Davey and Goliath
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Davey and Goliath was the title of a 1960s stop-motion animated television series. The programs, produced by the Lutheran Church in America (now a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America), were created by Art Clokey after the success of his Gumby series.
Each 15-minute episode features the adventures of Davey Hansen and his "talking" dog Goliath (though Goliath really does not talk... Davey just can hear what he says, as does the audience, but other characters cannot hear him talk) as they learn the love of God through everyday occurrences. Many of the episodes also feature Davey's parents, his sister Sally, as well as Davey's friends Jimmy and Teddy in earlier episodes, Jonathan and Cisco on later ones (all are members of the "Jickets" club).
While the show was aimed at a younger audience, the series eventually dealt with serious issues, including racism, death, religious intolerance and vandalism. The series lasted until 1975. In 2004, a new episode, "Davey and Goliath's Snowboard Christmas" was produced.
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[edit] History
In 1958 Franklin Clark Fry, president of the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA), put aside $1 million to fund production of a future television program for children. Soon after, the ULCA contracted with Clokey Productions, Inc., headed by Gumby® creators Art and Ruth Clokey, to create a new children’s show: Davey and Goliath. Scripts were written by children’s book author Nancy Moore in consultation with the church.
The Lutheran Church and Art Clokey teamed up to make the first Davey & Goliath episode in 1960 called "Lost In A Cave". On this particular episode, the figures were entirely clay and the scenery was also mostly clay. The early voices included Hal Smith (who did a bunch of voices including Davey's Father), Dick Beals (who was Davey's voice), and Nancy Wibble (who did the early voice of Sally and Davey's mother). These three did many other voices as well.
After making "Lost in a Cave" in 1960, Clokey made "The Wild Goat", "Stranded On An Island", and "The Winner" in 1961. On these episodes the clay figures now had clothing. Also, more model buildings and trees were added and these three episodes looked somewhat more realistic. In 1961, the series of these four episodes began airing free on local television stations nationwide ranging from ABC, NBC, and CBS affiliates to independent stations. Many of these stations ran these episodes leading into network Saturday morning lineups. Other stations ran them in religious Sunday morning lineups inbetween various evangelists. By 1964 the show was airing in over 90% of the television markets.
In 1962, about eight more 15 minute episodes were made, including: "All Alone", "Polka Dot Tie", "On The Line", and "The Pilgrim Boy" among others. By then the clay figures had established looks and consistent sizes. The scenery became slightly more realistic. On endings "The End" would now be in regular print rather that in the "Davey & Goliath logo" type print. All the episodes made up to this point were known as series one. The background music used on this show in many cases originated on shows like Ozzie & Harriet, Donna Reed, Dennis The Menace, and other 50's sitcoms. A few background tunes were also found on 60's Hanna-Barbera cartoons.
From 1962 to 1963, another 13 episodes were made including "The Waterfall", "The Bell Ringer", "The Silver Mine", "Ten Little Indians", "The Dog Show" and others. The only big change was that Sally's voice was done by Norma McMillan (who did various voices on cartoons like Underdog and others). Norma also did other female voices as well. Also, Davey's personality became slightly tougher and on a couple episodes rebellious. Overall though he still was good natured. These episodes were added to distribution shortly after they were made. Chronological order was unclear though.
From 1963 to 1964, another series of 13 episodes, including "Happy Landing", "The Big Apple", "Bully Up A Tree", "Good Neighbor", "Rags & Buttons" and others were made. Davey was slightly bigger but the scope of the show itself had no big changes. At the end of 1964, production on Davey & Goliath wound down. In some episodes, including "Good Neighbor", in addition to the "The End" placard, a "billboard" showed that the show was produced in association with the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA).
But then in 1965, a 30 minute Christmas special called "Christmas Lost & Found" was made. The focus of this episode was more religious in nature and distanced itself from "Santa Claus" and "Rudolph". The Christmas songs used were religious. This would be Dick Beals last episode as well; afterwards he would no longer do Davey's voice.
In the late 1960s several more 30 minute specials were made including "Happy Easter" from 1967, "The New Years Promise" from 1967, and "Halloween Who Did It" from 1968. By now Davey was closer to junior high school age. He was now voiced by Norma McMillan. "Happy Easter" confronted death of a loved one as Davey's beloved grandmother dies suddenly (off camera) within hours of a fun filled visit.
