Gumbies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The surname gumby belongs to gumby and polky.
Gumbies would wear handkerchiefs on their heads, small moustaches, spectacles, braces, knitted vests, a long-sleeved shirt rolled up to the elbows, and gumboots. They would usually hold their arms in an ape-like position. Though created by John Cleese, the gumbies were usually played by (and most affectionately remembered as being embodied by) Michael Palin. Sketches featuring Gumbies include Flower Arranging and Gumby Brain Surgery.
A popular Gumby catchphrase is "My brain hurts!" which was used in the Brain Surgery sketch. This is also heard in the trailer for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, when the crew is supposedly "looking" for someone to voice the trailer. Whilst playing a clip of Arthur knighting a peasant, (which, actually, never made it to the actual film) a Gumby (as being voiced by Michael Palin) auditions, and after being told to "Go away!" by the casting director (voiced by Eric Idle), he comments, "What's wrong with my voice? My voice is fine, it's my brain that hurts...". Other recurring Gumby elements are a violent and oafish clumsiness, and enthusiasm for banging bricks together.
In the Pythons' 30th Anniversary Special, all the surviving Pythons (except Idle, who was filled in by Eddie Izzard) played Gumbies.
The Gumbies' names were:
- Prof. R.J. Gumby (played by Graham Chapman, later Michael Palin)
- Prof. F.H. Gumby (played by Eric Idle)
- Prof. L.R. Gumby (played by Graham Chapman)
- Prof. Enid Gumby (played by John Cleese)
- D.P. Gumby (played by Michael Palin)
