Art Clokey, who created the beloved claymation character Gumby in the 1950s, died in his sleep Friday at his Los Osos, Calif. home, the LA Times reports. Clokey’s son Joseph said his father, 88, had battled a recurring bladder infection. “At his frequent best, Clokey fashioned a canny combination of surrealist and naive art, anticipating both the David Lynch of Eraserhead and the Paul Reubens of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” EW’s Ken Tucker wrote in 1994, when the stop-motion Gumby show returned to the air in the form of Nickelodeon reruns. Clips from 1988′s Gumby Adventures can be viewed on Hulu. The character was also immortalized in a film, with toys and other merchandising, and by Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live.
Jan 9
2010
10:16 AM ET
Art Clokey, creator of Gumby, dies
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Gumby was a very BAD influence on the youth. When I was a kid in the 1980s, I watched Gumby and Pokey approach his mom and politely asked for milk and crackers. After the show I went up to my mom and asked politely for milk and crackers. Bad influence. Very bad influence. ;D R.I.P. Art Clokey, I’ll always cherish Gumby.
Loooooooved Gumby and Pokey. I can still hear the theme song in my head.
I remember the first time I saw gumby: he lumbered slobberingly into sight and gropingly squeezed his gelatinous green immensity through the black doorway…green, sticky spawn of the stars!
You might want to ease up in the writing courses there pal.
*on*
This is what happens when an English major drinks a whole bottle of Nyquil in one sitting.
I liked the Blockheads, personally
“I’m Gumby, dammit!” Mr. Clokey was definitely a talented man, but this article just reminded me of the time when Eddie Murphy was funny. His skits as Gumby (and Buckwheat) made me fall on the floor laughing.
i remember the original gumby from my youth, and how my children watched on nick he has been a big part of our life, we went to see mr clokey 2 years ago at comic com but he has hurt his ankle, sorry we missed him rip
Gumby was awesome! i even have a tattoo of him on my left arm RIP Art
Awwww Eddie Murphy? not even CLOSE – EM is what happened when the reparation check was late and Ma and Pa were bored.
i love gumby! i even have it on dvd
I grew up with Gumby and Pokey. I loved The Block Heads!
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our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevaling.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.
“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, theme from Davey and Goliath
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