Editing Gumby

{{Short description|1957 American clay animation franchise}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Distinguish|Gumbo|gumbly}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox media franchise
| title = Gumby
| image = Gumby sm.png
| caption = Gumby in "Lost Treasure"
| creator = [[Art Clokey]]<ref name="AC-LA">{{cite news|title=Art Clokey dies at 88; creator of Gumby|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=January 9, 2010|last=Felch|first=Jason|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-me-art-clokey9-2010jan09-story.html|access-date=November 7, 2010}}</ref>
| origin = ''[[Gumbasia]]'' (1953)
| years = 1953–present
| owner = [[Fox Entertainment]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Otterson |first1=Joe |title=Fox Entertainment Acquires Rights to Gumby Franchise |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/fox-entertainment-gumby-1235174899/ |website=Variety |date=February 8, 2022 |access-date=February 10, 2022}}</ref>
| films = ''[[Gumby: The Movie]]'' (1995)
| shorts = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Gumbasia]]'' (1953)
* ''Adventures of Gumby: A Sample'' (1955)
}}
| tv = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Howdy Doody]]'' (1955–1956)<ref name="*">As a recurring segment in this series</ref>
* ''The Gumby Show'' (1956–1969)
* ''Gumby Adventures'' (1988)
}}
| vgs = ''Gumby vs. the Astrobots'' (2005)
}}
[[file:Gumby_and_Pokey_Bendable_Figures.jpg|thumb|Gumby and Pokey figures]]
'''''Gumby''''' is an American cartoon character and associated [[media franchise]] created by [[Art Clokey]]. Gumby is a blocky green [[humanoid]] [[Claymation|made of clay]].

Gumby stars in two television series, ''[[Gumby: The Movie]]'', and other media. Gumby immediately became a famous example of [[stop motion|stop-motion]] clay animation and an American cultural icon, spawning tributes, parodies, and merchandising.

==Overview==
The ''Gumby'' franchise follows Gumby's adventures through different environments and historical eras. His primary [[sidekick]] is Pokey, an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] orange [[pony]]. His archnemeses are the Blockheads, a pair of silent, antagonistic, red humanoid figures with cube-shaped heads; one has the letter G on the side of his head, while the other has a J. Their creation was inspired by the trouble-making [[The Katzenjammer Kids|Katzenjammer Kids]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gumbyworld.com/memorylane/histblkhd.htm |title=The Blockheads |publisher=Gumbyworld.com |access-date=July 27, 2011 |archive-date=October 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004043154/http://www.gumbyworld.com/memorylane/histblkhd.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gumby.com/memorylane/histpok1.htm |title=Pokey: Gumby's Best Pal |publisher=Gumby.com |access-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref> Other characters include Prickle, a yellow fire-breathing [[dinosaur]] who sometimes styles himself as a detective with pipe and [[deerstalker]] hat like [[Sherlock Holmes]]; Goo, a flying blue shapeshifting [[mermaid]] who spits blue goo balls;<ref name="Gumbyworld.com2">{{cite web|url=http://gumby.com/memorylane/histpricgoo.htm |title=Prickle and Goo |publisher=Gumby.com |access-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref> Gumbo and Gumba, Gumby's parents;<ref name="Lloyd">{{cite news|title=Even now, Gumby has that special dimension|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 9, 2006|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jul-09-ca-gumby9-story.html|access-date=November 7, 2010}}</ref> and Nopey, Gumby's dog whose entire vocabulary is the word "nope". The 1988 syndicated series added Gumby's sister Minga, [[mastodon]] friend Denali, and chicken friend Tilly.<ref name="FOC">{{cite web|last1=Gladstone|first1=Jim|title=Musical Feat Of Clay: A Gumby-based Album|url=http://articles.philly.com/1989-10-12/entertainment/26118770_1_gumby-fan-shep-stern-buena-vista-records|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402175605/http://articles.philly.com/1989-10-12/entertainment/26118770_1_gumby-fan-shep-stern-buena-vista-records|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 2, 2015|website=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]|publisher=Interstate General Media|access-date=February 28, 2015|date=October 12, 1989}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Harary|first1=Keith|title=The World According to Gumby|magazine=[[Omni (magazine)|Omni]]|date=October 1994|url=https://archive.org/stream/omni-magazine-1994-10/OMNI_1994_10_djvu.txt}}</ref>

