Gumby Making Comeback on 50th Anniversary - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

musicradio77 · 05-15-2005, 07:04 PM

From the Associated Press:

Gumby Making Comeback on 50th Anniversary

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Five decades after Gumby first captured the nation's imagination, the little green guy and his chums are starring in a new art exhibit - the first in a series of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the television icon's creation and launch his comeback. "Gumby and Friends: The First 50 Years" attracted fans of all ages at Saturday's opening at the historic Lynn House Gallery in Antioch, about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco. Creator Art Clokey, now 83, signed Gumby figurines at the two-story exhibit, which featured photographs, toys and other memorabilia.

"Gumby is an icon," said Diane Gibson-Gray, 49, executive director of the Arts and Cultural Foundation of Antioch, which is sponsoring the monthlong exhibit. "He's a cultural icon that many of us grew up with. And there's another wave coming. There's a whole new generation that's going to embrace and love Gumby as much as I did."

The Antioch exhibit is the first event planned this year to commemorate the 50 years since Clokey made a short art film called "Gumbasia," featuring clay animation set to jazz music, that inspired the beloved television series that debuted a year later in 1956.

Over the next four decades, Clokey, along with his first wife and later his second wife, produced 223 episodes chronicling the adventures of wide-eyed Gumby, horse Pokey and other pals as they traveled to the moon, the Wild West and Toyland.

In mid-June, the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City will open a six-month exhibit about Gumby and creator Clokey. Later that month, Clokey's family will celebrate Gumby's 50 years at a birthday extravaganza in San Francisco, said Joe Clokey, 43, who now runs the family's Gumby business, Premavision/Clokey Productions.

The first Gumby video game and a DVD of Gumby shows from the 1980s are scheduled for release this summer. And the family hopes a documentary film about Art Clokey's life will be broadcast on television.

Joe Clokey, who owns a company that produces educational videos, said his father asked him to take over the Gumby business six years ago and bring the gingerbread-shaped hero back to children.

"My dad wanted Gumby back on TV," said Joe Clokey, who lives just outside San Luis Obispo near his father. "He did Gumby because he loves children. He wants children to have something of value on TV."

The Gumby story can be traced back to the creator's troubled childhood, his son said. After Art Clokey's father died when he was 10 years old, he moved from Michigan to California to live with his mother. But his new stepfather did not want anything to do with him, and his mother agreed to send Clokey to an orphanage.

"It was really hard for my dad psychologically," said Joe Clokey. "That's one of the reasons why he stayed an 11-year-old boy for so many years."

Happily, Art Clokey was adopted by a well-known musician, Joseph Clokey, who encouraged Art's creativity and artistic interests. After college, he joined a seminary to become an Episcopalian priest, but soon met his first wife, Ruth.

The couple decided to move to Southern California to join the film business. Besides Gumby, they also created the clay animation series "Davey and Goliath."

Animators who worked on the Gumby series have gone on to work for Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks and director Tim Burton. Joe Clokey said animators are developing new episodes of Gumby as well as a new movie.

"The goal has always been about what's good for kids and what's fun for kids," Clokey said. "If you've got a heart, then Gumby's a part of you. That's what it's all about."

DetectiveGriffin · 05-17-2005, 05:24 AM

I was wondering if Gumby and Pokey were ready for a comeback. Cracker Barrel resteraunt has been selling the little bendable figures and last week when we went, they had nice size plush dolls. Didn't know if it was just niche marketing or what. My 3 yr old loves the dvd set we got, so it will be nice to see him back.

Steve Carras · 05-20-2005, 12:54 AM

Leave us hope that Art Clokey got the voice, sound effects and music score rights back so that insdtead of psuedo-Mark Mothersbaugh

*, the "Beaver CLeaver" music so often ehard and bets of all the entire format:
voices
music
and original cast (NO Minga, NO tara-Gumby's boo is Goo)
and original theme, 1966 versin for the late 60s shows, are intact

*Jerry Gerber's the musician on the late 80s atrociies. GO to www.Amazon.com and type in GUMBY 7-Disc for detials--there's a ton of comments from moi.

Wondrr if ROGER RAMJET DUCKTALE and WAIT TILL YOUR AFTER voice Joanie Gerber is any relaiton to Jerry gerber.

