Gumby Dharma | KQED Truly CA

Gumby Dharma | Truly CA Season 3
At once quirky and colorful, heartbreaking and redemptive, Gumby Dharma takes us on a journey through the life and career of spiritual seeker Art Clokey, whose famous characters, Gumby and Pokey, and Davy and Goliath, echoed the spiritual path of their creator.
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[@pixelatedtr8878]

I cried at the end when Art Clokey was dancing with Gumby and Pokey

[@hikaritakahashi9411]

Loved the small dance he did in the credits. Art was pretty energetic even in his old age.

[@MrOrthopedia]

R I P Art Clokey. May God grant you eternal repose.

[@holyshard530]

MrOrthopedia Did gumby die with art? Or did he have to live through absolute grief?

[@chaosdemonwolf1]

For anyone who didn't know, care or whatever, Art Clokey produced all of the gumby shorts, [at least the orginal ones} in his garage using am 8mm camera and real toys from the era. Let anyone from Pixar or Dreamworks try that now

[@JSmusiqalthinka]

What is computer animation, if not digital stop motion? Art was a pioneer.

[@Stanley.1977]

RIP, Mr. Clokey! Gumby was a huge part of my childhood, and I still love it as an adult. I especially appreciate the morals, lessons and values of this truly wholesome, entertaining clay cartoon. Even as a child, watching Gumby (along with having great parents!) made me truly want to be a better person... It still does!

[@superfuzzymomma]

Krishna and Alan Watts references and only 20 minutes in….. What an inspiring gentleman, Mr. Art.

[@superfuzzymomma]

And by the time I was done watching the entire thing my mind was blown. The film was wonderful - moving and beyond meaningful on so many levels. Mr. Clokey IS AN AVATAR, and his Darshan is always there when we need it. Thank you, Blessings!

[@yaka_day]

I'm so thankful that The Truly CA Team made this before Art died!

[@billmcdonnell79]

Also before Dal died. Too bad that the director, Robina Marchesi of this documentary died about a year before this was released. She probably died from this was even finished yet.

[@therealgumbychannel9418]

Man, i miss Art Clokey, he was so nice.

[@Ladybuggames]

I feel you dude...

[@mariobabbo3497]

R.I.P Mr. Art Clokey This guy has changed clay animation

[@ablocksstudios192]

@@mariobabbo3497 He died in 2010😭😭😭😭

[@billmcdonnell79]

@@ablocksstudios192 Dal McKennon, the voice of Gumby died about a year earlier. The director of the documentary, Robina Marchesi died in 2005 before it was released, probably before it was finished yet.

[@Chesterton7]

Such a beautiful and moving film.

[@Kodaigon72]

I can’t believe I got to hear Gumby say “Divorce”.

[@user-ik8vy1rg8f]

What a dork. With a huge heart. Art seems like a really cool guy. Glad he left such a huge mark on the world. I hope my fundamentalist Christian dad will take a look at the spiritual stuff Art was into and understand being non-Christian doesn't make other texts demonic.

[@carsonrensch1820]

Gumby was the best show ever when my sister Jillian and I were kids. Jillian watched it first back in the 80s before I came along the 90s. The best show we’ll never forget in the rest of our lives.

[@systemshocker2875]

22:53 to be honest, seeing those interviews of pokey are emotional, cause those are the last times Art Clokey voiced him

[@willing2live]

Always loved Gumby and just found this today after searching for the real thing (brought to mind by Eddie Murphy on SNL). Amazing story of Art Clokey's life-saving adoption and how it brought love to so many households!

[@frankholt4325]

A fun documentary brought back many happy memories of my childhood. Art Clokey was and always will be a genius.

[@DoctorJazzMan1]

I used to watch Gumby on cartoon network when i was Young. Didn't watch him again till 2016 still watch him in 2019

[@torreyscott12390]

Much respect from one artist to another. He’s so inspirational. I love his advice.