==History==
===1953–1969: Origins===
Gumby was created by [[Art Clokey]] in the early 1950s after he finished film school at the [[University of Southern California]] (USC).<ref name="AC-LA" />

Clokey's first animated film was a 1953 three-minute student film titled ''[[Gumbasia]]'', a surreal montage of moving and expanding lumps of clay set to music in a parody of Disney's ''[[Fantasia (1940 film)|Fantasia]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kqed.org/arts/programs/trulyca/shorts/episode.jsp?essid=14527 |title=Gumbasia |publisher=KQED |access-date=July 27, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230035650/http://www.kqed.org/arts/programs/trulyca/shorts/episode.jsp?essid=14527 |archive-date=December 30, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Gumbasia'' was created in the "kinesthetic" style taught by Clokey's USC professor [[Slavko Vorkapich|Slavko Vorkapić]], described as "massaging of the eye cells". Much of Gumby's look and feel was inspired by this technique of camera movements and editing.

In 1955, Clokey showed ''Gumbasia'' to film producer Sam Engel, who encouraged him to develop his technique by animating figures into children's stories.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the Studio – 1950s|url=http://www.premavision.com/studio/1950.htm|publisher=Premavision|access-date=February 27, 2015}}</ref> On January 29, 1955, Clokey produced and filmed the first pilot episode starring Gumby, titled "Adventures of Gumby: A Sample", which never aired.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hank|first1=Melissa|title=Gumby turns 60: Creator's son reflects on green guy's legacy|url=http://o.canada.com/entertainment/television/gumby-turns-60-creators-son-reflects-on-green-guys-legacy|website=Canada.com|publisher=[[Postmedia News]]|accessdate=March 3, 2015|date=January 28, 2015}}</ref>

The name "Gumby" was derived from the muddy clay found at Clokey's grandparents' farm that his family named "gumbo".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gaylord|first1=Chris|title=Art Clokey: How Gumby got his name|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Horizons/2011/1012/Art-Clokey-How-Gumby-got-his-name|website=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]|publisher=[[Christian Science Publishing Society]]|access-date=February 28, 2015|date=October 12, 2011}}</ref> Gumby's appearance was inspired by a suggestion from Clokey's wife Ruth (née Parkander) that Gumby be based on [[the Gingerbread Man]]. Clokey saw the color green as both racially neutral and a symbol of life.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Marchesi, Robina (Director) |year= 2006 |title=Gumby Dharma |medium=Documentary |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQVpRxUwi8U&t=4m16s| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/iQVpRxUwi8U| archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Gumby's legs and feet were made wide to pragmatically ensure that the figure would stand erect during stop-motion filming. Gumby's slanted head was based on the hairstyle of Clokey's father, Charles Farrington, in an old photograph.<ref>{{cite web| first=A. | last=Schneider |url=https://www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/patc/gumby/index.html |title=Gumby, a segment of NPR's "Present at the Creation" series |publisher=NPR |date=March 25, 2002 |access-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Quintanilla|first1=Michael|title=Feat of Clay : Pop culture: Who would have thought a stretchy green blob could entertain generation after generation? Don't look now, but lovable Gumby is 40 years old.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-08-13-vw-23436-story.html|access-date=February 28, 2015|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=August 13, 1993}}</ref>

