Profiles of Ingenuity

Jack Friedman worked his way up in the toy industry to become one of the early adopters of licencing existing franchises to create best-selling toys.

Denys Fisher’s lifelong passion for math and engineering led to his creating one of the world’s most popular toys, Spirograph.

Pedro Flores left the Philippines and lived the true American Dream thanks to his invention of the Yo-yo!

Jerry Lawson rose above financial hardship and discrimination to become the first African-American video game engineer and developer.

Jim Henson was a television pioneer and innovative visual artist who raised puppeteering to a new art form.

Carol Shaw created a bestselling video game and dodged gender bias to carve out her career.

Bernard Loomis made legendary contributions to the toy industry and world of play.

Louis Marx was once referred to as “the Henry Ford of the toy industry”. He was a toy tycoon from the 1920s into the 1970s whose toys elevated playtime and inspired creativity in children around the world.

Cowen applied his talent for engineering and innate curiosity to create model trains that captured the attention of rail enthusiasts for generations.

Jerome Lemelson’s passion for technology and engineering led to advancements in toys, games, and gadgets.

A.C. Gilbert left a promising career in medicine to create toy kits that inspired generations of engineers, scientists, and tinkerers.

The Danish toymaker rose from poverty to create LEGO, one of the world’s most recognizable and profitable toy brands.

George S. Parker was one of the most prolific individual inventors in toy- and game-industry history and the force behind Parker Brothers, a pioneering toy and game manufacturer.

Charles S. Raizen invented a new way to transfer patterns through friction, creating a new niche and earning his place in toy-industry history.

Rod Serling’s radio and television productions are steeped in intrigue. As screenwriter, producer, host, and narrator of The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling challenged television audiences to open their minds to new realities and break free of social conventions.

Great toys have an indelible impact on the memories of children. While many manufacturers are lucky to produce just one such toy. Wham-O is one of the few to have consistently turned out hit after hit.

Beatrice Alexander elevated the craft of doll making in the United States and around the world. Crowned the “First Lady of Dolls” by FAO Schwarz, her dolls are highly valued by collectors and museums alike.

This engineer and artist had a talent for breaking convention. His zany cartoons showcased elaborately engineered devices designed to perform simple tasks.