ELCA NEWS SERVICE
January 22, 2009
Ruth Clokey, Producer of ELCA's Davey and Goliath, Dies
09-021-MRC
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Ruth Parkander Clokey Goodell, producer
of the animated television series, "Davey and Goliath," died
Dec. 28, 2008, from Alzheimer's disease. She was 85. A memorial
service was held Jan. 7.
Clokey was also known as Ruth Clokey Goodell and Ruth
Clokey. She was given story editor credit as Ruth Goodell on
episodes of "The Gumby Show." Clokey was married to Art Clokey,
and both were responsible for the stop-motion animation
production of Davey and Goliath -- now a property of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
"Ruth Clokey was a woman ahead of her time. She was the
creative genius behind Davey and Goliath and served as the
producer for many of the episodes aired on network television
under the sponsorship of the former United Lutheran Church in
America," said Kristi Bangert, executive director, ELCA
Communication Services.
"Ruth was uniquely positioned to drive this 'first' in
children's faith-based television programming. She was
the daughter of a Lutheran pastor and an active member of the
church. She was also a successful television producer who saw an
opportunity for the United Lutheran Church to move boldly
into the world of public media and provide groundbreaking
children's programming. As a result, Davey and Goliath became
the first and, to this day, only children's television series to
be sponsored and championed by a denomination," said Bangert.
Richard T. Sutcliffe, creator and executive producer of
Davey and Goliath, chose Ruth and Art Clokey to produce the
children's program. Following her divorce from Art Clokey in
1966, Ruth continued to produce Davey and Goliath from 1967 to
the mid-1970s. In 1969, the Lutheran church asked Premavision --
the Clokey's production studio -- to create a run of 15-minute
episodes of the program with Ruth supervising production.
"I remember (Davey and Goliath) was a lot of work," said
Ruth Clokey in a 1996 interview. "I think, of all the things that
I have done in my life, I am most proud of Davey and Goliath. We
were really doing something to help the children of our country
and of the world," she said. "I am really proud of that. This
show had a message. It wasn't just junk."
Clokey was born in Hallock, Minn. In 1944 she graduated
from Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill. -- one of 28 college
and universities of the ELCA. After graduation, she moved to New
York City and created religious education programs on behalf of
the Lutheran Church.
Clokey earned a master's degree in religious education at
Hartford Seminary, Hartford, Conn., and met Art Clokey there.
The two married in 1948 and moved to Hollywood to make religious
films. She was a member of the Audubon Society, the Sierra Club
and the Humane Society.
Clokey is survived by a son, Joe Clokey, and three
grandchildren. Joe produced a Davey and Goliath comeback
special, "Davey and Goliath's Snowboard Christmas," in 2004.
Her daughter, Ann Clokey, died in 1974.
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The ELCA maintains the official Davey and Goliath Web site
at http://www.daveyandgoliath.org on the Internet.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
