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The show was called “Cartoon Factory.” Its creator was Jim Gilbert whose imagination and originality made it a small gem on both TV and stage.

But he never gained the full recognition he deserved. And Arts Entertainment Editor Bob Sokolsky calls that one more example of a talent that was “never seen by the right people at the right time.”

He fondly recalls Gilbert’s clever concept of converting letters and numbers into appealing animated figures with just a few strokes of a pencil. That led to his television series on small stations as well as books, lectures and performances around the country.

Gilbert’s work earned several Congressional citations. But Sokolsky wonders what other fame might have resulted had those who profited from his skills had been willing to commit just a little more in the way of “time, money or promotion.”