We end the year and start the new with the passing of two iconic creators of Americana pop culture. Curtis Allina, who made his mark with sales in confectionaries of the famous Pez dispensers, passed away in December, at the ripe age of 87. Art Clokey, the mastermind behind the clay television characters, Gumby and Pokey, passed away Jan 8th at the even riper age of 89.
Although unknown to each other, both Clokey and Allina led parallel life paths, with their original conceptions now supporting products on the market decades after their initial introduction. One came up with a green clay television character named Gumby (based on his original 3 1/2 minute film called "Gumbasia"); the other made his mark by combining likeable character heads on a handy (cigarette lighter shaped) candy dispenser, which held, then "dispensed", the pure sugar rectangles for easy eating.
Behind the scenes, both had tragedy and adversity fueling their dreams and aspirations. When Clokey was just nine years old, his father passed away in a car accident. The young Clokey ended up spending time in an orphanage before being adopted to a nice family. The inspiration for Gumby's slanted head shape was derived from Clokey's memory of his late fathers' impressing cowlick hairstyle. Allina, had a much tougher life experience, enduring life in a Nazi concentration camp for 4 years of his early adulthood, before emigrating to U.S. and settling in the Big Apple. He worked in various jobs before working his way up in sales, and then management, for a struggling European candy manufacturer, named Pez-Haas.
Today, both Gumby's character and Pez dispensers are ingrained in the fabric of pop culture in the United States and the world abroad. The fascination with both of them are still evident through the continuing sales in toy and candy stores, as well as auction houses, such as e-bay. People willingly deplete their disposable income to buy these collectibles, in remembrance of old times or for display in their homes.
Pez dispensers started with the sculpted figures of Santa, as well as a robot named Space Trooper, in 1955. Gumby got his official start on the popular kids televsision show "Howdy Doody Show" in 1956. With more than 50 years now under each of their belts, do you think either of them are going away now that their creator's are no longer here? (I'm simultaneously looking at the starting bid for an actual 1956 Space Trooper on e-bay with starting price of $190) No way!!!
Although unknown to each other, both Clokey and Allina led parallel life paths, with their original conceptions now supporting products on the market decades after their initial introduction. One came up with a green clay television character named Gumby (based on his original 3 1/2 minute film called "Gumbasia"); the other made his mark by combining likeable character heads on a handy (cigarette lighter shaped) candy dispenser, which held, then "dispensed", the pure sugar rectangles for easy eating.
Behind the scenes, both had tragedy and adversity fueling their dreams and aspirations. When Clokey was just nine years old, his father passed away in a car accident. The young Clokey ended up spending time in an orphanage before being adopted to a nice family. The inspiration for Gumby's slanted head shape was derived from Clokey's memory of his late fathers' impressing cowlick hairstyle. Allina, had a much tougher life experience, enduring life in a Nazi concentration camp for 4 years of his early adulthood, before emigrating to U.S. and settling in the Big Apple. He worked in various jobs before working his way up in sales, and then management, for a struggling European candy manufacturer, named Pez-Haas.
Today, both Gumby's character and Pez dispensers are ingrained in the fabric of pop culture in the United States and the world abroad. The fascination with both of them are still evident through the continuing sales in toy and candy stores, as well as auction houses, such as e-bay. People willingly deplete their disposable income to buy these collectibles, in remembrance of old times or for display in their homes.
Pez dispensers started with the sculpted figures of Santa, as well as a robot named Space Trooper, in 1955. Gumby got his official start on the popular kids televsision show "Howdy Doody Show" in 1956. With more than 50 years now under each of their belts, do you think either of them are going away now that their creator's are no longer here? (I'm simultaneously looking at the starting bid for an actual 1956 Space Trooper on e-bay with starting price of $190) No way!!!
