Kenner magazine advertisement for the Snoopy Toothbrush. This was found in the December 1973 issue of Cincinnati Magazine.
The ad reads:
Snoopy makes it fun to brush your teeth!
Battery operated – no plug-in.
The ad also has the following copyright information:
1973 United Feature Syndicate, Inc.
1973 GENERAL MILLS FUN GROUP, INC.
by its Div., KENNER PRODUCTS, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
The Snoopy Toothbrush from the 1973 Kenner Toy Fair catalog:
Here’s a fun behind the scenes photo from the December 1979 issue of Cincinnati Magazine. This shot of multiple Alien 18″ figures being packaged at Kenner is from an article about different consumer items being made in the Cincinnati area.
For some Alien images from the 1980 Kenner Toy Fair catalog, check out this link at plaidstallions.com.
The excitement keeps building for Super7′s new line of Alien action figures. The figures are based off of Kenner’s unproduced 3 3/4″ prototypes. Super7 has updated their site with an order page for the figures, as well as a promise date of September 2013. Pre-order will begin at San Diego Comic Con.
Description from Super7′s order page:
In 1979, prototypes for 3 ¾” action figures for the ALIEN film were developed but never manufactured. Through our network of industry and collector contacts, Super7 has unearthed reference material and original 34-year-old prototypes and will now make these “lost toys” a reality.
Under authorization from 20th Century Fox, Super7 will produce the full series of ALIEN toys as part of our ReAction Figure Series (Retro-Action). Each is stylized exactly as items from the “golden age” of action figures with approximately five points of articulation, accessories, and period-authentic blister card packaging.
Collect all five ReAction Figures -
* THE ALIEN (“BIG CHAP”) – w/ removable transparent dome, extendable jaws and glow-in-the-dark head!
* RIPLEY – w/ Flame Thrower
* ASH – w/ Motion Detector
* DALLAS – w/ Flame Thrower
* KANE IN NOSTROMO SPACESUIT – w/ removable helmet and transparent visor
$19.99 each
Click here for images of the new/old toy line from Super7′s booth at Wondercon.
It’s no secret that we like our vintage toy store photos around these parts. We’ve been known to drop examples like this and this on you without a moments notice! These pictures from fellow collector Spencer Smith, are what I imagine it would feel like if my time travel dreams ever came true. Aisles and aisles of Kenner toys stacked floor to ceiling.
Spencer isn’t sure, but he thinks these were taken at a Children’s Palace or Big Blue Store. He does remember taking home the 8″ large size action figure Jawa he’s reaching for. I’m so jealous that he has pictures like this to remind him of that awesome feeling of shopping for toys as a kid.
Here is a shot of Spencer checking out Kenner’s Empire Strikes Back Star Destroyer.
If you have any pictures you would like to share, please contact us here!
Collider.com has posted an article about the upcoming line of Alien action figures that are based off of Kenner’s unproduced prototypes. Cruise on over and check out all the great photos from Super7′s Wondercon booth.
Sign me up for a set!
Images property of collider.com.
Here is a set of three steel production molds used to create the plastic forms/molds for Kenner’s 1986 Silverhawks Play-Doh playset. The plastic Play-Doh forms are shown along with the matching steel mold that was used to create them. Each of the steel molds measure around 5″ x 6″ x 4″ and weigh approximately 35 lbs.
These steel molds were used as part of a process called plastic injection molding, and it was one of the final stages in the toy creation process. Once a toy’s design was finalized and signed off on, a moldmaker would cut the molds from hardened steel. The molds would then be placed in an injection molding machine. Small plastic pellets would be melted down and the liquid plastic would be forced (injected) into the steel molds. The plastic is then allowed to cool, and the hardened plastic is ejected from the steel molds.
