden
Pumuckl thinks that he would like to become a carpenter, although Meister Eder says it is not so easy. But Eder shows Pumuckl how to hammer nails with a small hammer. As Pumuckl is receiving his instruction, Herr Windlechner, a new customer, arrives at the workshop. The invisible Kobold carries the hammer and nails upstairs with him and Windlechner cannot believe his eyes. When Eder comes upstairs, having heard Pumuckl hammering, he sees that the imp has hammered nails into the kitchen table. After, they go by bike to Windlechner’s apartment, which is a nicely styled upper class sort of residence. Windlechner takes pride in his possessions and lends Eder his multi-use pocket-knife, as the carpenter makes repairs to a side table. Pumuckl fancies the knife and keeps trying to steal it away–finally being successful as Eder goes out. Back at the workshop, the carpenter sees that Pumuckl has stolen the knife and commands him to return it to Windlechner. When the Kobold arrives there, Windlechner and his wife are arguing over a game of Scrabble and she is taken aback when she sees the knife returning to her husband. Having repented his thievery, Pumuckl returns to Eder’s apartment, where the carpenter has made repairs to the kitchen table.
[9 February ’89]
*
46. The Silver Bowling Pin/Der silberne Kegel
Meister Eder is asked to come to the Wirtshaus to make repairs on the bowling alley (for kegeln or skittles) in the pub house. Having put the alley in good working order, the other regulars at the pub press him to compete with them in a game of kegeln, the winner of which will get a small silver kegel/bowling pin trophy plus 3.5 DM. He agrees, but asks Pumuckl not to come with him, as he wishes to win on his own without any help. The Kobold is sad about it, but minds what Eder has said. However, when Eder has a run of very good luck, he believes that the Pumuckl must be there giving him a hand. He goes back to the workshop to check and accuses Pumuckl of interfering and then locks him in the workshop. Upset about being wrongly accused, the Kobold now does leave (having his own secret way out) and gives Eder a hand, with the result that the craftsman wins the competition. When he brings home his award, Pumuckl reveals that he did help in the end. Which upsets Eder. Pumuckl can’t figure him out–whether he does anything or not, Eder always finds fault.
[16 February ’89]
*
47. Playing with Fire/Das Spiel mit dem Feuer
SPOILER WARNING: This is a SHOCKING story!!!! Don’t read further if you don’t want to spoil it for yourself before you have watched the episode. Several of Eder’s neighbours from previous episodes appear in this story.
The story begins in typical fashion with Pumuckl and Eder having breakfast together at the kitchen table. Eder keeps trying to light the fire to put under the teapot to keep the tea warm and Pumuckl keeps blowing out the fire, for fear of it. Eder calms Pumuckl’s fear and now the Kobold is fascinated with fire. In the workshop the imp lights the matches and when Eder sees this he warns Pumuckl that this will start a disaster in the workshop, as all the wood will catch fire. Pumuckl pours the matches out of the match-box onto the floor to get rid of them, but this is not right either. So Pumuckl is sent upstairs. Given he only promised not to light a match in the workshop, the Kobold doesn’t realize this applies also to the kitchen and everywhere else. So he finds matches there and lights a candle. Eder comes upstairs to tell Pumuckl he is going over to the pub with the landlord, not seeing the lit candle, while Pumuckl pretends to be innocently listening to the radio. [spoilers] Alone, the Pumuckl lights another match which catches fire on some papers. His efforts to douse the flame only increase it and soon the whole kitchen is engulfed in fire and the Kobold is caught with no chance of escape. The fire increases and catches the attention of the neighbours who call the fire brigade. Knowing nothing, Eder returns and finds his kitchen destroyed by fire and no sign of the Pumuckl. Finally the sheepish Kobold appears out of hiding–having hid from all the firemen, since he couldn’t be caught without being separated from Eder for good. The episode ends with Pumuckl making many warnings to children NOT to play with fire. [/spoilers]
[23 February ’89]
*
48. Pumuckl Wants to Have a Clock/Pumuckl will eine Uhr haben
A customer at the workshop asks Meister Eder to make a cabinet for her antique clock. Now Pumuckl wants to have a clock and goes to an antique clock shop in search of one. However, he ends up being shut inside one of the clocks in the shop, when the shop closes for the evening. Eder misses the Pumuckl and goes out in search of him. Meanwhile, Pumuckl has fallen asleep inside the clock and only awakens when he hears a passing couple. He starts to scream and they alert the owner that there is someone inside his shop. The police are called in. Eder at the same time stops at the police station and overhears the policeman on the phone taking the call about the clock shop mystery. Eder goes back to the clock shop, which is locked up. Throught the door, he tells Pumuckl that he will have to stay there inside the clock until the morning. As the shop opens, Eder arrives to get Pumuckl out of the clock before the owner sees him. The policeman on the phone is the same one who spoke to Pumuckl on the phone in episode 44.
