With an AI voice: The cult figure “Pumuckl” returns to TV

After more than 30 years, the cult goblin Pumuckl will soon return to television with new stories – and follow in great footsteps. “At first it was too delicate for me,” said director Marcus H. Rosenmüller on Saturday at the premiere of the series in Munich.

The original was “so great, with Gustl Bayrhammer, with Hans Clarin – we don’t have to do that again”, he thought. He was then convinced by the “great stories” and that the new edition should be a “big bow to the old series”.

“Pumuckl’s energy spilled over to us.” In “New Stories from Pumuckl”, the little goblin with the red hair brings out his skills again in 13 episodes – this time with Master Eder’s nephew, Florian Eder (Florian Brückner), who takes over his uncle’s old carpentry workshop. Pumuckl is played by Maximilian Schafroth – the Bavarian comedian’s voice and acting serve as a template for the animation.

“I think everyone has a little bit of Pumuckl in them, and I have a job that allowed me to keep this inner Pumuckl,” Schafroth told DPA news agency. After all, political cabaret is also a form of teasing. “I also spent most of my childhood in the Allgäu in the workshop of my parents’ farm. So I know what a sublime joy it can be to hide tools.”

With the streaming service RTL+, viewers have the choice at the end of the year whether they want to experience Pumuckl with the new voice of Schafroth or with the unmistakable original voice of former speaker Hans Clarin.

With the help of artificial intelligence, Schafroth’s voice is transformed into that of Clarin, who died in 2005. “I really admire Hans Clarin, he has given Pumuckl this unique soul and this rebellious, loving character,” says Schafroth. He incorporated Clarin’s work into his playing.

In his role as Eder’s cousin, Brückner was also inspired by Gustl Bayrhammer, who played the master carpenter in the original TV series. “At least I tried to create similar moments where you can feel the familiarity between Pumuckl and Eder,” Brückner said. “And the calm that Gustl Bayrhammer always exudes, despite all the shenanigans, I have always taken as a role model.”

The original “Meister Eder and his Pumuckl”, based on the books by Ellis Kaut, captured children’s hearts as a TV series from 1982. In addition to Schafroth and Brückner, Ilse Neubauer, Katharina Thalbach and Milan Peschel also star in the new edition. The episodes can be seen on RTL +, RTL and Super RTL at the end of 2023. (sda/dpa)