Art Clokey

Art Clokey, born on October twelfth, nineteen twenty-one, was a groundbreaking American animator and director, renowned for his innovative contributions to the world of stop-motion clay animation. His journey into the realm of animation began in nineteen fifty-three with a film experiment titled Gumbasia, inspired by his professor Slavko Vorkapich at the University of Southern California.

Clokey's creative vision led to the birth of the beloved clay character Gumby, along with his trusty horse Pokey. These characters first graced the screen on the Howdy Doody Show before embarking on their own adventures in The Adventures of Gumby, becoming iconic figures in American television history. Their popularity saw a resurgence in the nineteen eighties, particularly when comedian Eddie Murphy humorously parodied Gumby on Saturday Night Live.

In addition to Gumby, Clokey's legacy includes the creation of Davey and Goliath, a series funded by the Lutheran Church in America, which further showcased his talent for storytelling through animation. Clokey also established Premavision, a company that encompassed his Gumby and Pokey franchise, along with its manufacturing subsidiary, Prema Toy Company.