The pilot episode was seen by [[NBC]] executive Thomas Warren Sarnoff, who asked Clokey to make another one. The second episode, "Gumby on the Moon", became a hit when featured on ''[[Howdy Doody]]'', so Sarnoff ordered a series in 1955 titled ''The Gumby Show''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Art Clokey Interview|url=http://emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/art-clokey|website=Emmy TV Legends|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation]]|access-date=February 27, 2015|date=July 19, 2001}}</ref> In 1955 and 1956, 25 11-minute episodes aired on NBC.<ref>{{cite web|title=Art Clokey|publisher=KQED Public Media for Northern California|url=http://www.kqed.org/arts/profile/index.jsp?essid=14526|access-date=February 6, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307131243/http://www.kqed.org/arts/profile/index.jsp?essid=14526|archive-date=March 7, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In early episodes, Gumby's voice was provided by Ruth Eggleston, wife of the show's art director Al Eggleston, until 1957, when [[Dallas McKennon]] assumed the role.<ref name="Gumbyworld.com">{{cite web|title=Gumby's Name, Personality and Voice|url=http://www.gumbyworld.com/gumby-characters/gumby/gumbys-name-personality-voice|publisher=GumbyWorld.com/Premavision|access-date=June 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-07-18|title=Dallas McKennon dies at 89; voice actor gave voice to many animated characters|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-dallas-mckennon18-2009jul18-story.html|access-date=2021-08-23|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}</ref> Al Eggleston also invented Pokey, the little orange pony who was Gumby's best friend and was introduced during the earliest episodes.

Because of its variety format, ''The Gumby Show'' features Clokey's animations plus interviews and games. During this time, the show had two successive hosts, [[Bobby Nicholson|Robert Nicholson]] and [[Pinky Lee]].<ref name=TVP-Butler>{{cite web|last=Butler|first=Kevin S.|title=Gumby on TV|url=http://www.tvparty.com/lostgumby.html|access-date=April 6, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Woolery">{{cite book |last1=Woolery |first1=George W. |title=Children's Television: The First Thirty-Five Years, 1946-1981, Part II: Live, Film, and Tape Series |date=1985 |publisher=The Scarecrow Press |isbn=0-8108-1651-2 |pages=207–208}}</ref>

In 1959, ''The Gumby Show'' entered syndication, and more episodes were produced in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Perlmutter|first1=David|title=America Toons In: A History of Television Animation|date=March 18, 2014|publisher=[[McFarland & Company]]|location=[[Jefferson, North Carolina]]|page=104}}</ref> Production started in Hollywood and in 1960 moved to a larger studio in [[Glendora, California]], where it remained until production ended in 1969. During this time, Gumby was primarily voiced by [[Norma MacMillan]] and occasionally by [[Ginny Tyler]].<ref name="Gumbyworld.com"/><ref>{{cite news|date=June 1, 2012|title=Dick Beals, Actor Who Gave a Voice to Gumby and Speedy, Is Dead at 85|author=Dennis Hevesi|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/02/arts/television/dick-beals-85-who-gave-a-voice-to-gumby-dies-at-85.html}}</ref><ref name="McLaughlin">{{cite web|last=McLaughlin|first=Erin|title=Dick Beals, Voice of Speedy Alka-Seltzer, Gumby Is Dead|url=https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/06/dick-beals-voice-of-speedy-alka-seltzer-gumby-is-dead/|publisher=ABC News|access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> The cartoon shorts introduced new characters, including a blue mermaid named Goo and a yellow dinosaur named Prickle.<ref name="Gumbyworld.com2"/>

Several sources claim that [[Dick Beals]] also voiced Gumby in the 1960s series.<ref name="McLaughlin"/><ref name=nyt>{{cite news | date = June 1, 2012 | title = Dick Beals, Actor Who Gave a Voice to Gumby and Speedy, Is Dead at 85 | author = Dennis Hevesi | work = [[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/02/arts/television/dick-beals-85-who-gave-a-voice-to-gumby-dies-at-85.html }}</ref><ref name="Gumbyworld.com"/> However, Beals refuted this claim in a 2001 interview.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dick Beals: He Fizzes But Never Pops|url=http://www.lumandabnersociety.org/DICK_BEALS.html|publisher=The National Lum and Abner Society|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806223549/http://www.lumandabnersociety.org/DICK_BEALS.html |access-date=May 19, 2019|archive-date=August 6, 2012 }}</ref>