[@princesspeachfan100]

39:27, 41:56 Wow… Kinda bizarre seeing Gumby act so serious and sad (it’s just weird because we’re so used to seeing him when he’s such a happy carefree character and everything…) Love his usual self, but honestly it’s kinda cool how they experimented with him having a different side outside his own show, kinda like Cartoon Network City or something, but honestly though, characters being more real like this you barely get to see these days for cartoons, kinda wish they would do it like this again more often…. (It’s like SpongeBob showing anger when he’s usually super happy and carefree or Roger Rabbit being heartbroken crying when he’s usually a jokester being super happy making other people happy… This is similar to those, but honestly kinda cool to see a different side to him we never saw in the shows… :) 31:38 Gumby blushing though too! Aww! 🥰😊💖💖💖 Fun fact: Dallas didn’t voice Gumby for the segments (probably because of age), but some other guy named Stephen A. Buckley, REALLY hope they can get this guy to fill in his shoes as Gumby for a Gumby reboot, he’s probably THE closest to Dallas’ character as Gumby we’ll ever beable to get these days, (he’s really good!) everyone else I heard, yeah, they aren’t that good or even close…

[@aylahedrick6810]

39:34 what's the water in his eyes

[@GS-zo3go]

I naively almost didn't watch this based on negative comments but I'm so glad I did! What a cool breakdown of the best stop animation show on earth!

[@caltounite5814]

16:33 Ladies and Gentlemen, Dal McKennon, the voice of Gumby, Archie Andrews, and some characters including Laughing Hyena of Disney animated features and Disney theme parks!

[@billmcdonnell79]

He died less than a year before Art Clokey did. He died five days before his 90th birthday.

[@TheDerpyBoi]

Dallas also voiced Ripper Roo from Cash Banooca

[@Nick-ty9us]

He also did voices in the Walter lantz cartoons

[@sunny-ln2ir]

"art met the love of his life, gloria at a nudist camp." "it wasn't a nudist camp."

[@liliaaaaaaaa]

Really appreciated finding this documentary. I never knew about Gumby before but really valued Morph a plasticine animated figure and the Aardman studios work in the UK, so really appreciated learning about Gumby as part of the history of animation and in particular the insightful documentary about Art's life as creators of the characters in the animation. Thank you. Really inspiring and insightful and thought-provoking.

[@skunkman9815]

liliapatterson me too

[@StevenDolce]

R.I.P. Art Clokey

[@allsmiles3281]

7:56 :( poor Art! You will never win choosing someone over your child!

[@sumby]

Gumby is wildly psychedelic.

[@edgardeitz5746]

That's _one_ of the reasons why I *still* enjoy the show...

[@Stanley.1977]

I had no idea about Mr. Clokey's childhood being the way it was... I did not know that he came from a "broken home," so to speak... Sadly, his childhood situation is more or less "average" by 21st Century standards, but even in the 1980s (when I was a kid) divorce/single parents were not "abrormal," but this was still considered a "broken home," as it should be *-NOT* in a "shameful" sense, but in the sense that the nuclear family 👪 should be what a man and a woman plan when pro-creating... I realise that sometimes things happen, where it is best for the children for a toxic marriage to separate, which is why couples should *really, REALLY* think in the long-term before even *thinking* of having children. I imagine *-and this is just my personal speculation,* that Art created Gumby as a way to relive his childhood in an idealistic way... I might be 100% wrong, but even though I was blessed to have both parents in my life, and still married, until my beloved, kind-hearted father died in my late 30s, but I DID suffer some traumatic things as a child, that I won't get into... Anyhow, I can relate to wanting to "relive" those years in a more *positive* and happier way... If that makes sense?

[@edgardeitz5746]

I agree with you on the marrage issue; this lack of "foresight" is a reason, if not THE reason, that a lot of divorces happen... :( Happily, *my* parents are both around 70, and are *still together!* I know because I live with them...

[@DouglasEiner]

I've always loved Gumby-! Thanks for this Documentary.

