User Reviews

"A Mighty Fortress is Our God" (Martin Luther, circa 1529) serves as the theme song for this well-received children's series, produced by the Lutheran Church in America, and often written by children's book author Nancy Wible, who initially would also voice this program's female characters.

But while the message remains constant, times do change. Beginning at a time when ladies, gentlemen and children would continue to wear their finest clothing to Sunday services, difficult choices may lie between selecting a dress or blouse and skirt, hat or veil, or between a suit and blazer, necktie or bow-tie, and fedora, which gentlemen were expected to remove upon entrance, whereas the ladies were expected to retain hair coverings indoors. Today, while few fellowship retain such mandates, this series helps to reminisce upon changes reflected by society, while politeness toward others remains, of course, virtuous.

Between 1960 and 1965, the series of 314 fifteen-minute episodes would gain in recognition and popularity, to air across network lines for broadcast to a height of a 90% market share on Saturday mornings or sometimes on Sunday mornings between presentations of church services or sermon programs.

For a period, the fifteen-minute format was set aside in favor of recurring 30-minute "Davey and Goliath" specials, before resuming in its regular format for several additional seasons.

Vocal Talent for this clay animation (or Claymation) series is provided by an assortment of performers in the roles of parents (voice), John Hansen (Hal Smith, 1961-1976) and Elaine Hansen (Ginny Tyler, 1961-1962, also doubling as Sally), daughter Sally Hansen (Nancy Wible, 1960-1968), son David 'Davey' Hansen (Dick Beals, 1960-1964; Norma MacMillan, 1965-1975), and various friends, neighbors and community leaders. Goliath the pet dog stands nearly as tall as Davey, who is able to hear his voice whereas nobody else in the cast may.

Davey's peers would differ in configurations, usually three friends, including an African-American buddy, as the youth would learn a moral lesson of the day, initially regarding a topic of respect or reverence, then segueing into topical concerns of the period, whether they apply these lessons immediately or learn by episode's ending.

But the presentation would remain non-didactic, but open to connect with audiences of all faiths and creeds in beneficial manner, suitable to manners then and now, for "Davey and Goliath" remains a Classic from age to age, and for audiences of all ages.

Growing up, I have nothing but fond memories of this series. It was on early mornings every Saturday and occasionally, Sunday, too! Now, while this series was produced through the Luthern Church, I never remember feeling like any episode was 'preachy'. I was having too much fun watching Davey, Goliath and family and friends do things we all did, as kids.

I'm thrilled to see some of the episodes are available on DVD. I especially love the Christmas episode, but they are all worth watching, especially if you have fond memories of this series from your childhood.

This kid Davey got into more trouble weekly than I did in my entire youth.

I can recall waking up super early on Saturday mornings and this was on from 6:00AM-6:30AM. I never thought about it as being overly religious, I was so busy enjoying the adventures of Davey, Goliath, Davey's family and friends that this never seemed to cram anything down my throat, but some early morning fun. Now, years later, I sit and watch the one DVD I have with three episodes, including the thirty minute Christmas special and while I recognize a bit more of the moral theme, I still don't feel like I'm having anything forced on me....but pure nostalgia and fun. I remember watching the holiday specials for Easter and Christmas and much like the Rankin & Bass holiday specials, my holiday wouldn't be complete without a dose of Davey & Goliath and now enjoying a few episodes, again, I will probably feel the same way, come this Christmas!

is regularly broadcast. I agree with most previous reviews, that this is a sad commentary on our broadcasting system, in America at least.

What was so universal about this show is while it did have a message, it was not heavy-handed, nor sanctimonious. Davey and Goliath get into regular mischief, he learns a lesson, but it is not overly preachy, nor is it violent and imbecilic(which is what we see today).

The writing is insightful and humanistic. How refreshing to know that, at least in the 60's and 70's we had access to quality children's programming.

I hope it is possible to buy a complete set of DVD's. My seven year old is just beginning to appreciate this. 10/10

I know that it might seem strange, but these little stories were and are so entertaining. I can't believe that they stopped producing these little stories. Perhaps if Clokey Production and the Lutheran Church had continued with these little stories for children and adults, things would be different in our world today. Davey and Goliath hit on so many themes. Racism, obedience, fear, hope, friendship, tolerance, etc.

Actually, Davey and Goliath was one of the first animated series that showed white/black relations in the friendship of Davey and Jonathan. I think this series may have also aided in changes to our society in the 60's. I sincerely believe that Nancy Moore should be applauded as well as the Lutheran Church and Clokey Productions for Davey and Goliath.

