Deep Gumby

This video explores some deeper background on Clokey Productions and Art Clokey and his family. The unscripted narrative covers the early process of animating Gumby and some little known knowledge about the Clokey family based on an intimate conversation with Art Clokey in 1983.

[@lovegun2112]

I could watch Gumby documentaries for hours. Love it!!

[@zebraradio1610]

Glad you enjoyed it. It's all true.

[@idontknoe6454]

That pamphlet is such a cool thing to have! (aside from the whole experience of meeting Clokey and visiting the early studio, wow). Can't wait to be able to hopefully read more about it :)

[@graceaustin9134]

Something that’s really beautiful about stop mo is that a lot of techniques have stayed the same. It’s both the most accessible form and the most expensive form of animation, but having accessibility through the Gumby puppet is HUGE. There’s such a passion behind stop mo production and it makes me really happy to hear people talk about it.

[@graceaustin9134]

9:59 This photo of the set is actually so awesome, such a treasure

[@zebraradio1610]

What you say is true. Something else that makes stop motion animation so special is that it employs and brings together all of the arts and crafts. Sculpting, puppetry, design, performance, writing, photographic techniques such as lighting and composition, stage craft and audio design. As such, it is far more labor intensive than any other style of animation. But it is also much more satisfying in my view. Yes, it can be expensive, but it needn't be. One can animate found objects and brings those to life and give them personality. The possibilities are endless.

[@chogrin]

Such a wonderful retrospective! Viva Art & Gumby!

[@zebraradio1610]

I'm happy you found it interesting. Hopefully, you have checked out the other videos on Clokey Productions and Art Clokey which I make reference to in "Deep Gumby."

[@jhanik1]

Fantastic behind the scenes education and instruction. I loved it!

[@zebraradio1610]

Thanks so much!

[@iremembertelevision5192]

Great background story Dan. I really enjoyed it!

[@zebraradio1610]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chall6761]

Smart to get this on tape, into edit and out there for posterity. Very, very charming story.

[@zebraradio1610]

Thank you. I forgot to mention on the video that Art didn't like "The Lawn Party" because it wasn't a true Gumby Adventure. It was a spec project he shelved but then dusted off and added a Gumby wraparound. Most of us still think it's great.

[@silvertimemoments]

I would love to learn more about his relationship with lakeside toys. Did he have design control over each product? Was he happy with the produced products? What caused the jump from lakeside to the jesco company, etc? Again, amazing video. I loved watching this.

[@zebraradio1610]

Thank you. Art did not specify which products he objected to or why Lakeside Toys was dropped. Art lost control of Gumby and Clokey Productions when he divorced Ruth in '66 (although he was still collecting royalties). As he said in the interview, "they were not respecting Gumby," meaning Ruth, who had control of Gumby and Pokey at the time, was allowing the toy company to attach Gumby's name and image to products Art didn't approve of. But I suspect the friction between the two went deeper than just control of Gumby. On tape, which I did not include in the interview video, Art criticized Ruth's "limited consciousness," referring to her myopic view of spirituality. I believe the real source of the friction with Art and Ruth (I have spoken to Ruth at least a half dozen times) centered on their religious differences with Art turning away from Lutheranism and Christianity and embracing Eastern Religions.

[@silvertimemoments]

@@zebraradio1610 that makes sense. Since D&G was Ruth’s “child” per-say and Gumby was Art’s, since they had different religious views, their views went into their creations which is why Gumby has much more of a “new age/zen” feel if you will. I hate that the relationship went the way it did, but I’m very grateful for the creativity of Mr.Clokey and his artistic creation of Gumby. Has brought me many years of joy since I was a young child and I still enjoy and collect Gumby items to this very day.

[@TriClopsFilms]

Damn what a childhood

[@zebraradio1610]

It had its moments.

[@ferociousgumby]

Ferociousgumby approves!

[@zebraradio1610]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@outerrealm]

Wife Ruth was a “devout” Lutheran, but had no qualms about conspiring with a lawyer to cheat Clokey out of his rights and money.

[@drjayteamk4531]

VERY COOL

[@zebraradio1610]

Thank you.

[@meowkitty5588]

15:08 Ruth Clokey the voice of Gumby from the 50s.

[@zebraradio1610]

Neither Art nor Joe ever mentioned Ruth Clokey as voicing Gumby. Plus, it doesn't sound like Ruth's voice on the very early adventures.

[@meowkitty5588]

@@zebraradio161015:08 Art and Ruth got married back in 1948.

[@zebraradio1610]

@@meowkitty5588 So they were married for 18 years.

[@supermariobrosfan92]

This is amazing! Is there any chance I could get a digital copy of the pamphlet?

[@zebraradio1610]

Several have asked about it, so I'll have to figure out a way it can be downloaded from KZbin.

[@supermariobrosfan92]

@@zebraradio1610 Keep me posted! I'd really like to give it a read :)

[@magicmacstudio3910]

Do you still have your original Gumby superflex toy?

[@zebraradio1610]

No, the wires inside the puppet broke and eventually started to break through the rubber skin. Those early Superflex puppets were somewhat dangerous and they were forced to make changes to the design.

[@TheNewStoryteller]

I'm into Gumby The 2000's you might have a look yourself plus my Gumby costume from where you live.

[@zebraradio1610]

I'm still more interested in the Gumby Adventures from the 50's and 60's. Shortly before his death, I sat with Joe Clokey and we watched some of the later adventures. Technically they were better but, in my view, Art was unmatched as a storyteller. The films he wrote and directed are gems.