Show 'N Tell: Phono-Viewer

A record player that shows images? Man, this is a game changer unfortunately the VCR was a bigger one.

New Six Million Dollar Man Shirt in our Redbubble store!

Don't forget to join our new facebook group.

Get the expanded digital edition of Rack Toys here.

Game Night

This would be a hard choice for but I'd go with Captain Nemo, submarines and sharks top haunted houses but just barely....

Show 'N" Tell

Gabriel's Show N Tell came out when I was ten years old, so I'm not surprised I didn't notice it back then, I was all about action figures at that point.

A really novel approach to the "Book and Record" format I loved, I can't imagine it had a long life at retail with affordable VCRs looming closer and closer....

Winnie the Pooh Hunny Pumper Set

How is this not a filthy word?

From Mickey Mouse to Star Wars

Wow, that title is prophetic ain't it? The Mouse almost owns the whole page now. There is no greater image I'll see today than that home brewed Chewbacca illustration. I miss the "Pre-Style Guide" world.

PS- I know I've featured this before but a) it was nearly a decade ago and b) some things are worth repeating.

Winnie the Weeble

While working on the Little People list, I came across this piece and really had no idea it existed. I never had weebles as a kid but as a Winnie the Pooh fan, this would have been welcome.

The 1975 Azrak Hamway Toy Catalog

In 1975, Azrak Hamway International (AHI) was a toy company on the move producing mainly, low cost rack toys bearing such hot licenses at the time such as Batman, Spider-Man, the Universal Monsters and Star Trek.

It's no surprise that the 1975 catalog is a real treasure trove for any 70s kids, there is so much to see in this fun book that it'd be hard not say "I had that' at least once.

Check out the 1975 AHI Catalog Here!

Azrak Hamway Index on PlaidStallions/AzrakHamway.com

 

Carnival Toys 1979

Carnival was the premier maker of toy musical instruments in the late 1970s. Their main focus was toy guitars and licensing, making sure they slapped the hottest acs of the time on their guitars (even when they primarily known for disco tunes).

So join KISS, the Village People, Hulk and Spider-man (!), the Bee Gees, Shaun Cassidy on a mystical, musical adventure.


1979 Carnival Toys Catalog

1978 Empire Toys Catalog

Empire Toys was primarily known for two things, licensed big wheel type vehicles for kids and licensed vehicles for other companies action figures.

1978 was no exception with Empire licensing characters such as The Flinstones, Batman, Spider-Man and Mickey Mouse into a lot of fun with wheels.

Check out the 1978 Empire Toys Catalog here.

And hey, after that check out the 1979 Empire Catalog from our archive.

1981 Ben Cooper Costume Catalog

Halloween around here wouldn't be the same without the store bought goodness that is Ben Cooper. If you were a child of the 70s or 80s, then you certainly knew their product.

Cooper held some of the great licenses in 1981 including the Disney characters, both the DC and Marvel comics Superheroes, Clash of the Titans and of course, Star Wars. The only thing they were missing were the Universal Monsters (who had jumped ship to rival Collegeville).

In addition the store bought costumes, Cooper had a mountain of other fun Halloween related items like rubber masks, fake blood, rubber bats and bugs and tons of Jigglers to suck your wallet dry like a vacuum baby!

Scan through the 1981 Ben Cooper Catalog here.

For more Superhero and Monster related items, Check out these fabulous links:

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Mickey Mouse power ranch

 

 

This toy from Remco gives me the same uneasy feeling when I first saw a muscular Joe Piscopo. Buff Mickey makes me uncomfortable.

Hoppity Hops for 1980

Sun Products  doesn't exactly ring a lot of bells for for many but I think everybody remembers the Hoppity Hop. Originally devised in Italy in the late 1960s (where it was known as the "Space Hopper"), Sun dubbed it the Hoppity Hop when it was introduced in 1971 to North Americans and the name really stuck.

Hops were a staple toy store item for the entirety of the decade and saw many incarnations including licensed editions featuring Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and of course, your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

Check out the 1980 Hoppity Hop Catalog here

The reason Donald Duck is so crabby

You'd be a bear too if you had some ginger kid on your back the whole time...

Horsman's Bedknobs and Broomsticks

Toy Fair 1972- An Angela Lansbury doll with an "Action Bed" accessory? I'm sooooooooo there!