45936 MOC Must Toys Book6 12/1/05 7:52 Am Page 28
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45936 MOC Must Toys Book6 12/1/05 7:52 am Page 28 1970s The 1970s was a difficult time for the British toy industry. Events at home and abroad were to have a significant impact on the development of toys. Characterised by a series of strikes by various public service workers, the decade has come to symbolise a time of political upheaval, uncertainty and economic recession. One of the knock on effects of the Arab- Israeli war was a growing backlash against war in general which was to result in a suspension of toy weapon manufacture. In economic terms, the oil shortage which resulted caused petrol prices to rise and the ensuing inflation made the situation worse for the toy business, which relied on oil for plastics production. The price of wood doubled in 1972 and 1973 and labour costs rose. Several leading firms, including the giant Lines Bros., went out of business or were taken over by larger companies during this period as a result. Others decided to cut costs and move production to the Far East. Some old firms including Britains and Cassidy Bros., who made fine plastic toys managed to survive. Despite the problems in the toy industry, the 1970s proved to be a highly innovative period in the story of 20th century toys. Manufacturers could no longer rely on the traditional old products to attract customers. New types of toy were now being designed as a result of the changes in popular culture, 26 45936 MOC Must Toys Book6 12/1/05 7:52 am Page 29 changing ethics, and new technology. Two until the 1970s. The company, whose of the century’s best-loved toys became name is derived from two Danish words, icons of the toy industry during the 1970s. which mean ‘play well’, was originally founded in 1932 in Billund, Denmark. The One of these is the ever-popular action concept of the interlocking brick was not figure known as Action Man who had new, a wooden version had been in changed since the 1960s. He had existence in the 19th century, followed by originally been created by Stanley Weston a rubber version in the shape of Minibrix in in 1964 at a time when it was a risky the 1930s and Kiddicraft’s Interlocking business to make a boy’s doll. At first he cubes. Lego, however, invented the stud was a strongly military character, but and tube coupling system, patented in gradually became something of an 1958, which made the structures more adventurous figure, partly in response to stable. Stephen Kline points out in his the calls for anti-war toys. Memories of the book Out of the Garden that Lego devised Vietnam War were still fresh in everyone’s an age related strategy for its products mind. thereby achieving a strong brand identity from an early age. Duplo, a set of big Palitoy launched G.I. Joe in the US in 1964 Lego blocks, was introduced in 1969 for and renamed him as Action Man in Britain pre-school children and in 1977 a set for in 1966. He was far more lifelike than the the technically minded child called Lego wooden and metal soldiers that children Technic was launched. From the 1960s had been used to playing with for many Lego added a series of pre-designed decades. There are a number of model sets which came with drawings and differences in the design of early and later building instructions, which while veering Action Man. When first produced Action away from the original philosophy of open Man’s hands were moulded in a shape ended block play nonetheless offered that appeared to be for holding weapons, children new opportunities for developing but this could only be achieved by using their technical skills. In 1979 Lego won the an elastic band. He acquired hands that British Association of Toy Retailer’s Toy of gripped properly in the early 1970s and he the year award for their Legoland Space grew hair as opposed to the painted hair kit. Lego was named Toy of the Century by of the 1960s. Movable ‘eagle eyes’ the Association in the year 2000 and has operated by a lever on the back of his won several popularity polls. head helped to complete the improvements. By the early 1980s The Spacehopper (1968) was one of the redesigned legs enabled him to sit, and he main ‘must-have’ toys of the time which, had real hair and a jointed body; ready for although it did not become Toy of the any adventures that faced him. The second of the century’s best-loved Pictures opposite page top to bottom toys, Lego, won three awards for Toy of Lego made in Denmark, 1960s-1970s the Year in the 1970s. Lego bricks were Combine Harvester made by Britains, 1978 already old favourites after their launch in Klackers, 1970s Weeble made by Airfix, 1973 1955, but did not become hugely popular 27 45936 MOC Must Toys Book6 12/1/05 7:52 am Page 30 was, as ever, about the conflict between good and evil. This was all happening against the excitement that accompanied the launch of the space shuttle, which went into orbit in 1977. Surprisingly space exploration inspired the toy industry to a lesser extent than one may have imagined and it was not until the screening of the epic film Star Wars that the imagination of the public was captured. Science fiction brought with it new heroes from worlds beyond earth and this was reflected in the huge production of extra terrestrial figures and merchandise. The protagonists were not Year, remains one of the best the usual human or animal figures, but remembered toys of the time. It was said unrecognisable creatures of fantasy, to have been inspired by one of Mettoy’s vehicles for flights of fancy. Children were directors who saw children bobbing up already prepared for this world of created and down on a floating buoy in a mythology. They had read Alan Garner’s Norwegian quay. The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and its sequel The Moon of Gomrath (1963) and It was the highly successful new wave of Elidor (1965), Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea films made for cinema and television (1967-1972) trilogy, and long before then which inspired toy manufacturers to there was C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books begun produce toys based on such new in 1950, The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord monsters and superheroes as Jaws, of the Rings trilogy (1954-1955) by J.R.R. Superman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Tolkien with their imagined history of Wonder Woman and The Bionic Woman. Middle-Earth. These worlds provided All of these were either cinema or children and many adults with an escape television hits. The theme of these films route to a world where everyday reality 28 45936 MOC Must Toys Book6 12/1/05 7:52 am Page 31 was not relevant and they were free to enact ever-changing roles in a creation of their own imagination. An entire new category of role playing games started in 1973 when Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson first turned a Lord of the Rings- style fantasy into a playable adventure. The result was Dungeons & Dragons. Unlike traditional board games, Dungeons & Dragons technically didn’t even need a board. Most Dungeons and Dragons games used some form of map, but the adventure largely took place in the imaginations of those playing. One of the players served as the Dungeon Master, the all-seeing eye that narrated the adventure, held all the secret maps, and controlled all the non-player characters. The rest of the players each took a character of their own. Undoubtedly the biggest change during and Nintendo would eventually reign. the 1970s was the video game, a Computer technology had arrived in the completely different type of toy which world of toys, a world in which reality had could be plugged into a television set. been replaced by fantasy and surreality. Invented by Nolan Bushnell, the game, known as Pong, was a version of Ping- Pong with a white ‘ball’ that was moved back and forth across the screen by two ‘bats’ that were controlled by knobs. Left Bushnell founded Atari in 1972, later Action Man made by Palitoy, late 1970s selling it to Time-Warner for $28 million. Above This marked the beginning of the huge Dr Who’s Tardis made in England by Denys Fisher Toys video games business over which Sony Ltd., 1976 29.