Most collectible dolls come put together. That is pretty much the way of the world. But Mr. Potato Head was a collectible doll of a completely different breed. This was a doll that you put together any way that you liked and could make him look just about any way you wanted. This was a truly unique concept,
Mr. Potato Head was patented in 1952. That's right, patented. That's how unique the concept was at the time and even to this day. The doll was invented by a George Lerner in New York City (where else?) which was actually based on an earlier toy called make a face that actually used a real potato. The doll was originally designed to be used as a prize for cereal premiums. Lerner then sold the doll to Hasbro, who also made Barbie, and the rest was history.
Mr. Potato Head reached his peak of popularity in the 1960's. The concept was pretty simple. In the box you got a plastic head which was shaped like a potato. Inside the box you had the various items that made up the face and a few different bodies to go along with them. You got about 3 or 4 pair of glasses, several sets of eyes and ears, a few mouths and a number of hats and hair styles. You could mix and match these items in just about any way you liked.
As the doll evolved we eventually got Mrs. Potato Head. This was basically the same doll as the original expect the body and face parts were more lady like. The hats were ladies' hats, the hair was longer, the bodies featured dresses instead of shirts and pants and the shoes were ladies' shoes. Of course all the accessories were nothing close to real life as they were just a scream to look at.
The evolution didn't stop with the doll itself. Eventually kids began to realize that you could substitute the plastic head for a real potato. So kids starting raiding their mom's refrigerator for Idaho potatoes and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head had just taken on a new and more realistic look.
Some notes of importance on the Mr. Potato Head doll. For starters, it was the first doll to be advertised on TV. Back in the 1950s TV was pretty new and most advertisements were reserved for more serious things. So seeing Mr. Potato Head on the tube was a big sensation for the times.
But even more insane is that in the 1985 election for Mayor of Boise Idaho, Mr. Potato Head received five write in votes.
Today, over 50 years later, Hasbro still manufactures the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head dolls. They're not as popular as they once were but they are still the most novel dolls to come out and most likely will always be.
There are few classic toys that have persevered and managed to survive the video onslaught that has taken over the children's toy market today. One of these toys, Mr. Potato Head, still entertains children as much as it did when it was first introduced in the early 1950's. Let's explore some of the history of this iconic and classic toy.
George Lerner enjoyed success as an inventor and in 1950 he designed the ?first generation? of plastic face pieces that would ultimately become a toy for the ages. These pieces: noses, eyes, ears and mouth parts, could be pushed into vegetables or fruits and transform them into an array of ?toy? playmates for children.
However, the toy failed to catch on, mainly because Americans resisted wasting food to create a child's toy. So Lerner sold his toy idea for $5,000 to a cereal company that planned to use the pieces as a promotional tool and as a premium giveaway for their cereals.
But Lerner knew his toy idea deserved a better fate. His persistence paid off, and after a meeting with a family owned toy company based in Pawtucket, RI, together they bought back the rights from the cereal company for $7,000.
The original Mr. Potato Head was created by Hasbro in 1952 and was the very first toy to be advertised on a brand new marketing venue: television. With the help of this new marketing element, Mr. Potato Head sales took off. The first Mr. Potato Head package contained ears, eyes, noses and mouths, but the parents of the children had to supply the real potato to use for the toy making fun that ensued.
To replace the need for a real potato, Hasbro developed and introduced a hard plastic potato body eight years later and the evolution of Mr. Potato Head began. For the next three decades, more Mr. Potato Head products were introduced including: puzzles, creative play sets and electronic hand-held board and video games. Mr. Potato Head's immense popularity has also attracted non toy companies who license his image and name and manufacture apparel, accessories and novelty merchandise.
But, Mr. Potato Head has become more than just a toy for children. His mass appeal to people of all ages has made him an ideal ambassador for many worthwhile causes. His signature pipe was surrendered to the U. S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop in 1987 and he became the ?spokesbud? for the American Cancer Society's annual ?Great American Smoke-Out? campaign for many years. Additionally, to shed the ?couch potato? image, the toy received a special award from the President's Council for Physical Fitness, with the award being presented on the White House lawn!
One is not sure if George Lerner envisioned the world wide recognition and success that his toy would enjoy. But one thing is certain; Mr. Potato Head will continue to entertain children of all ages and in many nations for years to come and still is a positive image for charitable causes as well as a pop culture icon.
Both Michael Russell & Robert Benson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Michael Russell has sinced written about articles on various topics from Celebrities, Dieting and Diabetes Treatment. Michael RussellYour Independent guide to . Michael Russell's top article generates over 2240000 views. to your Favourites.
Robert Benson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Digital Camera, Arts and Entertainment Guide. Author Robert Benson writes about rock/pop music, vinyl record collecting and operates