Playtoy Industries

Last updated

Playtoy Industries was a Canada-based toy company founded by 1973 in Toronto, Ontario, with president Jerry Smith [1] [2] [3] [4] and vice-presidents Stephen Morris and Ron Burke. [5] [6] In 1997, it moved to Concord, Ontario. [7] They went out of business in mid 1999. [7]

Playtoy both developed its own games, and licensed from others. Most often, they licensed from Pressman Toy Corporation. Playtoy Industries would then translate the product into French in order to ship a bilingual product. [8] Playtoy introduced three new Canadian games each year. [9] They licensed some of these to Pressman Toy Corporation, as in the case of IQ2000. The company also distributed a range of games in Canada for the Sega Genesis.

Games were manufactured both locally at their combined offices/factory and overseas. The most notable exceptions were hoolahoops [2] and some other plastic products which were assembled by ARC Industries (a sheltered workshop for adults with a developmental disability).

Playtoy also manufactured games based on TV game shows, such as La Guerre des clans from TQS, and other shows from CBC Television and some other Canadian channels. They were Johnson & Johnson's infant toys distributor in Canada (and responsible for the French translation).

Playtoy's mass manufactured Co-Operative Game line was licensed from Jim Deacove [8] [6] (Family Pastimes), who continued to manufacture the same games in small batches. Thus the same games, with the same titles, were sold in two forms at the same time.

Distributed games

Red Box Line (value line)

Developed by/for Playtoy

Licensed from Pressman Toy Corporation

Licensed from Palmer-Cornale Games

Licensed from BroderBund

Co-Operative Games Line, licensed from Family Pastimes, Inc [6] [8]

Unknown

Distributed on behalf of Johnson and Johnson

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coleco</span> American manufacturer of consumer electronics

Coleco Industries, Inc. was an American company founded in 1932 by Maurice Greenberg as The Connecticut Leather Company. It was a successful toy company in the 1980s, mass-producing versions of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls and its video game consoles, the Coleco Telstar dedicated consoles and ColecoVision. While the company ceased operations in 1988 as a result of bankruptcy, the Coleco brand was revived in 2005, and remains active to this day.

The video game crash of 1983 was a large-scale recession in the video game industry that occurred from 1983 to 1985 in the United States. The crash was attributed to several factors, including market saturation in the number of video game consoles and available games, many of which were of poor quality. Waning interest in console games in favor of personal computers also played a role. Home video game revenue peaked at around $3.2 billion in 1983, then fell to around $100 million by 1985. The crash abruptly ended what is retrospectively considered the second generation of console video gaming in North America. To a lesser extent, the arcade video game market also weakened as the golden age of arcade video games came to an end.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hasbro</span> American multinational toy and entertainment company

Hasbro, Inc. is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herman Hassenfeld and is incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of Kenner, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, and Wizards of the Coast, among others. As of August 2020, over 81.5% of its shares were held by large financial institutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parker Brothers</span> American toy and game manufacturer

Parker Brothers was an American toy and game manufacturer which in 1991 became a brand of Hasbro. More than 1,800 games were published under the Parker Brothers name since 1883. Among its products were Monopoly, Clue, Sorry!, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation, Bop It, Scrabble, and Probe. The trade name became defunct with former products being marketed under the "Hasbro Gaming" label, with the logo shown on Monopoly games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Alfredsson</span> Swedish ice hockey player (born 1972)

Daniel Alfredsson, nicknamed "Alfie", is a Swedish-Canadian former professional ice hockey player and assistant coach for the Ottawa Senators. He spent 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), primarily with the Senators. He also briefly played for the Detroit Red Wings before his retirement in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bandai</span> Japanese toy company

Bandai Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational toy manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Taitō, Tokyo. Its international branches, Bandai Namco Toys & Collectables America and Bandai UK, are respectively headquartered in Irvine, California, and Richmond, London. Since 2005, Bandai is the toy production division of Bandai Namco Holdings, currently the world's second largest toy company measured by total revenue. Between 1981 and 2001, Bandai was a manufacturer of video game consoles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotiabank Saddledome</span> Multi-use indoor arena in Calgary, Alberta

Scotiabank Saddledome is a multi-use indoor arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Located in Stampede Park in the southeast end of downtown Calgary, the Saddledome was built in 1983 to replace the Stampede Corral as the home of the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League, and to host ice hockey and figure skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violence in ice hockey</span> Illegal actions in ice hockey

Violence has been a part of ice hockey since at least the early 1900s. According to the book Hockey: A People's History, in 1904 alone, four players were killed during hockey games from the frequent brawls and violent stickwork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ken Read</span> Canadian alpine skier (born 1955)

Kenneth John Read is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Canada. He was a specialist in the downhill and a two-time Olympian. He won five World Cup races during his ten-year international career, all in downhill.

The 1972 CFL season is considered to be the 19th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 15th Canadian Football League season.

