Mr. Potato Head was invented in 1949. Hasbro put out the first kit in 1952, and it contained only the parts (eyes, hands, etc.) not the body. The parts were intended to be stuck into a real potato. At that time, there was a body to stick in the potato as well, and the potato was just the head.Mr. Potato Head was the first toy ever advertised on TV. He also had several TV and movie appearances including Potato Head Kids, The Mr. Potato Head Show, and of course Toy Story 1, 2, and 3.
Mr. Potato Head was very successful, earning over $4 million in just a few months. This led to wedding bells just one year later as Mrs. Potato Head hit toy store shelves. The potato family grew to include brother and sister Spud and Yam, several pets, and even a Potato Family car and trailer.There are also specialized toys for specific baseball & football teams, movies, etc. There is even a princess kit.
Boise, Idaho received four write-in mayoral votes for Mr. Potato Head in 1985.
In 2000, Mr. Potato Head became an official government symbol when he was named Ambassador for the Rhode Island State Tourism Board.
In 2002, to celebrate 50 years of potato magic, Mr. Potato Head was granted official membership to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
1 comment:
I remember putting the eyes, etc. into a potato! FUN interest blog.
But now each time I think of Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head I think of the voices in Toy Story.
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