I was born Jewish but raised Catholic ('mixed marriage'). I watched this series every Sunday morning with joy and delight. Discovering a low cost DVD of 6 episodes, I watched with hesitation, fearful my memory had betrayed me. It hadn't - this is a wonderful animated series for all children of any of the traditions of Western religions.

Besides the wonderful stop-motion animation, the characters are supremely well-drawn, and the lessons learned here concern everyday ethical choices that face the young, without unnecessary political intrusions.

Speaking about which - and the reader should be warned, I will get totally personal here - I hate the religious right (Falwell, Robertson, etc., etc.) for insisting on a 'christian' totalitarianism. Davey and Goliath belong to an older, longer lasting, better tradition of Christian ethics - not theocratic, not homophobic, not racist, not fearful of Muslim others, but a Christian tradition based on love and the willingness to go the extra mile for others because this is what Christ asks us to do.

God bless Davey and Goliath; you probably know what I wish God would do to phony Right religionists.

This series is a memory of what America once was, before the right-wingers decided what it should be.

When I was growing up, I only saw a few episodes of Davey and Goliath, but now that's it's on DVD I bought volume 1 and 3 and my husband and I can't stop watching it and we are in our 30s. My favorite one was the Good Neighbor when Davey helped a girl, Mary who fell off her wagon and was lost. This series touches my heart. It's better than the garbage they have today. I remember watching it on Sundays and the first things I always noticed that they were made of clay like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. When I was watching Gerald Ford's funeral on TV at Grace Episcipal Church in Michigan at they end they played the song from Davey and Goliath by Martin Luther. I kept thinking about the good times I had watching Davey and Goliath.

Here's a show that if produced today, would be dubbed "offensive", unrealistic, too preachy, too right wing, too religious, too Bible-thumping, not sensitive to the needs of non-Christians and atheists, too "whatever", and just "inappropriate" for today's generation and "out of sync" with today's world.

Rubbish.

It's EXACTLY what this world needs, and right now.

How come if it's all those "bad" things, WE (people in our thirties) turned out OK after having watched it 500 times in our childhoods? Seems to me that kids who watched it today would turn out just as OK as we did! Maybe BETTER, because it would counter some of the nonsense and swill* that's on the tube today and polluting our children.

DAVEY & GOLIATH is pure fun. Pure innocence. With a lesson. Religious, yes, but not overly so.

We need more of this, and less of the GARBAGE that's on TV today.

What pleasant memories it brought back when I accidentally found it on Boston's Catholic TV station. I recall it as a kid, being on a local Boston station back in the 70s and early 80s; no WAY they would do that today on the public airwaves.....too "offensive", too "religious", etc. for the politically-correct types who make careers out of being offended at everything. If this was broadcast on anything except Catholic cable, someone would get "offended" and would sue the TV station. Yet this was standard Saturday and Sunday morning fare on local Boston TV well into the 1980s! How come none of US, or our parents, were offended?

Let me just say that they don't make 'em like this anymore, and I will make darn sure my kids get to watch it.

Enjoy. And get it for your kids. They'll be better adults when they grow up, if you do. And you (if you watched it as a kid), will get to be a kid again, 15 minutes at a time. It's worth it for that alone!

*Swill: noun: something suggestive of slop or garbage: REFUSE (from Merriam-Webster online)

Some of my best memories as a boy were getting up early on Saturday mornings to watch "Davey and Goliath." they were enjoyable, moralistic without being heavy-handed about it, and the characters were very much like people you knew, not goody-goody types. Unfortunately, kids today are very different, and I doubt that they would respond to it the way our generation did (I'm 42 now). Still and all, a good show, despite what the authors of "Saturday Morning Fever" have to say, and I still get a nostalgic twinge when I see it on cable TV these days.

Incidentally, I didn't realize until I saw IMDB's profile that upright father figure John Hanson was voiced by Hal "Otis-the-Mayberry-town-drunk" Smith. Talk about diametricaly opposed!

If ever there was a show that deserved to win the above mentioned awards (if it were up to me I'd start a petition drive to have their names added to the list for an Emmy or People's Choice Award), 'Davey and Goliath' was most certainly the one. I looked 'every' Sunday morning to seeing this show on a regular TV station (WABC TV) at time before I left my home for church, it always gave you "food for thought" even if you didn't realize it at that particular time, and made the beginning of the day seem a little bit brighter somehow.

