Davey & Goliath: 10 Bizarre Facts From Behind the Scenes...

About this video

• Video Title: Davey & Goliath: 10 Bizarre Facts From Behind the Scenes...
• Channel: Movies We Love
• Speakers: None explicitly identified.
• Duration: 00:08:22

Overview

This video explores ten unusual facts about the creation and production of the stop-motion animation series "Davey & Goliath," which originally aired from 1960 to 1975. It highlights the series' surprising origins, the challenges faced by the animators, and some of the peculiar decisions made throughout its run.

Key takeaways

• Lutheran Church Funding: "Davey & Goliath" was primarily funded by the Lutheran Church in America, using an endowment for youth work, rather than a typical children's entertainment company.
• Art Cloak's Involvement: The series' animator, Art Cloak, also created Gumby and took on "Davey & Goliath" during a financially difficult period for his studio, accepting a lower budget to ensure its survival.
• Voice Actor's Surprise: Hal Smith, who voiced Goliath, was more widely recognized for this role than any other, despite his initial belief that it was too obscure to be noticed.
• Puppet Clothing: The clothes for the small puppets were often made from cut-up socks, chosen for their stretchiness and ease of movement for animators.
• Goliath's Weight: The Goliath puppet was surprisingly heavy, weighing several pounds due to internal armature wire and clay, making it difficult for animators to manipulate.
• Unaired Episode: A Halloween-themed episode was shelved because test audiences found its imagery too frightening for children.
• Ear Replacements: Goliath's floppy ears frequently cracked and needed constant reshaping or replacement by the animation team.
• Broadcast Restrictions: Despite its religious funding, the series avoided explicitly mentioning "Jesus" to comply with broadcaster concerns about overt religious language, focusing instead on moral lessons.
• Animated Eyebrows: Davey's eyebrows were the most challenging part to animate due to the need to convey a wide range of emotions, requiring numerous adjustments per episode.
• Outdated Fashion: In the 1970s revival, characters maintained their early 1960s clothing and hairstyles, as animators refused to update their designs to reflect the changing trends.
• Bonus Fact - Mountain Dew Commercial: In 2001, "Davey & Goliath" appeared in a Mountain Dew commercial, a marketing choice considered bizarre given the show's original purpose.