The History of Some
Unforgetable Toys
1945
Slinky the toy that could walk down stairs, It was a complete accident, how it came about when Marine engineer Richard James was considering using springs as Anti-Vibration devices.
1946
Lionel Trains returned to production. Including a new Locomotive that puffed real smoke, remote-controlled coupling systems, and a water tower with a movable spout. By the early 1950s, there were more engines and rolling stock in America's Rec rooms than there are owned by actual railroads.
1947
Tonka Trucks where an instant hit. And Ginny, an 8 inch hard plastic Doll. It was introduced by Vogue Doll Co. She was the first doll to come with her own, separately sold line of clothing. Ginny sold for $1.98 wearing just shoes, socks, and panties, with various outfits from her wardrobe retailing for $1.00 to $2.98
1949
The game Cootie, from Schaper Toys, was the big seller that year. Also Crayon manufacturer Binney & Smith puts on the market Silly Putty. Milton Bradley put out CandyLand, And Parker Bros. puts out the board game Clue.Howdy Doody became very popular then.
1950
Fisher-Price introduces the Buzzy Bee, a wooden pull toy shaped like a bee whose yellow plastic wings not only rotated by made a clacking sound when pulled. Hopalong Cassidy lunchboxes, sold 600,000 before the end of the year.
1951
Colorforms came out, the first set had simple colored shapes, based on licensed characters like Popeye, Bugs Bunny, In 1957 Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty colorforms appeared.
1952
Hasbro's Mr Potato Head was the first Toy Advertised on TV. Sales totaled $4 Million in the first year alone. And Pez made by an Austrian Candy company appeared. The first Matchbox car sold that year.The first 4 models where Road Roller, and Massey Harris Tractor, And Muir Hill Site Dumper, and a Concrete Mixer.
1953
Gumby hit the market, it wasn't until 1957 he had his own show.
1954
Ideal makes Robert the Robot, a 14inch gray plastic robot who walked on cleverly concealed rollers
1955
Madame Alexander designs and markets the first full-figured, high-heeled doll Cissy. Davy Crockett TV series inspired children to acquire Coonskin Caps so many were sold that the raccoon population was actually indangered. Raccoon Skin sold for .24 a pound after Davy Crockett's big hit it jumped to $8.00 a pound.
1956
Uncle Milton's Ant Farm made its appearance. And Play-Doh comes out. It was orginally in Off-White But the next year they sold a 3 pack of red blue and yellow, in 1957 they came back with the off-white color to make the classic 4 pack
1958
Wham-O came out with the Hula-Hoop, over 25 million of the colored plastic hoops where sold in the first 2 months.And the first Official SkateBoard came out this year.
1959
Fisher-Price came out with Safety School Bus, Little People. And Mattel came out with Barbie. Barbie creator Ruth Handler thought little girls might want to pretend to be teenagers. I guess she thought right.
1960
The first Etch-A-Sketch is sold. There still made by the original manufacture, Ohio Art. Mattel came out with the Chatty Cathy doll Her voice was supplied by June Foray, who was also the voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel in Rocky and Bullwinkle. And Milton bradley came out with the Game of Life
from the book It's a Wonderful Christmas, by Susan Waggoner. 2004
Home 
