I am posting some anecdotes about a number of my favorite toys I've worked on in my career.
Toy Stories Chapter 3: Hot Wheels Adventures!
Vehicle & Micro Playset, in one! This was a fun line, because I wrote the comic stories on the package back, and included the likeness of my own dog as “Pablo, the Wonderdog.” The hero, Tim Taylor, was named after our fearless leaders, Tim Kilpin & Mark Taylor. Errol McCarthy created the art and added clever lines, and I loved the way it turned out. Gary Swisher always told me that I wrote better stories when I was in a serious time crunch than when I had time to reflect. To quote Pablo, “arf!” Lesson learned in the Advertising: Be careful with the use of humor. We used Gary Owens of Laugh-In fame as the voice-over, and we thought it was hilarious. However, kids in testing though it was stupid, resulting in a rare “dissuasive” score! Hey, that’s why we test!
Rachele Harmuth: Overcoming Obstacles with MESH Helps
Andy Keimach: Toy Safety Every Day of the Year
NOMINATIONS FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR THE 2024 TOY & GAME INTERNATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS ARE OPEN!
Eco-Lasting Play: How Toy Companies are Putting Sustainability into Practice
Book Review: It's Not All Fun & Games by Mark Flitman
Game Review: Apples to Apples
Kim Vandenbroucke Talks Her Inventing Career on Hidden Role Podcast
Game Review: Sorry!
Sky Castle Toys Announces the Launch of Sticki Rolls- The Ultimate Wearable, Sharable Sticker Experience!
Seven Town's Eleanor Black: Why You Should Always Try the Tea Cozy On
Randy Klimpert Shares his Ukulele Collection
Steve Casino Peanut Art
Everyone's Talking about POP!
Princess Etch - a Multi-Talented Etch A Sketch Artist
Joseph Herscher of Joseph' s Machines.
Bob Fuhrer... Is THE Crocodile Dentist!
Tom Dusenberry... Bought Atari, Wizards of the Coast, and Avalon Hill!
Matt Leacock created Pandemic... the game!
Scott Brown and Tim Swindle... are Launching a New Sport!
Daryl Andrews says... "GO TO CONVENTIONS!"
POPDuo: Richard Dickson, Mattel’s President & COO, and Kedar Narayan, Young Inventor Challenge AMB
POPDuo: Will Shortz and Josh Wardle
POP Duo: Elan Lee, Co-Founder, Exploding Kittens.and Jeff Probst, Host and Exec Producer, Survivor
POP Duo: David Fuhrer, MNG Director, Blue Sq Innovations & Shawn Green, past Dodgers & Mets MLB Star
POP Duo: Bob Fuhrer, Founder, Nextoy and Tom Fazio, Golf Course Designer