[@yank3656]

thanks for sharing KQED Arts

[@ZakWolf]

(21:17) I guess at the time they could not find the original soundtrack version of that Gumby episode, so they had to use the '80s version with the re-dubbed music and voices. This was during a time when they insisted everything have the original audio (as many of the other old Gumby clips demonstrate.) Some of that new animation of Gumby and Pokey being interviewed looks a lot like it came straight out of the 1988 episodes. Now imagine new Gumby episodes in high-definition and that style... (They'll need to find good voices for Gumby and Pokey though!)

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

+wileyk209zback The new animation was probably also animated by the same people who worked on the 80's series as well (possibly).

[@ZakWolf]

+Christopher Sobieniak Yep, and I imagine if they do any more new Gumby animation, it'll still resemble the 80s series (but in high definition, probably.)

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

***** One guy who worked on that series was Tim Hittle, who made a number of films on his own featuring a character of his called "Jay Clay". www.jayclay.net/

[@archive5653]

Tomy James Moments: 7:25 10:52 11:01 11:41 ( I'll edit when I find more )

[@skunkman9815]

That is Thomas and friends James toy

[@kendagostino5699]

I grew up loving gumby ad a kid and still love it.thiscwas such a nice documentary

[@edgardeitz5746]

I grew up watching the 1988 series on Nickelodeon, and was amazed when I first learned about the movie. I really want to get a DVD copy (of the movie) that restores *all* of the deleted scenes; *that's* why I always prefered to watch the movie off of a VHS tape. It lacked the very earliest of the scenes (to occur in the movie), but has all the others.

[@JurassicSteamRacer_13]

6:34 I see a Tomica James right there!

[@therealgumbychannel9418]

Hey, that is a Tomica James!

[@Ladybuggames]

@@therealgumbychannel9418 Why is Tomica James even in the film?

[@greentubes1]

Fantastic piece, thanks so much for this.

[@cruxandcarnage]

Dave Attell talked about this Doc on WTF with Marc Maron

[@rubberrubbubnik3962]

i love gumby!

[@magicmacstudio3910]

Gumby's voice is so funky

[@acm01864]

He saved the faith of millions of otherwise disillusioned children and possibly adults!😊

[@jeffstultz]

“Gumby is a product of light, and light is love.”

[@Tatsuyoujo]

What happened to his sister and his kids, though? What happened to Ruth?

[@FlyingDuckMan360]

The train that Gumby rides at 7:25 is a modified TOMY James from Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

[@Jedindy]

Thoroughly impressed and inspired.

[@Kneineriffic]

that was amazing~

[@zebbailey1727]

You've got a friend in me gumby, pokey, prickle and goo R.I.P Art clockey and gloria clockey husband and wife 🌺🌻🌼🌸🌹🌷

[@haileyshannon7548]

Lol, that Lutheran kid and his dog! 23:29 That house kind of looks like a Lutheran church! I've noticed a lot of the supporting/background characters in the 1960s Gumby episodes DO look like D&G characters

[@prowl72662]

So beautiful

[@bullwinklecanada]

3:03 The rare intro to The Gumby Show with Pinky Lee. I wish someone would post the original intro. Only the audio is available online but not the video.

[@CaseyBoles-bc2yk]

Truly one in a million r.i.p. art clokey

[@jamesaustin1988]

I LOVE the cartoon at 23:44.

[@emcarnahan]

What an amazing documentary, thank you 💗

[@allanegleston13]

thanks for sharing

[@martinmoore2468]

I used to watch it years ago.

[@thpriest15]

10:50 Does anyone know which episode this footage comes from?

[@billmcdonnell79]

Dal McKennon is in the documentary being interviewed, but he didn't reprises his role as Gumby. Gumby was voiced by Stephen A. Buckley in this documentary. Buckley was involved in the late 80's Gumby cartoons and 1995's Gumby the Movie. Dal McKennon probably officially retired from voice acting during making the documentary. But Art Clokey did reprises his role as the voice of Pokey for the last time ever before his eventual death in 2010.