===1982–1989: Revival===
Beginning in 1982, Gumby was parodied by [[Eddie Murphy]] on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Tomashoff|first1=Craig|title=Celebrate Eddie Murphy's Career With A Streampix Salute|url=http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2013/04/02/celebrate-eddie-murphys-birthday-with-a-streampix-salute/|website=[[Xfinity]]|publisher=[[Comcast]]|access-date=February 28, 2015|date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> The sketches depict Gumby as an irascible, cigar-chomping celebrity who is highly demanding of the production executives. Whenever they refuse his demands, Gumby asserts his star status by saying "I'm ''Gumby'', dammit!" in an exaggerated Jewish accent.<ref>{{cite web|title=82i: Eddie Murphy / Lionel Richie|url=http://snltranscripts.jt.org/82/82igumby.phtml|website=Saturday Night Live Transcripts|access-date=February 26, 2015}}</ref> According to Clokey's son Joseph, his father and he "thought Eddie was a genius in the way he played that character".<ref>{{Cite web|last=gumbycentral|date=July 31, 2017|title=In the book we're wr…|url=http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/6qpq2u/we_are_joe_and_joan_clokey_and_we_manage_all/dkz3pne/|access-date=December 26, 2021|website=r/IAmA}}</ref> In 1987, the original ''Gumby'' shorts were released on home video.<ref>{{cite news|title= Cartoon Cassettes To Animate The Holidays|work= [[Los Angeles Times]]|date=December 17, 1987|last=Solomon|first=Charles|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-12-17-ca-3233-story.html|access-date=November 7, 2010}}</ref> In 1988, Gumby appeared in ''[[The Puppetoon Movie]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=James|first1=Caryn|title=Movie Review – The Puppetoon Movie (1987)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DEFDF163CF931A25755C0A961948260|access-date=February 26, 2015|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 12, 1987}}</ref>

This renewed interest led to a new ''Gumby Adventures'' series of 99 seven-minute episodes, produced for television syndication in association with [[Lorimar-Telepictures]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Lenburg|first1=Jeff|title=Who's Who in Animated Cartoons: An International Guide to Film and Television's Award-Winning and Legendary Animators|date=June 1, 2006|publisher=Applause Books|page=51}}</ref><ref name="FocusedAudio">{{cite magazine|last1=Meyers|first1=Paul|title=The return of ''Gumby''| magazine=[[Post Magazine]]|date=1989|url=http://sounddesign.focusedaudio.com/articles/clipPOST_89_RetOfGumby.html| access-date=September 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010075050/http://focusedaudio.com/articles/clipPOST_89_RetOfGumby.html|archive-date=October 10, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Dallas McKennon]] voices Gumby in the new adventures, in which Gumby and his pals travels beyond their toyland setting as a musical band. ''Gumby Adventures'' includes new characters, such as Gumby's little sister Minga, a mastodon named Denali and a chicken named Tilly.<ref name="FOC" />

The 1988 series includes the 1950s and 1960s shorts with rerecorded voices, and the original music was replaced by Jerry Gerber's synthesizer score.<ref name="FocusedAudio" /> Legal issues prevented Clokey from renewing rights to the original [[Capitol Records]] production tracks.

===1990–2021: feature film and reruns===
Starting in 1992, TV channels such as [[Nickelodeon]] and [[Cartoon Network]] aired reruns of ''Gumby'' episodes. In 1995, Clokey's production company produced an independently released theatrical film, ''[[Gumby: The Movie]]'', as the character's first feature-length adventure, with [[John R. Dilworth]], creator of ''[[Courage the Cowardly Dog]]'', as animation consultant.<ref>{{cite news|title= For Feat of Clay, He's Left a Lasting Impression|work= [[Los Angeles Times]]|date=November 27, 1993|first=Michael|last=Quintanilla|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-27-me-61520-story.html|access-date=November 7, 2010}}</ref> In the film, the villainous Blockheads replace Gumby and his band with robots and kidnap their dog, Lowbelly. It contains homages to science-fiction films such as ''[[Star Wars (film)|Star Wars]]'', ''[[The Terminator]]'' and ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]''. In 1998, the ''Gumby'' episode "Robot Rumpus" was featured on ''[[Mystery Science Theater 3000]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Episode 912- The Screaming Skull|url=http://www.mst3kinfo.com/aceg/9/912/ep912.html|website=Satellite News|access-date=February 26, 2015}}</ref>

