For budding cinephiles in the 1960s & ’70s, Kenner rolled out a whole host of toys for watching movies and cartoons of popular characters of the day. These offerings included a slew of film-based offerings, such as the Give-a-Show Projector, Movie Viewer, Real Sound Movie Projector, Easy-Show Movie Projector, Super Show Projector, Screen-A-Show Projector and Change-a-Channel TV Set.
One of Kenner’s more short-lived and quirky toy lines was the Cassette Movie Projector, released in 1973. It ran on three D-batteries and included a built-in screen—a one-piece setup that made the toy quite portable. The Cassette Movie Projector’s major selling point was its use of film cassettes that could be easily inserted and used by young children. Each cassette ran for less than 5 minutes.
SCREENING ROOM
With power on and a cassette in place, viewing the footage was accomplished by simply turning a handle. Kenner marketed a variety of cassettes for the toy, including Scooby Doo, Bugs Bunny, Sabrina (the Teenage Witch), The Harlem Globetrotters, Archie, Fat Albert, and Josie & the Pussycats.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Vintage film toy collectors should look for Cassette Movie Projectors with clean housings, working mechanisms, and original packaging complete with instructions and advertising inserts. Look for film cassettes that appear free of cracks, warping, or brittleness, as these are strong indicators of condition.
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