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About Mr. Potato Head

Potatoes are a staple food in many cultures, but in the early 1950s, potatoes got their own personality. Mr. Potato Head was the first toy to appear in a commercial, and it exploded to become one of the most popular children's toys of all time. Today, Mr. Potato Head can be found on many store shelves and is an icon in the toy world and pop culture.

History
- Mr. Potato Head was the creation of inventor George Lerner. He came up to the concept in 1949, and the Hasbro Company purchased his idea in 1951. Originally, real potatoes were used for all of the plastic parts, but in 1964 the plastic head was introduced, which made the toy last longer. In 1973 the head that is seen on shelves today was introduced, and the toy was redesigned with a larger body and bigger body parts.
Function
- Mr. Potato Head is a toy that children use their imaginations on to create different faces and bodies. The back of the potato features a compartment that opens up and stores extra accessories. The body has holes for the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, head, arms and legs. Accessories like glasses and mustaches attach to other parts and do not need their own hole on the potato.
Popular Culture
- Mr. Potato Head was featured in the animated films "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2." Mrs. Potato Head was also in "Toy Story 2." In 1997, Burger King introduced new fries and Mr. Potato Head became the "spokesperson" for these fries, appearing in a large ad campaign to promote the company and its products. Mr. Potato Head even had his own animated cartoon show from 1998 through 1999, titled "The Mr. Potato Head Show."
Types
- Mr. Potato Heads comes in several varieties. Movie-based Mr. Potato Heads include "Spider-Man," "Transformers," "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones." Sports-themed Mr. Potato Heads feature uniforms and gear from popular teams in the NFL, NBA and MLB. General Mr. Potato Head themes include pirate, firefighter, mermaid, princess, Santa Claus, chef, king and police officer.
Geography
- Hasbro originated in Rhode Island, and in the year 2000, Rhode Island officials declared Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head the official travel ambassadors of the state. Variously designed Mr. Potato Head statues were placed all over the state and became travel destinations for car trips through the state. Many of the statues are still up today and offer a unique look at this classic toy (see Resources below).

Childrens Toys