On March 16, 2007, YouTube announced that all ''Gumby'' episodes would appear in their full-length form on its site, digitally remastered and with their original soundtracks. This deal also extended to other video sites, including [[America Online|AOL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2007/03/16/youtube-troubles-are-over-they-got-gumby/| first=Michael | last=Arrington|date=March 16, 2007| access-date = March 16, 2007| work=TechCrunch|title=YouTube Troubles Are Over: They Got Gumby}}</ref> In March 2007, [[KQED-TV]] broadcast an hour-long documentary titled ''Gumby Dharma'' in its ''Truly CA'' series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kqed.org/arts/truly/episode.jsp?eid=160077 |title=Gumby Dharma: Truly CA |publisher=KQED Public Media |date=March 27, 2007 |access-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref> It details Clokey's life and work, and has new animation of Gumby and Pokey.<ref>{{cite web|title=SFC: "Gumby Dharma" Documentary looks at tumultuous life of Art Clokey|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2007/08/sfc-gumby-dharma-documentary-looks-at-tumultuous-life-of-art-clokey-74143/|website=IndieWire|date=August 3, 2007|access-date=June 14, 2020}}</ref> For these sequences, animator Stephen A. Buckley voiced Gumby and Clokey voiced Pokey.<ref name="Stephen Buckley">{{cite web|title=Stephen Buckley - Senior Character Animator|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-buckley-288bb11/|publisher=LinkedIn|access-date=March 18, 2024}}</ref>

In 2012, [[MeTV]] began airing ''Gumby'' in its weekend morning animation block<ref>{{cite web|last1=Miller|first1=Mark K.|title=Me-TV and Broadcast Partners Set Deal|url=http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/56934/metv-and-broadcast-partners-set-deal|website=TVNewsCheck|access-date=February 28, 2015|date=January 23, 2012}}</ref> until the end of the year.<ref>{{cite web|title=AniMe-TV|url=http://metvnetwork.com/AniMeTV.php|website=ME-TV Network|publisher=[[Weigel Broadcasting]]|access-date=February 28, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130104154048/http://metvnetwork.com/AniMeTV.php|archive-date=January 4, 2013}}</ref>

In 2014, the [[Video on demand|VOD]] service [[Kabillion]] broadcast ''Gumby''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kabillion Signs Deal with Clokey Productions for 'Gumby' |url=https://www.awn.com/news/kabillion-signs-deal-clokey-productions-gumby |access-date=2023-01-24 |website=Animation World Network |language=en}}</ref>

In 2017, a comic series was published that seemingly takes place after the movie. The series was canceled after three issues.

===2022–present: Fox ownership===
In February 2022, [[Fox Entertainment]], the TV production division of the [[Murdoch family]]'s [[Fox Corporation]], announced it had acquired the ''Gumby'' [[intellectual property]] from the estate of Art's son, Joseph Clokey, encompassing all rights including "film, TV and streaming, consumer products, licensing, publishing, and all other categories", with plans to launch new series across linear and digital platforms, while adding to the classic ''Gumby'' material available on its free streaming platform [[Tubi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/gumby-classic-kids-clay-character-acquired-fox-new-series-1234928794/|title=Gumby Universe, Including Classic Kids Clay Character, Acquired By Fox With Plans To Create New Series|first=Peter|last=White|work=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|date=February 8, 2022|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/fox-welcomes-gumby-to-the-family-in-clokey-ip-acquisition/|title=FOX Welcomes Gumby to the Family in Clokey IP Acquisition|website=Animation Magazine|last=Milligan|first=Mercedes|date=February 8, 2022|access-date=February 8, 2022}}</ref> Before Fox took ownership of the series, Gumby made a cameo in [[The Simpsons season 17|the 17th season]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' in the episode "[[The Girl Who Slept Too Little]]".

