Mr. Potato Head

Mr. Potato Head
Original 1952 Mr. Potato Head Funny Face Kit
Inventor(s)George Lerner
CompanyHasbro / Playskool / PPW Toys
CountryUnited States
Availability1952–present
Materials

Mr. Potato Head is an American toy brand consisting of a plastic model of a potato "head" to which a variety of plastic parts can attach — typically ears, eyes, shoes, hat, nose, pants and mouth.

Mr. Potato Head was invented and manufactured by George Lerner in 1949, but was first distributed by Hasbro in 1952.[1] It was the first toy advertised on television[2][3] and has remained in production since.

In its original form, Mr. Potato Head was offered as separate plastic parts with pushpins to be affixed to a real potato or other vegetable. Due to complaints regarding rotting vegetables and new government safety regulations, Hasbro began including a plastic potato body with the toy set in 1964.[4] The original toy was subsequently joined by Mrs. Potato Head and supplemented with accessories including a car and boat trailer.

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head both appeared in the Toy Story franchise, voiced by Don Rickles and Estelle Harris. Additionally, in 1998, The Mr. Potato Head Show aired but was short-lived, with only one season being produced.[5] As one of the prominent marks of Hasbro, a Mr. Potato Head balloon has also joined others in the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.[6] Toy Story Midway Mania!, in Disney California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort, also features a large talking Mr. Potato Head.[7]

Hasbro updated the brand in 2021, dropping the honorific in the name and marketing the toy simply as Potato Head, while retaining the individual characters of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.[8]

  1. ^ "Mr Potato Head". Museum of Childhood website. V&A Museum of Childhood. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference WTToys was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "About Mr. Potato Head". Archived from the original on September 25, 2008. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  4. ^ "The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD". Children's Museum Indianapolis Website. Children's Museum Indianapolis. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved February 24, 2012.
  5. ^ "The Mr. Potato Head Show". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  6. ^ Suddath, Claire (November 27, 2008). "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade". Time. Archived from the original on November 28, 2008.
  7. ^ "Toy Story Mania! | Walt Disney World Resort". Disneyworld.disney.go.com. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference nyt-ph-rebrand was invoked but never defined (see the help page).