Toys of Christmas Past - Part 1: The Toymakers

Toymakers of Christmas Past

In the coming days and weeks I will be presenting some great toys of Christmas or Chanukah past, both my past and before or after my past.

I did this last year on facebook, but now with a blog I can go into greater detail and include more photos and commercials.

My first post I wanted to cover the now defunct toy companies that were in the forefront during the 50's 60's and 70's.  Many of these companies which we remember from our childhood are long since gone.  Some were purchased by other toy companies, others simple went bankrupt and closed their doors forever.

Kenner

The Kenner "Gooney" bird mascott

Kenner's big toys were the Easy Bake Oven, Give a show projector, Original Star Wars Action figures of the 1970 and early eighties, and 6 Million Dollar man action figures.  The have been purchased and merge with many companies over the years, including Hasbro, Tonka and General Mills.



Marx

Toy company founded in the 40's which went out of business in the 1970's.  They featured such classics as Big Wheels, Rock'em Sock'em robots, Electro-Shot Shooting Gallery, and the Lost in Space robot.  They also specialized in figures and play sets.  Their biggest and most popular items were the Johnny West, best of the West figures and playsets.

Ideal (1907-1987)

Ideal was one of the Mega toy companies of the 1960's.  Some of their most popular toys were Mouse Trap, Crazy Clock, Hands Down, Ker-Plunk, Battling Tops, magic 8 ball, rebound, toss across, Snap Bowling



Schaper (1948-1980)

Their most famous toys were Cootie, Skunk, Ants in the Pants, Don't Break the Ice, Super Jock




Aurora

For the 1950's through the 80's Aurora made model kits, such as cars, jets, and figures.  One of their most successful toys were the "skittle" toys, such as Skittle Bowl [Skittle poker, skittle pool, skittle tack toe].



Transogram

Thier most famous game was Green Ghost a glow in the dark game.  They also made various board games such as Which Witch, Perry Mason, Ka Bala, Rin Tin Tin, Dragnet.


Parker Brothers

  Parker Brothers were founded in the late 1800's.  They went through many mergers such as with Kenner, Tonka, and Hasbro.  At present they are a subsidiary of Hasbro toys.  Their most famous game is the 1930's game Monopoly.  The also created Clue, Sorry, Risk, Trivial Persuit,



Ohio Arts

This toy company started in the 1930's making toys out of tin.  Their most famous toy was the Etch-A-Schetch which just celebrated it's 50th anniversary.

Khoner

This toy manufacture closed it's doors in the 1970's.  It most famous game Trouble, featuring the pop-o-matic dice roller.  They also made Headache, and Snakes in the Grass.