Thursday, March 24.1977:
CINCINNATI (AP) - First, Kenner sold millions of the Six Million Dollar Man Then, there was a scramble for the Bionic Woman. Now, the nation's second-leading toy manufacturer is,about to unleash its- newest bionic spinoff—the Oscar Goldman doll.
Goldman is the character on both television series who watches over the two superheroes and worries about whether their wires are shorting or their bionic parts need replacing "He's a strong secondary character in both shows," a
Kenner official said, "and is unusual in getting that prime time exposure twice a week with the success we've had with the Man and the Woman, it was logical for us to bring out an Oscar Goldman figure.''
"The Man"—Steve Austin and "The Woman", the manufacturer's pet name for Jaime Sommers—are proof of the power of television over' the toy industry.
Kenner officials have long acknowledged that shows such as the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman are highly marketable.
The Steve Austin doll sold more than two million copies in 1976, passing the record of its 1975 introductory year. The Jaime Sommers doll sold 1.5 million copies by the end of the past Christmas rush.
The company executive said the Oscar Goldman doll was a hit among Kenner's new 1977 lines at the Toy Fair held last month in New York among Kenner's other new toys is a followup to the successful Stretch Armstrong doll.
The 13-inch doll is a muscular wrestler who can be stretched as far as four feet,
twisted and contorted and then returned to his original shape. Kenner has now introduced an adversary called Stretch Monster The doll, scaly and green, will be marketed as a beast to Stretch Armstrong's beauty.
twisted and contorted and then returned to his original shape. Kenner has now introduced an adversary called Stretch Monster The doll, scaly and green, will be marketed as a beast to Stretch Armstrong's beauty.
Apropos of nothing, I still think Lindsay Wagner should have played Buffy's mom on Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
ReplyDeleteI have to track down a complete line of those Six Million Dollar Man figures...
My brother and I were huge Bionic Man fans, and we played the hell out of our Steve Austin and Maskatron figures, but we drew the line at asking for an Oscar Goldman doll. Exploding briefcase? Is that all you bring to the table?
ReplyDeleteSorry Oscar, but we did just fine having one of our old plastic-haired GI Joe's stand in for you on our adventures. And for that extra touch of realism, we could always tape Maskatron's Oscar mask to Joe's head!
Not only did Oscar have an exploding briefcase with a built-in t.v. thingie, but had two TOP SECRET folders containing maps and info on Steve and Jamie. He also had a special desk/alarm system which was pretty good for keeping tabs on little brothers entering your room without permission.
ReplyDeleteCall me weird, but I always wanted a Rudy so he could do work on Steve when it came to swapping the arms and legs.
And those spiffy buttons on Oscar's suit are not to be scoffed at!
man that takes me back
ReplyDeleteSaid it before, but one of the most shocking events in my childhood was seeing a Stretch Armstrong break right in front of my eyes.
ReplyDeleteI remember not wanting the Steve Austin doll because I thought it was defective (it only has one eye!) Then again I was only 6. Thanks for the pictures I had the Maskatron and the additional arms as well as the rocket.
ReplyDelete