HEADLESS POTATO
The “Bring Your Own Potato” Toy
On May 1, 1952, the Hassenfeld Brothers toy company—later renamed Hasbro Inc.—brought to market the original Mr. Potato Head toy. At 98 cents each, the toy was instantly popular, selling over one million units in its first year. A far cry from the toy you see on the market today (and the beloved character in the Toy Story films), this original version had a key thing missing: the potato head.
That’s right: The original Mr. Potato Head (designed in 1949 by inventor George Lerner) was headless. Packaged into a box called the “Mr. Potato Head Funny Face Kit,” the toy was merely a collection of parts: goofy eyes, protruding ears, a huge nose, a pipe, and of course, a mustache. Children were intended to apply the parts to a real potato (no, it wasn’t included in the kit)—or any other vegetable or fruit of their choosing. Another early version of the toy even sold these parts piecemeal, as inserts in cereal boxes.
So why the change to the plastic potato head? No, it wasn’t for convenience or to reduce the mess that parents had to clean up: It was the government. In 1964, new regulations from the government required that certain safety guidelines be met in all products intended for use by children. Unfortunately for Hassenfeld Brothers, the parts included in the original Mr. Potato Head Funny Face Kit proved too sharp to meet these regulations. The manufacturers rounded the points of the insertion pegs on each part, but in doing so, made it too difficult for kids (or even adults) to stick the parts into real fruits and vegetables. As a work-around, Hassenfeld Brothers came up with a plastic toy head.
In 1975, manufactures doubled the size of the head and accessories, again to meet new regulations and also to market to younger children. A compartment was also added to later versions so children could store the parts inside the head. With these improvements, Mr. Potato Head became the toy you are familiar with today. Since then, he has permeated popular culture—not only in the Toy Story films but also in his own TV show and in a variety of commercials. He even received four votes in the 1985 mayoral run in Boise, Idaho (an uncontested Guinness World Record). And in 1987, he set down his original pipe accessory for good in order to help the American Cancer Society promote its efforts to end tobacco use.
You’ll find Mr. Potato Head’s full story at the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York. And if you are interested in collecting all of his fun, limited edition accessories, you’ll find everything from Santa Claus hats and chef aprons to vampire fangs and guitars. There is even a Mrs. Potato Head (also shown in the Toy Story films), as well as potato pets (affectionately known as “Spud-ettes”). Needless to say, this potato isn’t going anywhere anytime soon—and unlike the original, he comes with all parts included.