Gumby Stars in 'Scrooge Loose'

One of the most gratifying things about this bizarre challenge I've set myself is the chance to experience transatlantic shows for the very first time.  Having already seen my first episode ever of Family Ties earlier this week, I've now chanced upon a character who has entertained American children for over fifty years but has been hitherto completely unknown to me - Gumby.  I suspect most Brits will join me in a quick, frank "whoooooo?", much to the shock of incredulous Yanks, but as a quick reference point, think Morph...just thirty years earlier.

'Scrooge Loose' is a 1957 short that finds our hero Gumby and his trusty horse sidekick Pokey in the fellow Victorian guise of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson as they tail the notorious Scrooge who is deadset on ruining Christmas for the wee girls and boys Stateside.  Having already piloted a bulldozer through a "humbug" Christmas scene, Scrooge leaps into a story book filled with the wonderful tales of Santa Claus.  Here he hi-jacks a bag of Santa's presents, unwrapping each gift with great care and replacing the toy with a rock.  Note the care and attention he takes to re-wrap it well - could Scrooge be simply trying to preserve the illusion or does he unstereotypically really care about the presentation of these gifts?  Hot on his trail and having been unceremoniously dumped off a cliff by the bulldozer-driving Scooge, Gumby and Pokey jump into the book and capture Scrooge in what looks suspicially like one of Santa's three sacks.  With the day saved, they start a hunt for Santa to tell him the good news, not knowing that Santa is already suited, booted and about to kick off....with Scrooge in his sleigh!

Most wonderfully of all is the fact this impressive animation ends with an ending neither happy nor sad.  33% of Santa's recipients will have a part share in a Victorian miser instead of the toy train, car, penny whistle or Teletubby they asked for.  Gumby and Pokey simply give up here and make flimsy date-related jokes before presumably getting back to whatever it is they do normally.

This is probably the flimsiest adaptation yet with no ghosts, a bizarre introduction of Holmes and Watson and some of the funniest dialogue you'll hear in Pokey's comments.  Watch the video below and enjoy...