In June 2024, two Gumby series were announced to be in the works: a two-dimensional children's animated series titled ''Gumby Kids'' and an [[adult animation|adult animated]] series. Both series were to be produced by [[Bento Box Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/06/gumby-kids-fox-bento-box-1235960185/|title='Gumby Kids' In The Works With Fox's Bento Box Alongside Adult Animated Series|first=Peter|last=White|work=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|date=June 6, 2024|access-date=June 12, 2024}}</ref>

==Cast==
*Ruth Eggleston: Gumby (1955–1956), Gumba (1955), additional voices
*[[Dallas McKennon]]: Gumby (1957, 1960–1964, 1987–1989, 1995), Pokey (1960–1969), Gumbo (1960), Prickle (1964–1969), Professor Kapp (1964–1988, 1995), Denali (1988), Nopey (1964–1969), Henry (1987 redubbed), Rodgy (1987 redubbed), additional voices
*[[Norma MacMillan]]: Gumby (1964–1969), Pokey (1967–1968), Goo (1964–1969), Gumba (1967–1968)
*[[Ginny Tyler]]: Gumby (1968–1969), Gumba (1957–1962), Granny (1960–1962), Witty Witch (1960–1962), additional voices
* Stephen A. Buckley: Gumby (1987–1991, 1996, 2007)<ref name="Stephen Buckley"/>
*Betty Hartford: Gumba (1956)
*[[Art Clokey]]: Pokey (1955–1988, 1995, 2007), Prickle (1964–1969, 1987–1989, 1995), Gumbo (1955–1989, 1995), additional voices
*[[Don Messick]]: Henry (1963), Rodgy (1963), additional voices
*[[Paul Frees]]: Professor Kapp (1963), Additional voices
*Gloria Clokey: Goo (1987–1989, 1995), Gumba (1987–1989)
*Janet MacDuff: Gumba (1988, 1995), Granny (1988), additional voices
*Holly Harman: Minga (1988), Tilly (1987–1989), additional voices
*[[Hal Smith (actor)|Hal Smith]]: Prickle (1964–1969), Dr. Zveegee, Nopey, additional voices
*[[Dick Beals]]: Naughty Boy (1960)
*[[Pinky Lee]]: Host (1956)
*[[Bobby Nicholson]]: Scotty McKee (host) (1956–1967)

==Episodes==
{{Main article|List of Gumby episodes}}
{{Series overview
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| linkT0S = Pilots
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| network0S = [[NBC]]
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| end1 = {{End date|1956|11|9}}
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| start2 = {{Start date|1960|1|1}}
| end2 = {{End date|1968|7|9}}
| network2 = [[Broadcast syndication|Syndication]]
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| link3 = List of Gumby episodes#Gumby Adventures (1988)
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==Reception and legacy==
In 1993, ''[[TV Guide]]'' named ''Gumby'' the best cartoon series of the 1950s in its issue celebrating 40 years of television.<ref>{{cite book|title=[[TV Guide]] |date=April 17–23, 1993|page=74}}</ref>

Beginning in 1994, the [[Library of Congress]] used Gumby as a "spokescharacter" for ''Adventures into Books: Gumby's World'', a traveling exhibition promoting the [[Center for the Book]]'s national reading campaign from 1997 to 2000.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Exhibit Supports 'Building a Nation of Readers'|journal=Library of Congress Information Bulletin|date=January 1998|volume=57|issue=1|url=https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9801/cfb.html}}</ref> By the end of the 1990s, Gumby and Pokey had also appeared in various commercials for [[Cheerios]] cereal, with Gumby voiced by Stephen A. Buckley.<ref>{{cite AV media |year=1996|title=Frosted Cheerios commercial|medium=Television advertisement|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQoC6IwfKSc| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102093346/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQoC6IwfKSc| archive-date=January 2, 2016 | url-status=dead|access-date=February 28, 2015|time=0:20|publisher=[[General Mills]]}}</ref><ref name="Stephen Buckley"/>