After these four specials, the UCLA and Clokey Productions began funding another series of episodes in 1971. On these episodes, Davey was Junior High School age and went into a very rebellious personality at times. Some of his antics included pouring paint in a water well, hanging from a dinosaur's head in a museum, and cheating on tests in school among other things. This Davey had a totally different personality than the Davey portrayed in the 1960s. Norma McMillan continued to do the voice of Davey. By this time racism, gangs, conservation, crime, and other issues became a focus. That year episodes like "Blind Man's Bluff", "Finders Keepers", "Who's George", "Who Me", "Help", "The Stopped Clock" and others would be distributed. The openings would also be changed, featuring updated music. Background music was also different from the 60's series with some overlap. Midway through this group of episodes Davey had an African-American friend from the nearby city named Jonathan and would stay at his place often. They also went to school together as well.
In 1972, another 30 minute special: "School Who Needs It" was added. Also that year the final regular series of episodes was made. On these episodes, Jonathan continued to be a regular character on about every episode. These episodes included "What's His Name", "Zillion Dollar Combo", "The Watchdogs", "Chicken" and others. In 1973, the series was wound down once again. But in 1975, a 30 minute Summer Camp special was made called "To The Rescue".
Davey & Goliath then began airing on a Mountain Dew commercial in 2001. In 2004, another christmas special called "Snowboard Christmas" was made. This episode addressed both religious and ethnic diversity. Being that most of the original people who did voices were no longer living, new voices were used. This episode had updated graphics and scenery as well. This one would be 45 minutes long and would air for an hour allowing commercials. Up to now commercials never aired during any episode. Hallmark Channel aired this special in 2004 and 2005.
[edit] Television airing
In many markets the show aired on more than one station. In New York City, for example, it aired on WOR TV 9 (now WWOR), WABC-TV 7, and WPIX 11 (15 minutes only rather than 2 episodes). Also for a short while, WABC TV and WOR-TV ran the show at the same time but different episodes, though all three stations ran all the episodes available.
In the 1980s, commercial stations began gradually dropping the series. Religious stations would pick it up in many markets and run it in their blocks of Christian Children's programs. By 1990 only a handful of commercial stations still aired the series. When the series began airing on religious stations, certain episodes began to be dropped. They included "Polka Dot Tie" (which addresses racism in an indirect way), "On The Line" (due to the scary nature of the episode), "Ten Little Indians" (due to what was interpreted as racism), "Man Of The House" (which was controversial due to the children being left home alone at what may be perceived as too young of an age), and "The Gang" (due to the violence on this episode). Commercial stations, however, continued running these episodes throughout the 1980s until they dropped the series altogether.
In the early 1990s, those five episodes were officially pulled from syndication and not available to stations regardless of their format (whether religious or secular commercial stations, though very few commercial stations ran it anyway). In the 1990s the show aired strictly on religious stations ranging from Baptist based services like FamilyNet to ecumenical religious networks like VISN/ACTS (now Hallmark Channel (no longer airs series) to Pentecostal based services like Daystar and Trinity Broadcasting Network to Roman Catholic ministries like Boston Catholic Television, EWTN (aired the series in the mid 1980s) and a few local diocesan cable Catholic channels to religious independent stations.
Today it airs on Boston Catholic Television, Trinity Broadcasting, and a few local Christian television stations. Only the 15 minute episodes are included and the holiday specials do not air on TBN for example.
Hallmark aired the series this way as well until 2001. Since then, Hallmark aired a few of the holiday specials only as well as the Snowboard Christmas episode made in 2004.
Also, when Hallmark aired the other Christmas special and the 1967 "Happy Easter" episode, they aired commercials. In fact, the episode had several commercial breaks. Up till then no station, commercial or noncommercial, ran comercials during an airing of an episode.
[edit] Home video
In 1986 the Program Source began distributing the first 13 episodes of the series minus "Polka Dot Tie". Also, all five holiday specials were made available. These were distributed for sale on VHS tapes. Mail order services made a few more episodes available as well.
In the mid 1990s, other episodes were distributed on VHS tapes. In 2000, various episodes were released on DVDs showcasing a particular theme. In 2004 and 2005, most episodes were released on various DVD compilations was well. Still, "Polka Dot Tie", "On The Line", "Ten Little Indians", "Man Of The House", and "The Gang" had not been released. "Polka Dot Tie", "The Gang", and "Ten Little Indians" have never been in print on VHS or DVD. It's believed that the ULCA feels these episodes lacked moral content and are not conducive to Christian values[citation needed]. It was even reported that prints of some of these episodes have been destroyed.
At the end of July 2006, Starlight Video announced that they would be releasing Davey & Goliath: The Lost Episodes which would include "The Gang" and "10 Little Indians" as well as "Down On The Farm" (which aired on television but never released on home video) and "The Watchdogs" which was pulled from availability on cable and broadcast outlets in the mid 1990's and never in print on VHS or DVD. This compilation was scheduled for released on September 19, 2006. But it has been delayed and will be released on November 21, 2006.
