Frederick August Otto Schwarz

Schwarz left his home in Germany for the United States and established an iconic retail brand that transformed the way retailers connected with consumers.

Playmobil

This German company pivoted from making casket accessories to producing plastic playthings and became one of the country’s most successful toy companies along the way.

ThinkFun

ThinkFun rose from obscurity to become a respected game publisher thanks to the tenacity of the founders and its clever brain-challenging games.

Steiff

Steiff grew from a one-person seamstress business to become a pioneer of plush toys and maker of the highly collectable Teddy Bear.

Leslie Scott

Leslie Scott turned childhood play with wooden building blocks into Jenga, a game that continues to attract board game enthusiasts of all ages almost four decades after its initial release.

Richard T. James and Betty M. James

The couple who created Slinky, one of North America’s most popular toys, saw their personal lives spiral in unexpected directions.

Mego Corporation

From dime-store toys to action figures and playsets, Mego Corporation led the industry in manufacturing efficiencies and display packaging innovations.

Bruder

This family business weathered economic and cultural shifts to become one of the most recognizable European and international toy brands.

Reliable Toy Company

Founded by three brothers in Toronto in the 1920s, Reliable Toy Company grew from tiny toy producer to become the British Empire’s largest toymaker.

GANZ

At Ganz, the dream of one family evolved to change an entire industry.

O-Pee-Chee

Founded by two entrepreneurial brothers, O-Pee-Chee gained fame for its signature trading cards packaged with a stick of bubble gum.

David Nelson Mullany: Stepping Up To The Plate

Watching children play baseball inspired Mullany to create a new form of play that transformed his personal prospects in just a few years.