Fox is planning to “reimagine” the Gumby franchise with live-action and animated content featuring the characters for its media outlets. It will also make new products with Gumby and his friends.
Fox Entertainment Got The Rights To The Beloved ‘Gumby’ Franchise
If you happen to be from a certain time, it is safe to assume you grew up with animated Gumby and his claymation buddies. The show was entertaining and fun.
Gumby was developed by Art Clokey in 1953 via a three-minute student movie called Gumbasia in a montage of moving and expanding lumps of clay set to music in a parody of Disney’s Fantasia. Eventually, Gumby made his appearance nationally on kids-themed The Howdy Doody Show in 1955 and has been the subject of 3 television series to date. The first was on NBC in 1955, followed by first-run syndication from 1960 to 1969, and reboot Gumby Adventures, also in syndication, in 1988.
There was also the feature-length Gumby: The Movie in 1995, an ongoing merchandising frenzy, and re-airings in later years on outlets like Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and YouTube. Then Eddie Murphy’s ongoing series of sketches as Gumby on NBC’s Saturday Night Live. “I am Gumby, damn it!”
Now, Fox Entertainment has got all rights to the vintage cartoon icon from the estate of Joseph Clokey, which contains television, movie and streaming, consumer products, licensing, and publishing. The purchase will expand streaming partner Tubi’s existing offerings of the franchise.
“Competition for globally recognized intellectual property is fierce,” said Charlie Collier, CEO of Fox Entertainment in a statement. “Uncovering this gem, with its built-in awareness and affinity, and bringing it to Fox, adds meaningful value and creative possibilities to the IP itself and to multiple divisions of our company. Fox is proud to be home to these iconic characters. Welcome one and all.”
