On 30th of April 1952, Mr Potato Head, became the first toy to be advertised on American television.
Invented and manufactured by George Lerner in 1949, it was first distributed by Hasbro in 1952.
Mr Potato Head , for anyone who has been living in a child free environment for decades, has a plastic ‘potato’ shaped main frame to which other small bits can be attached. Originally it was just the set of parts that a child could push into a real potato but soon the Mr Potato Head we know of today was developed as much more commercial enterprise.
Today Mr Potato Head has appeared in the successful series of films ‘Toy Story’ with his wife. There are many variations on what was once a simple toy. Keeping up with the times has always been what this toy can do and today it has been rebranded gender neutral as ‘Potato Head’.
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Here’s a thing…if you go to the Balfour hospital and walk round to the left of the main reception desk, and look down to your right through the windows of the office – there are three Mr. Potato Heads standing in a row.
They might have gone when you read this, but they’ve been there for a while.
I’ll take a picture next time I’m there. I should always have my camera with me!