Van Snowden

Van Charles Snowden (February 19, 1939 – September 22, 2010) was an American puppeteer active in the film and television industries for decades. Snowden performed as the H.R. Pufnstuf character in most projects after the original series and film. His other credits included the horror films Child's Play 2 and Child's Play 3, Tales from the Crypt and D.C. Follies. He was raised in Branson, Missouri, on a farm.

Snowden also assisted with the puppetry for the character Chucky in the horror films Child's Play 2 (1990) and Child's Play 3 (1991). His other film credits included work on Beetlejuice (1988), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), Dracula (1992), Alien Resurrection (1997), Starship Troopers (1997) and The X-Files (1988). During the 1980s, Snowden became the lead puppeteer on the television series Pee-wee's Playhouse. He was part of the puppetry team for The Crypt Keeper on Tales from the Crypt, an anthology series which aired from 1989 until 1996.

His last television credit was as H.R. Pufnstuf on an episode of My Name is Earl in 2007.

Snowden also worked for the puppeteer division of Hasbro and its Tiger Electronics division. He was part of the puppetry and programming team which developed the body, mouth and eye movements for such interactive toys as Furby, E.T., Gizmo and Yoda. Snowden headed Hasbro's puppeteer division for the last three years of his life and career.

Snowden died from cancer on September 22, 2010, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank, California, at the age of 71. He was survived by his brother, Nick, and sister, Deanna.

Van was the son of Wyatt Estes Snowden and Ortha Dufree.

Filmography Pufnstuf (1970) The Bugaloos (1970–1971) - Tweeter Lidsville (1971–1972) - Tonsilini the Opera Hat, Pierre LeSewer, Pufnstuf Fol-de-Rol (1972) - Puppeteer The NBC Saturday Morning Preview Revue (1974) - Petey the Peacock Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973–1974) - Sweet Mama Ooze Land of the Lost (1975) - Zarn The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (1977) - Cher Crow, H.R. Pufnstuf The Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars (1978) - Various characters The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour (1978) - Head puppeteer Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (1980) - Puppeteer The Hoboken Chicken Emergency (1984) - Henrietta (in-suit performer) The Patti LaBelle Show (1985) - Puppeteer Dumbo's Circus (1985) - Assistant puppeteer D.C. Follies (1987) - Assistant puppet builder The Mother Goose Video Treasury (1987) - Humpty Dumpty, Townsperson of Gooseberry Glen Beetlejuice (1988) - Puppeteer Redeye Express (1988) - Puppeteer Pee-wee's Playhouse (1988) - Puppet operator, puppet supervisor Christmas at Pee Wee's Playhouse (1988) - Puppet operator Tales from the Crypt (1989–1995) - Puppeteer of Crypt Keeper Child's Play 2 (1990) - Additional puppeteer of Chucky Child's Play 3 (1991) - Additional puppeteer of Chucky Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) - Puppeteer Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) - Additional puppeteer Toby Terrier and His Video Pals (1993) - Head puppeteer Casper (1995) - Puppeteer of Crypt Keeper Bordello of Blood (1996) - Puppeteer of Crypt Keeper The X Files (1998) - Puppeteer My Name Is Earl (2007) - H.R. Pufnstuf