On August 4, 2006, the [[Center for Puppetry Arts]] in Atlanta opened ''Art Clokey's Gumby: The First Fifty Years''. This exhibition featured many of the original puppets and sets, along with screening of Clokey's films. This event was conceived by David Scheve of T.D.A. Animation and Joe Clokey of Premavision, and was one of several exhibits that opened around the country, celebrating the 50th anniversary of ''The Gumby Show''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Frye|first1=Shannon|title=Center for Puppetry Arts & Joe Clokey Celebrate Gumby's 50th Birthday|url=http://www.puppet.org/pdf/CPA_R_0607GUMBY.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020084912/https://www.puppet.org/pdf/CPA_R_0607GUMBY.pdf |archive-date=2007-10-20 |url-status=live|publisher=[[Center for Puppetry Arts]]|access-date=February 26, 2015|date=July 2006}}</ref> The children's book ''Gumby Goes to the Sun'' was also published that year to commemorate the anniversary. The book was originally created in the 1980s by Clokey's daughter, Holly Harman (who voiced Gumby's sister, Minga, in the 1988 series).<ref>{{cite web|title=Gumby Goes to the Sun|url=http://isbn.directory/book/9780977655106|website=ISBN.Directory|access-date=February 28, 2015|archive-date=October 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025131715/http://isbn.directory/book/9780977655106|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2007, the ''Gumby'' comic book series was nominated for two [[Eisner Award]]s, Best New Series and Best Publication for a Young Audience, and won the latter.<ref>[http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner07.php "2007 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards"]. Hahn Library Comic Book Awards Almanac. Retrieved May 2, 2012.</ref> A Gumby graphic novel titled ''Gumby: 50 Shades of Clay'' was released in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.actionfigureinsider.com/gumby-50-shades-of-clay-graphic-novel/ |title=GUMBY 50 SHADES OF CLAY Graphic Novel|website=www.actionfigureinsider.com |date=September 24, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicon.com/2017/09/26/yes-theres-a-gumby-graphic-novel-called-50-shades-of-clay/ |title=Yes, There's A Gumby Graphic Novel Called '50 Shades Of Clay'|first1=Hannah Means|last1=Shannon|website=comicon.com|date=September 26, 2017}}</ref>

On October 12, 2011, a [[Google Doodle]] acknowledged Art Clokey's 90th birthday. It was composed of a toy block with a "G" and five clay balls in the Google colors. Clicking each ball revealed the Blockheads, Prickle, Goo, Gumby, and Pokey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://doodles.google/doodle/art-clokeys-90th-birthday/|title=Art Clokey 90th Birthday – Google Doodle|access-date=February 28, 2015|date=October 12, 2011}}</ref>

On December 21, 2019, Eddie Murphy reprised his role while hosting ''Saturday Night Live'' during a sketch on "[[Weekend Update]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2019/12/21/eddie-murphy-snl-video-gumby-sketch-2019|title=SNL Video: Gumby Returns During Eddie Murphy Comeback Episode|access-date=April 19, 2022|date=December 21, 2019}}</ref>

== Merchandising ==
[[File:Gumbygame.png|frame|right|The video game ''Gumby vs. the Astrobots'']]

The most prominent of Gumby merchandise is the bendable figure set by Lakeside Toys. Several single packs and multifigure sets were made by Jesco (later [[Trendmasters]]), and a 50th-anniversary collection. There are [[plush doll]]s, [[keychain]]s, [[mug]]s, a 1988 [[Colorforms]] set, a 1995 Trendmasters playset, and a [[Kubrick (toy)|Kubricks]] set by Medicom. A tribute album, ''[[Gumby (album)|Gumby: The Green Album]]'', produced by Shepard Stern, was released in 1989.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ehrbar|first1=Greg|title=Mouse Tracks: The Story of Walt Disney Records|date=2006|publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]]|location=[[Jackson, Mississippi]]|pages=182–183|isbn=9781617034336|edition=First|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jGdpWCTdb-IC&q=Shepard+Stern+Gumby&pg=PA183}}</ref>