[2 March ’89]
*
49. (Pumuckl and) the Plastic Duck/(Pumuckl und) die Plastikente
This one has a little of everything and lots of laughs. Pumuckl sees in the toystore that they have some new plastic blow-up ducks for the swimming pool. He insists that he must have it and Eder goes to the toystore and buys one. At first they try it out on the river, but Pumuckl is almost taken away by the current–thankfully rescued by three young mountain bikers. Eder and Pumuckl then use a tub full of water in the workshop, which should be safer. However when Eder is out, two boys come by the workshop and create chaos with the duck. This was the third and last episode to feature the seller in the toystore (not given a name), who appeared previously in episodes 15 and 27 (she fails to sell Eder a pullover, but she does sell the toycar). She has some very funny scenes in this one–especially when she tries to blow up the plastic duck. This character was played by the popular comic actress Helga Feddersen, who had played the character of Frau Steinhausen in the theatrical film. From Hamburg, not only was Helga well-known as an actress and a comedian, but she was also a writer of many screenplays. Yet, she is probably best known now for her number one hit novelty song from ’81, Gib Mir Bitte Einen Kuß–to the tune of what’s known in North America as the Chicken Dance.
[9 March ’89]
*
50. Pumuckl on a Witch-Hunt/Pumuckl auf Hexenjagd
The Bärbel who appears in this one is the red-headed little girl who appears several times in the second season (played by Daniela König–the director’s daughter, I believe), not to be confused with Eder’s niece. Bärbel’s mother is Frau Eichinger’s neighbour from episode 42. Pumuckl is bored and goes to the apartment of Bärbel and her mother, where he hears the mother telling the story of Hansel and Gretel–and the Kobold believes this is all true. So he goes in search of the witch who has taken the two children. In the woods, Pumuckl finds, a woman with her daughter picking mushrooms, and he believes this is the witch and Gretel. But where is Hansel? He finds a cabin locked up, and thinks the boy must be in there. Pumuckl goes back to the workshop to get Meister Eder to help rescue the two children. Eder believes this is an actual child abduction case in the news, so he drops everything to search for the missing children.
[16 March ’89]
*
51. Help, a Temporary Help!/Hilfe, eine Aushilfe!
Frau Eichinger has broken her arm so she brings in Frau Singermeier to do the housework for Meister Eder. Bernbacher comes by and is charmed by the younger housekeeper, but he warns her that Eder has a Kobold. As a housekeeper, Frau Singermeier is a total disaster, but she blames all her problems on the Kobold. Pumuckl is not at fault and he takes measures to put all his prized posssessons out of reach, so they will not meet with the same fate that the accident-prone housekeeper has visited upon Eder’s property.
[23 March ’89]
*
52. Pumuckl and the Music/Pumuckl und die Musik
The popular Bavarian singer, Fredl Fesi, appears in this episode. Meister Eder invites several of his cronies from the Wirtshaus to his place for a kitchen party sing-along. Pumuckl, of course, wants to join in on the singing–Schnucki, ach Schnucki–and he also learns to play the harmonica. Be sure to watch to the end, as Eder and Pumuckl sing together while the credits roll. A very sweet ending to the series. And they lived happily ever after, forever.
[30 March ’89]
*
==============================
MEISTER EDER UND SEIN PUMUCKL, the Theatrical Movie
Directed by Ulrich König
Screenplay by Ulrich König and Ellis Kaut
Starring Gustl Bayrhammer as Meister Eder
Starring Hans Clarin as Pumuckl (voice)
The ’82 theatrical movie incorporates some of the stories that were later seen in the first season of the TV series, but with a few differences.
The continuity of the movie is as follows:
-
The movie opens with a long credit sequence and the full version of Pumuckl’s theme song. Pumuckl is invisible in this, just as he is for the opening of episode 1. The story then begins as in episode 1–essentially the same with the exception that Helga Feddersen plays Frau Steinhausen, rather than Maria Stadler as Frau Steinhauser (a customer).
-
Then follows the first and last parts of the story as in episode 2--but with the plot about the sold bed left out–and Edith Hanke appears as Frau Bauer (rather than Käthe Jänicke in the same role in the TV series).
-
Right after this comes a short explanation for why Pumuckl should have the Schiffshaukel, in place of the story from episode 3.
-
This transitions into virtually the same story as in episode 4.
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Directly after that story, follows the story as in episode 19–the main changes here are that Franz Muxeneder and Maria Singer play the caretaker and his wife (they play the plumber and his wife in episode 3 of the TV series) and in the film version scenes are cut shorter. The TV series has a longer scene with the birthday cake, longer transitonal scenes with Pumuckl and a different credit sequence at the end.
-
The movie ends with the moon smiling down upon the workshop.
[2 April ’82]
pt. 1
==============================
for the German episode guide: http://www.fernsehserien.de/meister-eder-und-sein-pumuckl/episodenguide
All characters, logos, and images are owned and © 2013 by current copyright holders. They are used here for educational and review purposes.
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