Meister Eder und sein Pumuckl
Pumuckl is one of the most popular characters in children's entertainment in Germany and several generations have now grown up with the cheeky but funny little Kobold.
At first, Meister Eder is reluctant to take in the kobold, since he is quite content on his own, but Pumuckl makes it clear that he has no other choice.
Note: Meister Eder's profession is given as "Schreinermeister" in the original German, which means that he makes and repairs furniture, which is also shown on the show (and mentioned in the stories and radio plays).
The two-part story "Der große Krach" ("The big dispute") has the first part ending with Eder throwing Pumuckl and his bed out of the workshop.
[citation needed] Pumuckl's age is never mentioned, in one radio play he claims he was born "vor siebzig-dreizehn Jahren" ("seventy-thirteen year ago"), since he cannot count very far and constantly invents certain fantasy numbers.
For example, he never really manages to suppress Pumuckl's urge to steal things, though he always makes him give back what the little kobold has taken.
Meister Eder's sister is concerned because her brother has never found a wife and spends a lot of time alone, which occasionally leads to conflicts between the siblings.
Other family members are his cousin Irma and her son Fritzl (as seen in the episode "Der verhängnisvolle Schlagrahm"/"The fateful whipped cream").
When the little kobold plays a minor practical joke, his behavior is sometimes condoned by Eder, because it made him laugh or think.
On the radio show, before Bayrhammer, Eder was originally voiced by Franz Fröhlich and Alfred Pongratz.
Additionally, Wolf Euba dubbed the voice of Eder in parts of the Blaue Klabauter film (1994).
After the death of Alfred Pongratz six more LPs were produced, each with two episodes, in which Gustl Bayrhammer played Master Eder and Harald Leipnitz was the narrator.
After the success of the movie and the first TV season, a complete new edition was created which consisted of 86 episodes in cassette format in which Gustl Bayrhammer played Meister Eder.
Many well-known German actors like Willy Harlander, Erni Singerl, Toni Berger, Wolfgang Völz and Helga Feddersen had appearances in the series.
In addition, it featured many one-time guest appearances of famous German actors like Lisa Fitz, Gisela Uhlen, Helmut Fischer, Barbara Valentin, Gaby Dohm, Klaus Schwarzkopf, Georg Thomalla, Barbara Rudnik, Iris Berben, Fredl Fesl, Karla Bonoff and Rolf Zacher.
According to Reuters News, April 11, 2007, Ellis Kaut is going to court in a dispute over the impending marriage of Pumuckl.
The illustrator, Barbara von Johnson, is supporting a local TV show's contest to design a girlfriend for Pumuckl.
The winner will get to visit von Johnson's Munich villa and take part in a "wedding" staged for the popular fictional character.
According to the same Reuters article, von Johnson said Pumuckl deserves a girlfriend but Kaut said the character must stay true to his spirit nature.