[@Nick-ty9us]

He retired after Gumby the movie

[@joeleubanks6525]

gumby rules did you kouw that gumby has a his own pizza place named gumbypizza

[@skunkman9815]

Where are they located

[@billmcdonnell79]

@@skunkman9815 New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Missouri, Texas and Iowa. None in my state, Rhode Island or any of the other New England states.

[@billmcdonnell79]

Yes. A small pizza chain in seven states, mostly in college locations. They must have some legal permission from Art Clokey to have a pizza chain based on Gumby.

[@ferociousgumby]

I had no idea he also did Davy and Goliath.

[@billmcdonnell79]

He did. Ironic that Art Clokey who also created the Christian children's show, "Davey and Goliath" is really a Zen Buddhist and into studying other East Asian religions.

[@kekofsodor4899]

TOMY James and rolling stock

[@MOOTARO808]

R.I.P art clokey love you forever

[@lrg6235]

RIP

[@gh0stmal0ne]

Gumby’s a part of meeee

[@lrg6235]

I love Gumby this comment was made in 2022 as of right now there has been no more Gumby episodes and I will try to update this comment every year

[@evacameron6288]

I wonder if he's with his daughter now 🤔

[@Diedraft]

Is no one gonna talk about James?

[@BarbieGamboa]

GUMBY 💚

[@haileyshannon7548]

the Lawn Party film looks a lot like the stuff, Norman McLaren a Canadian filmmaker was doing at the same time!

[@princerooster1468]

The episode from 18:48 to 19:11?

[@danielslade9485]

Now I assume they digitally recolored Gumby for these shots of the 50s-60s episodes, due to the fact that the green used for the episodes came out blueish on camera.

[@electricmaster23]

Who's the singer in the theme song? The credits don't really help much.

[@evacameron6288]

I hear a gumby reboot will come out soon, who do you think could voice him?

[@RKRo313]

What reboot? I thought it was over

[@evacameron6288]

RKRo313 in 2015 The Jim Henson company accounted a reboot

[@edgardeitz5746]

Maybe they could use audio and sound synth technology to make whoever voices Gumby sound like the 80's episodes voice.

[@evacameron6288]

5:20 Is that same voice actor for gumby or someone else?

[@systemshocker2875]

its someone else as gumby. Clokey reprised his role as pokey in this though.

[@evacameron6288]

Why was he rejected?

[@aaronrogers4533]

so first the mom cheats on her husband for a cop they were kind enough to rent a room to, then the cop makes her choose him or her son, heartbreaking.

[@billmcdonnell79]

Ironic that Art Clokey who also created the Christian children's claymotion show, "Davey and Goliath" is a Zen Buddhist and into studying the other East Asian religions. It would be no surprise that Art Clokey prefers Gumby over Davey and Goliath especially because the Gumby cartoons pretty much tried to avoid anything to do with Christianity, in fact, pretty much any other religions, especially the religion he's in. Eddie Murphy did a parody version of Gumby who is Jewish in Saturday Night Live.

[@semectual]

Art With Gumby and Pokey 53:56

[@billmcdonnell79]

It's a shame that Robina Marchesi, the director of this Gumby documentary died before it was eventually aired. She probably died before it was even finished yet.

[@mariondesio]

The documentary was finished before she died. There was a showing of it in some theatre in Marin before she died.

[@billmcdonnell79]

@@mariondesio Oh. The tribute to Robina Marchesi was digitally added for the televised version. Right?

[@mariondesio]

@@billmcdonnell79 Yes. But she did get the experience of seeing it on the big screen with a large audience. Which was awesome. I am so thankful for that. 💖

[@ThatWeirdoWhoMakesVideos]

Funny I have the dvd of this

[@skunkman9815]

Hey guys I found robot jones that’s a cool avatar

[@JamesSmith-jq6om]

Is that Dallas McKennon doing Gumby in this?

