[MiNe 109]

In deference to the RAO tear 'em down contingent, I've skipped a couple
of important obits (Tim Hart, Willie Mitchell and if you don't know
either or both I don't care what you think) but this one is too
important to omit:

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/lo...ry/982411.html
Friday, Jan. 08, 2010
'Gumby' creator and Los Osos resident Art Clokey dies
By Patrick S. Pemberton |

Art Clokey, whose iconic Gumby entertained generations of children,
died Friday morning.

Gumby * the slender, green clay character partly modeled after
Clokey¹s father * was a fixture on television through the decades,
starting with an appearance on the ³Howdy Doody² show in 1956. Through
the years, the stop motion star made several comebacks, including a
new show in the 80s, after a ³Saturday Night Live² skit with actor
Eddie Murphy made the character popular again. Throughout Gumby¹s long
run, Gumby toys * most notably, the bendable * have been a staple of
toy stores everywhere.

Clokey, who lived in Los Osos, was 89.

Despite Gumby¹s positive demeanor, his origins stem from tragedy. When
Clokey was 9, his father was killed in a car crash. He lived with his
mother for a while, but when her second husband made her choose
between him and her son, Clokey was sent to an orphanage. Fortunately,
he was adopted by a good family. But Clokey wouldn¹t forget his
father, whose head shape * characterized by a cowlick hairdo * would
later provide the inspiration for Gumby¹s trademark lopsided head.

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More at the link. Or just enjoy this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMh6O7HuI08

Stephen