Art Clokey, creator of Gumby, dies at 88

Los Angeles Times ^ | Jan. 8, 2010 | Jason Felch

[Beaten Valve]

Art Clokey, the creator of the whimsical clay figure Gumby, died in his sleep Friday at his home in Los Osos, Calif., after battling repeated bladder infections, his son Joseph said. He was 88.

Clokey and his wife, Ruth, invented Gumby in the early 1950s at their Covina home shortly after Art had finished film school at USC. After a successful debut on "The Howdy Doody Show," Gumby soon became the star of its own hit television show, "The Adventures of Gumby," the first to use clay animation on television.

[Beaten Valve]

One of my favorites as a kid!

[dfwgator]

"I'm Gumby, Dammit. I'm show business!"

[pissant]

He will be remembered forevermore. Goodbye for now.

[shibumi]

Proposed place of internment?

[Army Air Corps]

Pokey could not be reached for comment.

[moehoward]

You mess with me and your career’s OVER!

[CougarGA7]

Pukey? Isn’t that what a person is after binge drinking?

[Army Air Corps]

Fare thee well, Art.

[max americana]

“Oh Nooooooooo”

[Lmo56]

He will be remembered forevermore. Goodbye for now.

That's POKEY - DAMMIT !!!

[South40]

I always thought the creator(s) of Gumby had to be on drugs.

Maybe not.

[Jeff Chandler]

I loved the episodes with the Pesky Indians.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[oprahstheantichrist]

[windcliff]

We are slowly losing our childhoods.

[Nik Naym]

That was Mr. Bill’s reaction.

[stormer]

[weef]

Great show and a great theme song too.

He was once a little green ball of clay
GUMBY!
You should see what Gumby can do today
GUMBY!
He can walk into any book with his pony pal Pokey too
If you've got a heart then Gumby's a part of you

[Salamander]

I liked Pokey but the whole Gumby family gave me the creeps, especially when that flying “witch” character “Goo” [or something like that] came onboard.

[Salamander]

He may not have been but he sure convinced me to avoid them.