If you’re a millennial in this technology-forward world, it's probably easy to forget that a classic show such as "Gumby" even existed. The lovable, malleable boy may not have introduced stop-motion, but he and his creator certainly gave it a mass appeal through his lighthearted adventures and positive outlook.
In celebration of his 60th birthday, the Gallery 100 on the Tempe campus is housing “Gumby, Behind the Scenes: Celebrating 60 Great Years.” While it may seem small for such a big character, the show is still a treat for fans of the classic cartoon.
The traveling exhibit is curated by "Gumby’s" original Clokey Studios, which began under Art Clokey in the 1950’s. His son, Joe Clokey, is currently in charge of the studio and also behind the exhibit.
Art’s love for animation is ever present on the walls of the gallery, which showcase pictures of his childhood through the beginnings of Gumby and beyond. These run the gamut of diagrams, episode storyboards, and even newspaper articles on the show.
Clokey even crafted a brochure for would-be animators, offering instructions on how to make stop-motion features. To top it off, there’s even a small bit about his craft behind the popular Gumby toys and a few of his other projects.
Despite having Gumby’s name on the marquee, the studio’s other show, “Davey and Crockett,” have a few spots here in the exhibit as well. On those spots are set pieces pulled directly from old “Gumby” and “Davey” cartoons. Podiums near the entrance house Gumby and his horse Pokey, while another features the villainous yet comical Blockheads. In the sky (tied to the roof, rather) Gumby waves from a plane out of one of his episodes.
What will probably please the diehard fans of the icon are two full sets pulled from the early show, with labels of “Do Not Touch” highlighting the detail of the work. One of the sets comes from the “Davey and Crocket” Christmas special and again, features original character and building pieces from the original show. The other showcases Gumby’s family on their farm, getting set for a picnic.
If memory serves properly, there wasn’t much chance to see these beautiful sets in an average episode, at least not in detail. Seeing the amount of effort put into each one, wood striations, clothing and all, gives an impression as to how much work went into creating just a single episode.
For Gumby to last this long and still be viable in the minds of adults who remember him, and kids who are seeing him for the first time, is a strong mark of a lasting impression.
Gumby: Behind the Scenes is a small, yet fun tour of the show’s and Art Clokey’s history, with enough detail for newcomers and longtime fans to enjoy. It’s a cute diversion to remind one of where stop motion had its start, and that it still works as an entertaining medium today.
Reach the reporter at djulienr@asu.edu or follow @legendpenguin on Twitter.
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