[@meowkitty5588]

11:05 Ruth Clokey.

[@evacameron6288]

27:05 why is gumby in a wheelchair

[@holyshard530]

eva cameron uhhh...I dunno..GUMBY HAS CRIPPLING DEPRESSION?!??!

[@Gumbypuss664]

Probably a promotion for children that are disabled

[@aylahedrick6810]

39:34 whats is the liquid in his eyes

[@izaackid657]

Gumby

[@skunkman9815]

5:14

[@raphaelkenol9883]

The white blasts weren't meteors, they were supernovas they did the explosion by using a doodle

[@LocoBoy95]

52:30 James what are u doing here?

[@PeterSamStudios]

24:45 ITS STINGY!

[@b12fan]

10:52

[@kylemassey4060]

Is that a CGI Gumby?

[@JMFabiano]

Robot Rump?

[@skunkman9815]

It’s rumpus

[@LOSTNEAR]

@24:24 Shit gets real.

[@RKRo313]

The gumby franchise is not over yet, I am making a fan made sequel dedicated to art clokey called THE GUMBY Movie 2 witch comes out later in the summer. And I plan it to be The ending and the finale to the gumby franchise

[@edgardeitz5746]

I would like to see that movie...

[@haileyshannon7548]

I hope you don’t get sued

[@impalaman9707]

Then and now--Animators were always the biggest hipsters in society. Very much as part of the counterculture as rock stars---some even resemble rock stars

[@harrisonallen651]

7:26 11:02 11:42 Tomy James 🚂

[@Ashton-ud6qc]

HOL UP I SAW JAMES THE RED ENGINE

[@nostaldec4705]

Modified James the Red Engine: 7:25, 11:41 and 52:30

[@CarolECorsairLover]

Jesus Christ is LORD God, Creator of All & Everything. God is Love. He loves You! He loves me too. 4evr in Love with Jesus, 4evr in Heaven.... So be it. Amen. C'ya here, there, or, in the air. CJ-4-JC 4evr................

[@billbb]

reminds me of Shrek

[@adamzanzie]

I was very disappointed with this documentary. It is too short, and it is badly edited and structured. We did not need to have "interviews" with Gumby and Pokey. We certainly did not need to hear Gumby commenting on Clokey's daughter's suicide. That was just creepy. And does anyone else think it's a bit odd that Clokey seems more regretful about his drug addiction in the 60's than he does about his daughter hanging herself?

[@spikeriley]

adamzanzie I think with Gumby mentioning that, it makes us think that Gumby and Art are connected. Like Gumby could also feel his creator's pain and hardships.

[@2degucitas]

Theres that one person in every crowd who isn't happy. Its you this time.

[@adamzanzie]

2degucitas What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm criticizing a badly-made documentary. There is no reason for you to personally attack me.

[@liliaaaaaaaa]

+adamzanzie I think you are being really unnecessarily harsh. I never watched Gumby and am from the UK and only just learned about Gumby by finding and watching this video after someone told me about the character. I thought the documentary was really profound, inspiring and insightful into the creative process, into the character of Gumby and also about Art's life as Gumby's creator. I didn't really understand what was being refered to when they talked about Art's daughter's death. I only just understand now from the comments. As a documentary refering to a children's character I think it's fair to say that the documentary makers are being sensitive to what was obviously a difficult subject for Art when the documentary was made during his old age. I personally as someone who did a degree in fine art but also did animation and now I'm getting into animation, I found the whole documentary really inspiring thought-provoking and insightful at the same time. Thank you.

[@uncletony6210]

I agree with adamzanzie. the Gumby / Pokey interviews were silly enough, but to have Gumby commenting on the family tragedy was in very bad taste (albeit unintentional). I'd have to say this was the worst produced documentary I've seen, despite the interesting subject matter.

[@ralphlavache281]

50s version is way Better than this the 50s version is so garbage

[@BlastinRope]

gumby is horrifying