05-15-2005, 07:04 PM	#1
musicradio77 Disney Expert Forum Veteran Join Date: Jul 14, 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY USA Posts: 6,475	Gumby Making Comeback on 50th Anniversary From the Associated Press: Gumby Making Comeback on 50th Anniversary SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Five decades after Gumby first captured the nation's imagination, the little green guy and his chums are starring in a new art exhibit - the first in a series of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the television icon's creation and launch his comeback. "Gumby and Friends: The First 50 Years" attracted fans of all ages at Saturday's opening at the historic Lynn House Gallery in Antioch, about 45 miles northeast of San Francisco. Creator Art Clokey, now 83, signed Gumby figurines at the two-story exhibit, which featured photographs, toys and other memorabilia. "Gumby is an icon," said Diane Gibson-Gray, 49, executive director of the Arts and Cultural Foundation of Antioch, which is sponsoring the monthlong exhibit. "He's a cultural icon that many of us grew up with. And there's another wave coming. There's a whole new generation that's going to embrace and love Gumby as much as I did." The Antioch exhibit is the first event planned this year to commemorate the 50 years since Clokey made a short art film called "Gumbasia," featuring clay animation set to jazz music, that inspired the beloved television series that debuted a year later in 1956. Over the next four decades, Clokey, along with his first wife and later his second wife, produced 223 episodes chronicling the adventures of wide-eyed Gumby, horse Pokey and other pals as they traveled to the moon, the Wild West and Toyland. In mid-June, the Museum of the Moving Image in New York City will open a six-month exhibit about Gumby and creator Clokey. Later that month, Clokey's family will celebrate Gumby's 50 years at a birthday extravaganza in San Francisco, said Joe Clokey, 43, who now runs the family's Gumby business, Premavision/Clokey Productions. The first Gumby video game and a DVD of Gumby shows from the 1980s are scheduled for release this summer. And the family hopes a documentary film about Art Clokey's life will be broadcast on television. Joe Clokey, who owns a company that produces educational videos, said his father asked him to take over the Gumby business six years ago and bring the gingerbread-shaped hero back to children. "My dad wanted Gumby back on TV," said Joe Clokey, who lives just outside San Luis Obispo near his father. "He did Gumby because he loves children. He wants children to have something of value on TV." The Gumby story can be traced back to the creator's troubled childhood, his son said. After Art Clokey's father died when he was 10 years old, he moved from Michigan to California to live with his mother. But his new stepfather did not want anything to do with him, and his mother agreed to send Clokey to an orphanage. "It was really hard for my dad psychologically," said Joe Clokey. "That's one of the reasons why he stayed an 11-year-old boy for so many years." Happily, Art Clokey was adopted by a well-known musician, Joseph Clokey, who encouraged Art's creativity and artistic interests. After college, he joined a seminary to become an Episcopalian priest, but soon met his first wife, Ruth. The couple decided to move to Southern California to join the film business. Besides Gumby, they also created the clay animation series "Davey and Goliath." Animators who worked on the Gumby series have gone on to work for Pixar, Disney, Dreamworks and director Tim Burton. Joe Clokey said animators are developing new episodes of Gumby as well as a new movie. "The goal has always been about what's good for kids and what's fun for kids," Clokey said. "If you've got a heart, then Gumby's a part of you. That's what it's all about."
	__________________ Musicradio77 Productions

05-20-2005, 12:54 AM	#3
Steve Carras Sandra Bullock RULES! Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 30, 2002 Location: Riverside County, CA Posts: 807	Leave us hope that Art Clokey got the voice, sound effects and music score rights back so that insdtead of psuedo-Mark Mothersbaugh , the "Beaver CLeaver" music so often ehard and bets of all the entire format: voices music and original cast (NO Minga, NO tara-Gumby's boo is Goo) and original theme, 1966 versin for the late 60s shows, are intact Jerry Gerber's the musician on the late 80s atrociies. GO to www.Amazon.com and type in GUMBY 7-Disc for detials--there's a ton of comments from moi. Wondrr if ROGER RAMJET DUCKTALE and WAIT TILL YOUR AFTER voice Joanie Gerber is any relaiton to Jerry gerber.
	__________________ "And that's showbiz......kid" -Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger, Chicago, 2002)

05-17-2005, 05:24 AM	#2
DetectiveGriffin Sankontessou! Senior Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2001 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 1,288	I was wondering if Gumby and Pokey were ready for a comeback. Cracker Barrel resteraunt has been selling the little bendable figures and last week when we went, they had nice size plush dolls. Didn't know if it was just niche marketing or what. My 3 yr old loves the dvd set we got, so it will be nice to see him back.