As for presenting 'Davey and Goliath' in this day and time, truth be told, I think it's exactly what these children need, especially with what's "continually going on in our society". When God and Jesus and what 'they' mean to ALL of mankind is being done away with, because of our political correctness and loss of morality, I'd love for 'Davey and Goliath' to return and 'maybe' be updated, in order to address these issues. With the death of Clokey, I don't think it's going to happen, and perhaps it shouldn't when in the end all the 'real meaning' might be tossed aside. It was good while it lasted and with the DVD's and The Trinity Broadcasting Network, I can now be satisfied with seeing 'Davey and the Gang' all over again.

When I was a kid, this show came on TV at 6am-and I would wake up that early just to watch it. The "stop motion" animation is quite unique. The show has obvious religious overtones, but you don't need to be religious to get the "message." Although the show's target audience was children, there are many adults who could benefit from the lesson each episode offers. To the show's credit, the humor is very subtle. Only Goliath seems to have any funny lines. The fine character actor Hal Smith did the dog's voice, among others. Check out this great series.

I don't remember seeing this show as a youth. I started watching as a young adult. I'm 68 1/2 now. (You know... middle aged.) I probably watched because there weren't 3,742 different channels available with innumerable methods of watching, saving, replaying, and/or time-shifting content. Although raised Catholic, I was never drawn to religion per se. We didn't read the Bible much growing up. All that said, I do remember really enjoying this show. It had some humor and a laid back, easy going feel to it that I think I may enjoy even more now. I'll have to start downloading some of the newer episodes. The big thing about this show is that they always had a positive message. Yeah, a good old morality play. Nuthin' wrong with that! We could use a little more morality these days along with some good will. Oh, and sorry, but I don't mean Bible thumping, soap-boxing and condemnation. I mean some patience, understanding and REAL Christian behavior towards one another. (Note to non-Christians: I use the aforementioned phrase since it fits my frame of reference. Please feel free to replace it with whatever role model suits your understanding of a positive and beneficial lifestyle.) Before I really start to rant I just want to say that this is a very enjoyable show and don't let the notion that it is "religious" throw you off. It really is worth watching. It is entertaining while promoting a "think about the consequences" message.

Addendum: The way I rate shows... I don't usually review anything less than a 7 because 6 would be a failing grade and I won't waste my time watching it. I'm old; I don't know how much time I've got left. Since I probably turned it off before getting even halfway through, it wouldn't be fair to rate or review it. 7 is watchable but I may go a while between episodes since, though somewhat entertaining, there are other shows more interesting or compelling. 8 would be a regular in my lineup. 9 is a must see and probably bingeable. 10 is just the epitome of superbity and headed for my all-time favorites list. I'm adding this to my reviews because it seems there are a lot of binary reactions to pretty much everything these days. I am not a like/unlike kind of guy. I see a lot of grays so if I give something a 10 it doesn't mean the only alternative is a 1.

I grew up with Davey and Goliath. These rare and timeless classics can be watched over and over without tiring.

I recall as a child how real and intense some of the episodes were. If you are looking for amazing computer generated graphics, these are not for you. What you will find are quick 14 minute episodes. The specials are almost 30 minutes each. Each episode has a theme, or should I say a Christian based theme and at times is so subtle it will not overshadow the simplicity and joy of the episode.

In today's world of being politically correct, some episodes are either not available or very hard to find, either on DVD or on TV. It is interesting to look back when they were created during the 60's and 70's to see how society looked at life. I think we have taken the term "Politically Correct" too far today.

In September of 2007 (Latest news as of this post), some of these "politically incorrect" episodes are making their way to DVD. I say it is about time. Rather than look at who might be offended, we should look at the message being conveyed. Each episode is about God and love. Issues include, leaving a child alone in the home, blindness, deafness, respect for the police, stealing, honesty, trust, cheating in school, boy without a father and so on.

There is nothing else that compares to Davey and Goliath. 10 out of 10!

Like many others, I remember fondly waking up early Saturday mornings to watch Davey and Goliath before the stations all turned to cartoon junk food like The Smurfs, Super Friends, etc... While those other shows are fun, they didn't have the impact that Davey and Goliath did. The stories, characters and stop-motion animation were all wonderful and captivating. And better still, they offered a great message that could be digested by any person of any religious beliefs who just wanted to be good. No particular religion is ever mentioned, neither are any icons. Only "God". Then, I thought Davey was the coolest and strived to be like him. Now, I think he's a great, charming kid and excellent role model for any child. His family also is a great role model for any family. It's nice to have these kinds of examples to reach for, rather than the lowest-common-denominator types we have now - which keep sinking lower and lower.

