An electronics wizard, he was already a veteran inventor when he collaborated with Ron Dubren on an idea for a toy that giggled. The rest is retail history.
Category: Toys
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Tickle Me Elmo and the ‘Elmo-Mania’ That Consumed America
In 1996, the giggling stuffed doll turned holiday shopping into chaos, a preview of every sneaker drop, PlayStation launch and Taylor Swift ticket rush to come.
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Roger Sweet, Creator of the He-Man Action Figure, Dies at 91
The musclebound character he developed as a toy designer for Mattel gave rise to the Masters of the Universe franchise and helped define the machismo of the 1980s.
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China’s Economy Starts to Show Cracks From Iran War
China’s strategic reserves of oil and natural gas have insulated it somewhat, but its manufacturing-based economy is beginning to falter.
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Man Charged in Lego Theft Scheme of Replacing Pieces With Pasta, Police Say
A California man was charged with grand theft after the police said he reaped about $34,000 in what an official called an “off the charts” pasta-and-switch scheme involving Lego kits.
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3 California Men Are Arrested in $1 Million Lego Heist
Sheriff’s deputies spotted the men fleeing in two box trucks on Wednesday. Deputies searching the cargo discovered a large amount of Lego products, the authorities said.
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Pop Mart and Sony Announce Labubu Movie Directed by Paul King
Pop Mart and Sony announced on Thursday that they were developing a feature film about the fuzzy trinkets. “It’s completely ruthless marketing,” one expert said.
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How Many Toys Will Parents Buy for Their Kids This Christmas?
Ynon Kreiz, the chief executive of Mattel, believes consumers squeezed by tariffs and inflation will cut back on other things before they skimp on Barbies and Hot Wheels.
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DealBook Summit: Business Executives Share Tips for Leadership
Executives on a DealBook Summit task force panel said fear was not the way to build teams capable of navigating difficult times.
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Crayola Magnetic Blocks Are Recalled Over Choking Hazard Concerns
Magnets in the toy, pip-Cubes, can fall out of the blocks and be swallowed by children, causing injury or death, federal regulators warned.
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How One German Toymaker Made Money Despite U.S. Tariffs
A combination of strategic planning, good timing and a long-awaited product helped the maker of electronic story boxes weather the onset of tariffs.
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A.I. Toy Bear Speaks of Sex, Knives and Pills, Consumer Group Warns
The chatter left startled adults unsure whether they heard correctly. Testers warned that interactive toys like this one could allow children to stray into inappropriate exchanges.