Multiple shots of the Tally-Hawk and Stargazer mold:
Mon-Star and Quicksilver mold:
Steelwill and Bluegrass mold:
Production playset:
Production playset unused contents:
This is a packaging prototype for the 1991 Wyld Stallyns Speaker & Tape toy from the Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure toy line. Engineers at Kenner would create mock-ups of toy packages using whatever spare cardboard they had on hand. In this case they attached a prototype of the speaker and a generic cassette to a 1991 Starting Lineup baseball proof card.
Package samples like this would be used for anything from getting a feel for what the finished product would look like, to testing how the toy would fit inside the plastic bubble.
Close-up of the speaker and generic cassette tape:
Close-up of the production toy:
This press kit, likely handed out in the winter of 1979 at Toy Fair in New York, reviews the past as well as the immediate future of Kenner product lines.
Kenner hit a home run with the Star Wars license in 1978. It was so big that there were problems meeting demand and the company had to explain that it wasn’t artificially constricting supply to create the frenzy. As one of the press releases in this kit explains, the popularity of Star Wars was the perfect match of a quality film and a quality toy line. As stated on one of the pages, “the quality and detail of the toys was superior to anything previously produced.”
Kenner’s response to rumors that the shortage was contrived by Kenner itself is included in the same packet:
“Rumors have persisted that the shortage of products was contrived by the manufacturer. This is an often heard rumor when a toy becomes a runaway best seller and supplies become limited. This STAR WARS rumor is totally untrue. In fact, during 1978, Kenner boosted its production of STAR WARS products ten fold over its initial production estimate — something almost impossible to do in the toy industry”
The release goes on to explain that additional production lines were added, giving Star Wars four lines of production while most toys only had one in response to the additional demand.
Another interesting part of the packet gives some insight into Kenner’s strategy for the Star Wars product line. Kenner was committed to developing a comprehensive toy line over time.
“We are not just adding toys in a hit or miss fashion. The new toys will help increase the play life of the previously sold toys. Children will be able to experience and relive new scenes from the movie.” - Tom Clark, Kenner product manager for the Star Wars line
Kenner’s strategy is further explained with examples:
“…one new play environment is the Millenium (sic) Falcon. All of the original action figures can be used with the toy. Another example is the Creature Cantina. This is the location of encounters between Ben ‘Obi-Wan’ Kenobi and several Cantina Creatures, plus the Han Solo and Greedo Meeting.”
Finally, Kenner explains the planned extension of adding nine additional action figures, including Boba Fett, a character from “Star Wars II” which would be available only by mail order until June of 1979. The ill-fated rocket-firing feature is not mentioned.
Other content within the kit centers around upcoming advertising budgets and the challenge of developing products that turn constructive, developmental work for kids into interesting and exciting play. Several photos of 1979 toys are included to complement the press releases. All of this is enclosed in a wonderful looking binder showcasing the Kenner logo.
Kenner store displays, or POP (Point of Purchase) displays as they are sometimes called, are a really fun segment of toy collecting. Kenner produced many different types of store displays over the years to help sell their product lines. Some displays are relatively simple like printed cardboard shelf talkers, and others are so large and elaborate that you are in awe when you see them. Individual displays and display sets could be purchased by toy store owners for use in their stores. In some cases, the displays were thrown in as a perk to encourage large orders, or given to large retailers in hopes they would display them in the toy aisles.
This Glamour Gals store display is a large double-sided metal sign measuring 29 1/2″ wide x 16″ tall. The display is made from two identical metal halves that are riveted together. This allowed it to hang from the ceiling and be seen from both sides. The display advertises the Glamour Gals COLLECTION and adds the text: POSEABLE FASHION DOLLS AND ACCESSORIES. COLLECT THEM ALL! The lower right hand corner has the Kenner logo and the following copyright information on it: © CPG Products Corp. 1981.
One of the coolest parts of this sign is that many of the details are actually press formed into the metal to create a 3-dimensional effect. You can see the raised areas in the image below:
Nothing I like more than some vintage toy store photos! Even better when those photos include Kenner MASK toys! Retrocons.com has a small collection of photos on their site that will bring back some memories to any child of the 80′s. Click here to see them.
