The humble spud has gone from comfort food to movie star thanks to a creative inventor who knew no boundaries.
The Controversial Spud
Did you know that Mr. Potato Head was originally a real potato? His identity as food was nearly the stillbirth of Mr. Potato Head because in the late 1940’s when inventor George Lerner developed the idea for Mr. Potato Head people were still in recovery from the Depression and World War II. Poverty and food rationing had left an impression and people were appalled at the idea of wasting food.
George Lerner and his friend Julius Ellman had formed The Lernell Company and began inventing toys. The huge success of their toy Mr. Potato Head was not without its trials. Because of the potential controversy surrounding Mr. Potato Head all the toy companies that the pair presented Mr. Potato Head to turned them down. Finally, they agreed to allow a food company to buy the idea for $5,000 to use as a prize in their cereal boxes. However, Mr. Potato Head was destined for greater things.
Production of a Success Story
Lerner visited Hassenfeld Brothers, Inc. (later Hasbro), in 1953. The Hassenfeld brothers were Henry and Hillel Hassenfeld and they ran a small play kit company. The Hassenfeld’s loved the idea of Mr. Potato Head. This new play kit would be fun. Fun would be a relief after producing Junior Air Raid Kits. The Hassenfeld’s were so enamored with the idea that they contacted the food company and offered them $2,000 to stop production on the toy and another $5,000 as reimbursement for the money they had paid to Lernell Company for the rights. The Hassenffeld’s then signed a new contract with Lerner giving him a $500.00 advance against a 5% royalty on every kit sold.
The next step taken by the Hassenfeld’s was a stroke of genius. Mr. Potato Head starred in the first toy ad ever placed on television. Over one million Mr. Potato Head kits were sold in the first year.
Originally, Mr. Potato Head came with no head. The kit included a Styrofoam head to show the children how to use the parts on a real potato. The children were to supply their own head. The kit included 30 accessories including a body, hands, feet, ears, mouths, noses, hair, etc.
Stardom
Unfortunately, Mr. Potato Head had not yet reached the perfection that we saw him in when he reached stardom in “Toy Story.” First, Mr. Potato Head needed a head. His organic head was a real drawback. Kid’s don’t pick up. A potato left under the couch or behind the television rots and rotten potatoes smell awful. In 1964, Mr. Potato Head got his own head. While rotting potatoes were an issue, the other issue behind the change was the safety of children. The sharp-prongs needed to pierce the skin of a potato were too dangerous.
Over the years, the size and shape of Mr. Potato Head and his accessories has changed but his charisma has lasted. A series of spots in a variety of advertising campaigns in the 80’s and 90’s culminated in his role in Toy Story and Mr. Potato Head’s popularity soared to new heights. So, the next time junior plays with his food, just remember creativity in the realm of produce can pay big dividends.
To learn about another vintage toy, read Raggedy Ann: A Doll for all Ages.
Sources
Walsh, Tim. Timeless Toys: Classic Toys and the Playmakers Who Created Them. Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2005.
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