"Down On The Farm" was released in 1994 by United American Video Corporation in a 3 show tape, along with "Bully Up A Tree" and "The Big Apple"
[edit] End credit issue
In the 1980s, end credits of these episodes disappeared. Also, new prints distributed after 1984 also omitted the end credits. On the 60's episodes, the end credits consisted of the instrumental horn and organ theme - A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (a hymn written by Martin Luther) - over the Lutheran Church logo with the credits being displayed. The 70's episodes had various instrumental pieces accompanying end credits. However, the 30 minute holiday episodes have end credits intact. The reason for this is unknown.
[edit] Parodies
- The Simpsons has spoofed the series twice, first in a parody of the biblical story of David and Goliath and also as "Gravey and Jobriath", watched by Ned Flanders and his sons at an animation festival. The latter concerned Gravey's attempts to construct a pipe bomb ("To blow up Planned Parenthood!"). In contrast to the traditionally animated style of The Simpsons, the segment was created using stop-motion animation much like the original series. It ended with Gravey shoving the pipe bomb into Jobriath's mouth for his "lack of faith," followed by an off-screen explosion and cheering from the Flanders children.
- MADtv also parodied an episode of the series as Davey and Goliath 2: Pet Sematary, complete with the classic stop-motion animation. The parody had Goliath run over by a tractor trailer truck, a motorcycle gang, and the stars of Riverdance, only to be raised from the dead in the Pet Sematary. Some time later they spoofed it yet again with Davey and Son of Goliath, referencing the Son of Sam killer, who claimed a talking dog instructed him to kill.
- While Adult Swim's Moral Orel is stylistically and thematically similar, the show's creator states that Orel is "more based on the sitcoms of the 50's and early 60's, like Leave It To Beaver."[1]
- The series was also parodied in a television commercial for Mountain Dew.
[edit] Trivia
- The Davey and Goliath series ranked #4 on The Top Christian Cartoon Series List.
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Series 1
1960
1. Lost in a Cave
1961
2. The Wild Goat
3. Stranded on an Island
4. The Winner
1962
5. Cousin Barney
6. The New Skates
7. The Kite
8. The Mechanical Man
9. The Time Machine
10. On the Line (not available on home video)
11. The Polka Dot Tie (no longer seen on television or available on home video)
12. All Alone
13. Pilgrim Boy
[edit] Series 2 - 1963
14. The Silver Mine
15. The Bell Ringer
16. Officer Bob
17. The Parade
18. The Waterfall
19. Down On The Farm
20. Ten Little Indians (not available on home video or seen on television)
21. The Sudden Storm
22. The Shoemaker
23. The Runaway
24. Boy Lost
25. Not For Sale
26. The Dog Show
[edit] Series 3 - 1964
27. Rags And Buttons
28. The Lemonade Stand
29. Man Of The House (not available on home video or seen on television)
30. Bully Up A Tree
31. Happy Landing
32. The Big Apple
33. Editor In Chief
34. Hocus Pocus
35. Jeep In The Deep
36. A Diller A Dollar
37. The Bridge
38. The Gang (not available on home video or seen on television)
39. Good Neighbor
[edit] Holiday Specials - 30 Minutes
40. Christmas Lost & Found (1965) - Last episode with Dick Beals as Davey
41. Happy Easter (1967) - First Episode with Norma McMillan as Davey
42. The New Years Promise (1967-68)
42. Halloween: Who Did It? (1968)
43. School: Who Needs It? (1972)
44. To The Rescue (1975)
[edit] Series 4 - 1971
45. The Stopped Clock
46. Who Me?
47. Kookabura
48. Finders Keepers
49. The Hard Way
50. If At First You Don't Succeed
51. The Caretakers
52. Who's George
53. Rickety Rackety
54. Help
55. Boy In Trouble
56. Blind Man's Bluff
57. The Greatest
[edit] Series 5 - 1972
58. The Watchdogs
59. Kum Ba Yah
60. Ready Or Not
61. Good Bad Luck
62. Come Come To The Fair
63. Doghouse Dreamhouse
64. Pieces Of Eight
65. Upside Down & Backwards
66. 6-7-6-3
67. Chicken
68. Louder Please
69. Zillion Dollar Combo
70. What's His Name
[edit] Christmas Special
71. Davey & Goliath Snowboard Christmas (2004)
[edit] Note
This list is not chronological except by each group of series. TV stations in the past ran all episodes from a group of shows and then moved to the next group of episodes. The actual chronological order is unknown after the fourth episode.
