The Flaming Nose mourns the passing of animator genius Art Clokey who passed away yesterday on January 8th. Creator of Gumby, the claymation series about a little green boy with a slanted head, and Pokey, his trusty orange horse and best friend.
It is a wonder that Mr. Clokey was able to create such a sweet and surreal television series,
considering his horrific, almost Dickensian childhood. He lost his father at a young age and was subsequently abandoned by his mother to an orphanage. At the age of 12 he was adopted by Joseph Clokey, a music composer who taught at Pomona College and who encouraged Art's artistic inclinations.I grew up watching and loving Gumby and even once appeared in a KTTV-TV Christmas promo with a giant Gumby (wearing a matching green dress). I still have that Gumby and was going to post a picture of it here, but unfortunately my dumb iPhone has not yet delivered it to my email box.
Take a look at the video above for some classic, vintage Gumby from 1956. Rest in peace, Art Clokey. You enchanted many generations of fans.
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