The ''Gumby'' images and toys are registered trademarks of [[Fox Entertainment]]. [[Premavision]] owned the distribution rights to the ''Gumby'' cartoons, having been reverted from previous distributor [[Warner Bros. Television]] in 2003, and had licensed the rights to [[Classic Media]] until September 30, 2012.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lieberman |first1=David |title=DreamWorks Animation Agrees To Pay $155M For Classic Media |url=https://deadline.com/2012/07/dreamworks-animation-buy-classic-media-rocky-bullwinkle-305403/ |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |access-date=February 28, 2015 |date=July 23, 2012}}</ref> At this time, Classic Media was officially acquired by [[DreamWorks Animation]] and branded as [[DreamWorks Classics]], which became a subsidiary of [[NBCUniversal]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Breznican|first1=Anthony|title=DreamWorks buys rights to 'He-Man,' 'Fat Albert,' 'Gumby,' 'Casper the Friendly Ghost' and other Classic titles|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2012/07/23/dreamworks-classic-he-man-gumby-casper|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=February 28, 2015|date=July 23, 2012}}</ref> As of April 2015, NCircle Entertainment owns home video and digital distribution rights to the cartoons.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/ncircle_entertainment_acquires_dvd_and_digital_distribution_rights_for_the_iconic_and_timeless_series_the_adventures_of_gumby/prweb12671137.htm|title=NCircle Entertainment Acquires DVD and Digital Distribution Rights for the Iconic and Timeless Series, The Adventures Of Gumby|date=April 22, 2015|work=PRWeb}}</ref>

=== Video game ===
In August 2005, the first [[video game]] featuring Gumby, ''Gumby vs. the Astrobots'', was released by [[Namco]] for the [[Game Boy Advance]]. The plot follows the Blockheads and their cohorts, the Astrobots, capturing Pokey, Prickle, Goo, Gumbo, and Gumba and placing them in books. With his friends and parents in trouble, Gumby sets out to rescue them and defeat the Blockheads.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gumby vs. the Astrobots – Gameboy Advanced|url=https://www.ign.com/games/gumby-vs-the-astrobots/gba-726532|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|access-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref>  The game is a [[Side-scrolling video game|sidescrolling]] [[platformer]], where Gumby must navigate stages to reach the end, while avoiding enemies and pitfalls, and defeating a number of bosses from the game's various worlds. ''Gumby vs. the Astrobots'' received generally average reviews according to [[review aggregator]] [[Metacritic]], with an average score of 63 out of 100, based on four reviews.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gumby vs. the Astrobots critic reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/gumby-vs-the-astrobots/critic-reviews/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=www.metacritic.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal bar|Television|United States|1950s|1960s|1980s|Animation}}
*[[List of films featuring clay animation]]
*[[Morph (animation)|Morph]]
*[[Semper Gumby]]
*[[Davey and Goliath]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote|Art Clokey|Gumby's creator, Art Clokey}}
*{{Official website|https://gumbyworld.com/}}
*[http://www.premavision.com/ Premavision/Clokey Productions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111014091847/http://www.premavision.com/ |date=October 14, 2011 }}
*{{IMDb title|id=0050022|title=The Gumby Show}}
*{{EmmyTVLegends title|gumby}}
*[http://toonopedia.com/gumby.htm Gumby] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20240527225329/https://www.webcitation.org/6kBcC0MTM?url=http://toonopedia.com/gumby.htm Archived] from the original on September 1, 2016.

{{Art Clokey|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mass media franchises introduced in 1953]]
[[Category:1950s American animated television series]]
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