Toy Manufacturers in the USA

Fisher-Price, Inc.

Fisher-Price was founded in 1930 in East Aurora, New York by three entrepreneurs; Herman Fisher, formerly involved in marketing games, Irving Price, a retired variety chain store operative and Helen Schelle, owner and operator of a toy store in central New York. In November 1993 Fisher-Price, Inc. and Mattel, Inc. merged. In 1997 Fisher-Price became the umbrella brand for all Mattel's pre-school lines.

Hasbro

Hasbro was founded by Henry and Helal Hassenfeld as Hassenfeld Brothers in 1923 in Providence, Rhode Island. It first sold textile remnants and then later sold school supplies. Henry's sons, Harold and Merrill, joined the company in the 1930s when the company began manufacturing children's toys. In 1952, Mr. Potato Head, the first toy to be advertised on television, was introduced. The first action figure, G.I. Joe (Action Man in Britain), was launched in 1964. The company became Hasbro Industries, a publicly traded company in 1968. They purchased Romper Room in 1969. In the 1980s, Hasbro acquired Milton Bradley, Playskool, and Selchow and Righter. It also established the Hasbro Charitable Trust and Hasbro Children's Foundation in 1983. In 1985 the company changed its name to Hasbro, Inc. Hasbro International was formed in 1990. It purchased the Tonka Corporation, which included Kenner Products and Parker Brothers in 1991. Hasbro Children's Hospital opened in 1994 in Rhode Island. The company also purchased rights to Waddington Games that year and Larami Company in 1995. Hasbro Interactive was launched in 1996. In 1997 they purchased Russ Berrie and Company and merged with Tiger Electronics, Avalon Hill, and Galoob the following year. In 2000, Hasbro became master toy licensee for all Disney films.

Louis Marx

Brothers Louis and David Marx founded the Louis Marx Company in New York in 1919. They believed in the policies of 'Give the customer more toy for less money' and 'Quality is not negotiable'. These ideas made them very popular with the general public. They became one of the only companies with rising profits in the 1930s and were the largest toy manufacturer by 1950. The Louis Marx Company made toy soldiers, toy dinosaurs, toy guns, tinplate buildings, and toy trains along with the Big Wheel, which grew into one of the most popular toys of the 1970s. Marx sold the company to the Quaker Oats Company in 1972. Quaker also owned Fisher Price but ended up selling Marx to Dunbee-Combex, a British company. Dunbee-Combex became Dunbee-Combex-Marx in 1975. Dunbee-Combex-Marx filed for bankruptcy in 1980. Other companies own the rights to some Marx toys, including toy trains and the Big Wheel, which are still in production.

Mattel

Ruth and Elliott Handler and Harold Matson launched Mattel from a garage workshop in Southern California in 1952. Initially it made picture frames and dolls' house furniture. In 1959 it launched Barbie. It acquired a number of companies along the way including Fisher-Price in 1993, J.W. Spear & Sons in 1994, Tyco Toys in 1997 and Bluebird Toys Plc in 1998. Mattel celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2002.

Milton Bradley

Milton Bradley began making lithographs in 1860 in Springfield, Massachusetts. One of the first was a lithograph with Abraham Lincoln without a beard. It was popular until consumers found out that Lincoln had grown a beard. In trying to find a way to keep his business successful, Bradley began selling a game he invented called 'The Checkered Game of Life'. The company went onto became the number one producer of games and puzzles. Hasbro, Inc. bought Milton Bradley and its subsidiary, Playskool, Inc. in September 1984.