Art Clokey biography

Animated by passion

October 12, 1921
January 8, 2010
Arthur "Art" Clokey was a pioneer in clay animation with the technique of stop motion. His first experiment goes back to 1955 with the film called "Gumbasia", created at the University of Southern California. For the project Gumbasia, Art Clokey and his wife Ruth have invented the character Gumby. Since then Gumby Pokey and his horse were a constant presence on television, appearing in several series from the "Howdy Doody Show" and then with "The Adventures of Gumby". Gumby found renewed fame when in 1980 the American actor and comedian Eddie Murphy did a parody of Gumby, in a skit on the popular program "Saturday Night Live". In the years ' 90 comes out then "Gumby: The Movie", sparking a great deal of interest. The second most famous production of Art Clokey's Davey and Goliath duo, funded by the Lutheran Church in America.
In honor of his contribution to the animation of clay and to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the birth of Art Clokey, the search engine Google's dedicated worldwide a doodle (a graphic logo and animated, dedicated) on October 12, 2011, based on his animated characters. Clokey was born on October 12, 1921 in Detroit (Michigan, Usa), as Arthur c. Farrington. At the age of nine years old, his parents divorced and he stays on his father, Charles Farrington. These dies tragically in a car accident and the little Arthur goes to live with her mother in California; here his stepfather does not show interest in the breed, so little is sent to an orphanage. At the age of twelve years is adopted by Joseph w. Clokey, a composer of classical music and organist who teaches music at Pomona College in Claremont, California.
The new father instructs Arthur in painting, design and realization of films. With him traveling in Canada and Mexico. The name Gumby, stems from its childhood experiences, he spent summer visits to his grandfather's farm, when he enjoyed playing with a mixture of clay and mud, called "gumbo". Over the years the schools young Clokey finds inspiration and passion in digging expeditions to search for fossils. Later decided to study geology at Pomona College, before leaving Pomona in 1943 to join the military during World War II. He obtained a Bachelor's degree from the University of Miami, in 1948. The title of his film "Gumbasia" of 1955 is a tribute to Walt Disney's "Fantasia". Art Clokey died in his sleep the day January 8, 2010, at the age of 88 years, at his home in Los Osos, California.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.