We are told and constantly reminded you can never go back. However, if there is a cycle to our nostalgia for fashion, I only hope and pray that television shows like this, with their wonderful messages, come back into fashion. Can anyone remember a show from our kids' generation that they can look back on and feel as we feel about this one? I can't. Let's just keep reminding everyone what a profound difference it made for us as adults to have been raised on shows like this one.

This show is a real gem. It shows typical childhood dilemmas (that are usually handled badly the first time around). It is quite comical and the stories are easy to relate to. Lots of great lessons are presented in these short episodes.

Watching "Davey and Goliath" today is almost sad because it's the type of decent and moral program that today's "entertainment industry" wouldn't bother to create. Indeed, it would probably be scorned because it is decent and tells a moral with each story. We can't have that today thanks to political correctness.

The soft drink, Mountain Dew, of all things reminded me of this show as they are currently running ads featuring characters from this series. As a kid in the mid to late 70s, I watched "Davey and Goliath" on Saturday afternoons and I'm glad I did. The stories were entertaining and made me understand the value of friendship, community and faith.

Thankfully, you can buy "Davey and Goliath" on DVD & VHS and I am looking forward to watching this fine program with my kids. The best thing about it is that you don't have to hesitate to do so unlike with many of today's programs on TV.

What great memories! In the DFW Metroplex, kids got to watch this show on "The Children's Hour", a Sunday morning entertainment/educational show that ran just before Oral Roberts weekly proclamation that "something good is going to happen to you!".Davey & Goliath was a Lutheran church based show with heavy religious and moral overtones, but it never came across as heavy handed as did "Jot", the other long running series featured on the Children's Hour. The show featured a young boy, Davey Hansen, his dog Goliath, his family & friends and the everyday moral choices young people face, as well as the consequences of those choices, right or wrong. It's been well noted

by other reviewers that this kind of show would never fly in todays ultra PC "don't offend anybody" world, and I find that unfortunate. Regardless of your religious beliefs,this show preached a higher standing of morality and common courtesy toward your fellow man that I find sorely lacking in todays world. No matter if you're Christian, Muslim, Buddist, Atheist or whatever, the values of responsibility and consequences for you own actions, love of your neighbor and moral awareness that this show emphasized are values we could all benefit from. I do find it humorous that the moral sounding board and conscience for Davey, his dog Goliath, was voiced by the town drunk from the Andy Griffith show, Hal Smith. If you've never seen this show and have an opportunity, watch it if for no other reason than to get a pulse on what children's TV was like before "Cat Dog" and all the other mentally and spiritually bankrupt garbage our kids have to watch today.

Believable characters and situations, and a main character who was a real boy, not a dunce like Beaver Cleaver. Great stop-motion performances from the principals.

A painfully obvious moral in every episode. This show wouldn't fly if it were made today. What a shame.

It aired as a segment of the children's show "Boomtown" in the Boston area. Boomtown was hosted by Rex Trailer, and he sang (and played guitar) for his own special intro to Davey And Goliath. I still remember the words:

This is the story of The Lord This is the story of The Lord The way they tell it may be new But every word is true This is the story of The Lord

Imagine a children's show host getting away with that in today's world!

I'm happy to report that those of you who subscribe to Comcast Cable in the Boston area can find the show playing occasionally on the Boston Catholic Television Channel, which is also known as the Religious Channel, usually Channel 56 on the listings.

This show brings back nice memories of childhood. It deals with moral issues without being doophy. I believe it would hold up today. I would love to see a modern day version of Davey & Goliath. It would be interesting to see a show with maybe Davey as an adult dealing with his children.

This show was great. It pushed morals. It pushed family values. It pushed clean fun.

The thing I miss about TV today are shows like this one. Obviously it took many hours to produce one episode, without the advent of CGI. Animation today is weak and pretty much a quick fix to get it done with no care for the art form being produced.

The children shows of today are post-MTV, fast cut, quickly produced, often vulgar humored monstrosities that have no lesson to learn -or a bad one overall. I am excited about seeing Davey & Goliath again, now in my 30's, and hope that they will do it justice.

I read in the paper that Davey and Goliath's Snowboard Christmas is coming out this year, 30 years later, and I hope that the use the claymation and content that the original series was known for.