What is Clokey and why it matters
Clokey is the name most commonly associated with Art Clokey (1921–2010), the American animator, producer, and director who created the iconic clay character Gumby. Beginning in the mid-1950s, Clokey’s work in stop‑motion animation helped define a visual language for clay animation and family television. The term Clokey can refer to Art Clokey personally, to the studio he founded, or to the body of work and characters—including Gumby, Davey and Goliath, and others—that grew from his experiments in clay, color, and storytelling. This guide explains what Clokey is, how it evolved, and why it remains influential in animation and children’s media today.
Profile breakdown: Clokey as creator and brand
At its core, Clokey represents a combination of creative vision and hands‑on craft practiced by Art Clokey. Clokey Productions, later joined by his wife Ruth Clokey and their children, became the center for experimental clay animation and character-driven stories. The work balanced educational values, playful comedy, and striking visual design. In many ways, Clokey is both a person and a portfolio of television shows, shorts, and specials that taught generations of viewers about curiosity, kindness, and resilience.
Art Clokey: The pioneer
Art Clokey studied under filmmaker Slavko Vorkapić at the University of Southern California, where he learned montage and cinematic techniques that he later applied to clay. His early experiments, notably “Gumbasia” (1955), showcased rapid, rhythmic clay morphing that caught the attention of producer Sam Singer and laid the foundation for what would become Gumby. Art Clokey served as the animator, narrator, and often the writer, shaping each series around curiosity and gentle moral lessons. Through television, public service announcements, and later digital experiments, he remained the guiding force behind Clokey for decades.
Ruth Clokey and family contributions
Ruth Clokey played a vital role in the production, design, and business of the brand. She contributed to story development, character look, and the warm tone that distinguished Clokey shows from other children’s programming. Together, Art and Ruth fostered a creative environment that extended to their children, who later participated in revivals, licensing, and preservation efforts, ensuring that Clokey remained relevant across generations.
Key milestones and verified production history
The history of Clokey can be traced through a series of creative and business milestones, from early experimental shorts to nationally broadcast series and later revivals. Each phase brought new formats, audiences, and partnerships that cemented Gumby and related characters in the public memory. The table below summarizes core milestones, intended uses, and available source types for further verification.
| Date or Period | Event or Milestone | Why It Matters | Source Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Release of “Gumbasia,” an experimental clay short | Showcased the potential of kinetic clay animation and drew industry attention | Archival film / trade press |
| 1957–1958 | Original “Clokey” test shorts produced for television | Established the basic visual and narrative style that would become Gumby | Station records / production notes |
| 1959–1968 | “The Gumby Show” syndicated nationally in the United States | Brought clay animation into living rooms and created a durable character franchise | Broadcast logs, episode guides |
| 1965–1966 | “Davey and Goliath” produced for the Lutheran Church in America | Extended Clokey’s storytelling into faith-based programming with a distinct visual style | Ecclesiastical archives, series credits |
| 1980s–1990s | Revival series and direct-to-video releases | Reintroduced Gumby to new audiences and supported ongoing licensing and merchandising | Broadcast schedules, home video releases |
| 2000s–2010s | Digital shorts, DVD collections, and curated festival screenings | Preserved the films in new formats and introduced Clokey to niche and archival audiences | Press kits, festival catalogs, studio releases |
Core shows and creative signature
Clokey is not a single program but a family of interrelated shows united by a visual style and set of values. Gumby, the most recognizable character, starred in adventures that mixed fantasy, music, and problem-solving. Davey and Goliath offered quiet, faith-influenced narratives, while other Clokey productions explored language, music, and science for young viewers. Across these shows, recurring traits include stop-motion clay figures, primary-color sets, gentle pacing, and narrations that guide children through each story. This consistency across formats is central to what makes Clokey recognizable and durable.
Stop-motion and production techniques
At the technical level, Clokey relied on hand-sculpted clay figures, armatures, and incremental posing to create fluid motion. Sets were often painted on glass or built in small scales to allow for controlled lighting and camera work. Art Clokey frequently served as cinematographer and editor, closely managing pacing and rhythm. The tactile quality of clay, combined with expressive timing, became a signature that different Clokey work could be identified by, even when production methods evolved with newer equipment and digital tools.
Influence and cultural footprint
Clokey’s influence extends beyond niche animation fandom. The gentle pacing, educational tone, and tactile clay aesthetic helped shape how television could engage young viewers without relying solely on spectacle. Subsequent stop-motion creators cite Clokey alongside other pioneers for proving that low-budget, image-driven storytelling could resonate widely. Gumby imagery has been referenced in music, visual art, and comedy, while retrospectives and museum screenings keep the work in public view. Although later CGI-heavy children’s shows shifted aesthetic norms, Clokey remains a reference point for authenticity, craft, and child-centered design.
Modern legacy and preservation
Today, Clokey properties are maintained through archives, curated releases, and periodic revivals that respect the original tone and educational intent. Film preservationists have worked to restore prints, while rights holders have made episodes available on streaming platforms and physical media. Academic syllabi sometimes include Clokey when discussing the history of American animation or public television. This ongoing care reflects how Clokey has evolved from a personal experiment into a shared cultural resource that continues to inform how creators think about simplicity, patience, and imagination in programming for children.
Frequently asked questions about Clokey
- Who created Clokey?
- Art Clokey is widely credited as the creator, with Ruth Clokey and their descendants shaping production and stewardship over time.
- What is Clokey most famous for?
- Clokey is best known for Gumby, the stop‑motion clay character and the television series that popularized clay animation for a mass audience.
- Is Clokey content still available to watch?
- Episodes and compilations can be found on home video, licensed streaming services, and curated collections, with ongoing preservation efforts by archives.
- How did Clokey influence animation?
- Clokey demonstrated that stop‑motion clay could carry narrative and educational depth, inspiring later animators and proving tactile techniques could thrive on television.
- Does Clokey include religious programming?
- Yes, notably “Davey and Goliath,” a faith‑based series produced in partnership with a religious institution, reflecting Clokey’s range beyond purely secular stories.
Bottom line
Clokey is both a person and a body of work that defined an era of stop‑mation clay animation and family television. From Art Clokey’s early experiments to the enduring popularity of Gumby, Clokey shaped how many viewers experienced creativity, patience, and storytelling on screen. The series’ gentle pacing, hands‑on craft, and moral clarity remain relevant, supporting ongoing interest from educators, archivists, and new generations of animators.