If you’re wondering why Google is featuring Gumby on its homepage today, look no further. Today would have been the 90th birthday of Gumby creator Art Clokey. The interactive stop motion homepage doodle features the best-known characters from Clokey’s creation, which has lived in pop culture for more than five decades. “Art Clokey was an innovator in the field of animation and also a compassionate, inspiring artist,” said Google doodler Sophia Foster-Dimino. “We were excited to work with the incredibly talented animator Anthony Scott to produce this doodle, and we hope that it brightens your day!”
So, young Facebook generation, are you wondering who Gumby even is? (For shame!) Gumby’s origins reach back to Gumbasia, Clokey’s jazzy 1953 claymation nod to Fantasia, but the mint green icon-in-the-making got his big break in his 1956 television debut on The Howdy Doody Show. Gumby earned his own NBC show — one of the first extended uses of stop-motion animation on television — the next year. Gumby appropriately proved himself to be pliable and adaptable as his adventures appeared in various incarnations during a 233-episode run throughout the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Clokey last brought the little guy to screens in 1995′s Gumby: The Movie, though Clokey himself was the subject of the 2006 documentary Gumby Dharma.
With an adorable swooping head inspired by the cowlick hairdo of Clokey’s late father, Gumby seemed a ready-made fit in pop culture from the moment he first hit airwaves. Through the years, Gumby dolls, rearview mirror toys, plushies, video games, and other paraphernalia have sold like hotcakes. He made his way into films like 1984′s iconic Spinal Tap and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1988 action flick Red Heat. Most famously, Eddie Murphy satirized Gumby on Saturday Night Live, who sent up Clokey’s lovable green guy as a cigar smoking lout, and TV Gumby even has his own Hulu page. So get caught up, why don’t you?
So, PopWatchers, who was your favorite character? Did you love Gumby best, or were you more of a Pokey fan? What’s your favorite Gumby reference in pop culture?
Read more:
Art Clokey, creator of Gumby, dies
Gumby’s digital makeover
The Return of Generation Flex
Gumby was always creepy.
My younger brother and I loved Gumby and Pokey growing up. I was tickled pink to see the Google Doodle in honor of his birthday today.
The doodle is great. The problem with Gumby, and with all those 60s rubber characters, was that the wires inside would break and you couldn’t pose them any more. Then the sharp wires would poke through the rubber. Definitely wouldn’t pass muster today.
true the kids today are so stupid and the parents? have a wire running through them as well and (oh no golly gee!0 we used to use those now contraband items to make small creations in (now get this) in school!!! LOL how far we’ve sunk. sad.
true the kids today are so stupid and the parents? even worse pipe cleaners have a wire running through them as well and (oh no golly gee!0 we used to use those now contraband items to make small creations in (now get this) in school!!! LOL how far we’ve sunk. sad.
We had the Gumby and Pokey plastic pencil cases. I had Gumby; she had Pokey. I loved mine and wish I knew where it went. I loved watching them on TV as a little kid.
Prickle and Goo were the best.
I loved Pokey and Gumby when I was a kid. 2 of my favorite toys! Good memories!
omg! i loved Gumby when i was smaller. always watched the movie on my b-day! ^_^
Google…Y U NO HAVE DAVEY & GOLIATH?
The clay makes them really stand Out. My teacher showed me in class that it is in google.
LOVED Pokey and had one when I was young — also have a small Pokey pin!
happyy birthdaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My mom abandoned us 3 kids on Christmas eve. Her car was found that night with our Christmas presents in the truck. A police officer came to our door that night to inform my father. I was devastated! However, I was promised Gumby and Pokey for my fifth birthday. They became my BFF I still have Gumby.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BF’S FATHER!!!
PS I am now 55 years old.
Cheers!
brings me back to my childhood.
Thanks google!
I loved Gumby. I had a Gumby doll and my sister had a Pokey doll.
This was so awesome. I grew up with the nickname Gumby and what a surprise to open Google on my birthday, Oct. 12 to see Gumby on your page and learned that its creator and I share the smae birthday. Google is so creative! Thanks for making my day and many others.