Laurie Joseph Boschman is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils and Ottawa Senators. In his final NHL season, Boschman served as the first captain of the Ottawa Senators. Boschman was born in Major, Saskatchewan, but grew up in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan. As of completion of the 2023–24 season, Boschman is one of only 17 players in NHL history to have recorded over 500 points and over 2,000 penalty minutes in their career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Micah Johnson (gridiron football)</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Micah Johnson is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats. He has also spent time with the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers, Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pressman Toy Corporation</span> American toy manufacturer

Pressman Toy Corporation is a toy manufacturer based in Richardson, Texas. Founded in 1922 by Jack Pressman, it currently focuses on family games and licensed products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skip Walker</span> American gridiron football player (1954–2022)

Alvin Ray "Skip" Walker was an American professional football running back who played five seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Rough Riders, including two seasons where he led the CFL in rushing yards in 1982 and 1983. He was named a CFL All Star in 1982 and 1983, and a CFL East All-Star in 1980, 1982 and 1983. He played college football at Texas A&M and was selected in the 11th round of the 1976 NFL draft by the Houston Oilers. He also spent time with the Toronto Argonauts, Saskatchewan Roughriders, and Green Bay Packers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nintendo Entertainment System</span> Home video game console

The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) is an 8-bit home video game console produced by Nintendo. It was first released in Japan on July 15, 1983, as the Family Computer (Famicom). It was released in US test markets as the redesigned NES in October 1985, and fully launched in the US the following year. The NES was distributed in Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia throughout the 1980s under various names. As a third-generation console, it mainly competed with Sega's Master System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">102nd Grey Cup</span> 2014 Canadian Football championship game

The 102nd Grey Cup was a Canadian football game played November 30, 2014, between the West Division champion Calgary Stampeders and East Division champion Hamilton Tiger-Cats, to determine the Canadian Football League (CFL) championship for the 2014 season. The contest was held at BC Place stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Stampeders won the contest 20–16 to claim their seventh Grey Cup championship in franchise history and first since 2008. Calgary quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, while Hamilton's Andy Fantuz received the Dick Suderman Trophy as most outstanding Canadian.

Mark William Lamb is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, and current general manager and head coach of the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Lamb was previously the head coach of the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. Lamb was born in Ponteix, Saskatchewan but grew up in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. As an ice hockey player, he played for the Calgary Flames, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the NHL's Stanley Cup in 1990 with the Edmonton Oilers, and co-captained the Ottawa Senators in 1993–94. Lamb also won the International Hockey League's Turner Cup with the Houston Aeros in 1999.

Greg Vavra is a Canadian former professional football quarterback who played five seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions and Edmonton Eskimos. He played CIAU football for the Calgary Dinosaurs and won the Hec Crighton Trophy in 1983.

Doug Smith was a Canadian radio sportscaster who covered the Montreal Maroons and then Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League in the 1930s and '40s, and later the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and golf. Smith was born in Calgary but moved to Montreal in 1944 from Trail, British Columbia where he started his career. In 1946, he covered the Brier's first radio broadcast on CBC Radio. Smith switched to calling football full-time in 1952 from hockey after a minor heart attack, and was replaced by Danny Gallivan. He also organized international golf matches, including the World Golfer of the Year in 1965. He later moved to Florida, but returned to broadcast Alouettes games in 1973. Smith died in 1979 after a long illness in hospital in Montreal. He received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award and induction into the media section of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1983, he was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randy Ambrosie</span> 14th and current commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL)

Randy Ambrosie is the 14th and current commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Ambrosie played Canadian football professionally as an offensive guard for the CFL's Calgary Stampeders, Toronto Argonauts, and Edmonton Eskimos. He was selected with the second overall pick in the 1985 CFL Draft by the Stampeders. Over the course of a nine-season career, he played in 142 professional games and became a Grey Cup champion. Ambrosie played CIAU football at the University of Manitoba.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Durnford, Nancy (25 November 1983). "Board games are hot sellers for 1983". The Gazette. Montreal, Quebec. p. F1. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  2. 1 2 Ketcham, Brock (27 August 1990). "Noise-making exercise hoop raises Airdie mom's concern". Calgary Herald. p. 11. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  3. 1 2 Dubé, Francine (4 February 1997). "In search of the next Elmo - Making it big in $1.4-billion toy industry isn't child's play". The Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "Canadian Toy Industry Hall of Fame Inductees -Moe Smith". Canadian Toy Industry / L'Association Canadienne du Jouet. Retrieved 30 January 2019. In 1955 Mr. Smith founded Lido Toys and turned it into the largest manufacturer of plastic toys by the time he sold it in 1964. He later amalgamated several other of his companies into Plastoy, the forerunner of Playtoy Industries Inc. now owned by his son Jerry Smith.
  5. 1 2 3 Hryniuk (30 November 1991). "This game can make the world a better place". The Leader-Post. Regina, Saskatchewan. p. 10. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Evenson, Brad (29 December 1986). "Co-operative games prove a winner". The Ottawa Citizen. p. B3. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 Côté, Tony (19 June 2000). "Company to forward pair of toy Clydesdales". The Ottawa Citizen. p. D7. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Kennedy, Janice (25 January 1988). "A new kind of game is teaching kids to co-operate". The Gazette. Montreal, Canada. p. 20. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  9. 1 2 Ibbitson, John (25 November 1988). "Terry ties trendy toy to twisting tongues". The Ottawa Citizen. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. p. B16. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Hamilton Toy Museum". Gluseum. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Trivia game caters to rock music fans". The Lethbridge Herald. CP. 25 July 1984. p. C9. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  12. ↑ "Designing new game is not a trivial pursuit". Calgary Herald. Calgary, Alberta, Canada. 30 August 1983. p. C2. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  13. ↑ Bean, Bill (25 August 1983). "This trivia is for kids". Edmonton Journal. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. p. F5. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  14. 1 2 3 "Artist: Playtoy Industries". Canadian Museum of History / Musée Canadien de l'Histoire. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Grenby, Mike (25 October 1985). "Your Money". The Vancouver Sun. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. p. B6. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  16. ↑ "Inve$tor, published by Playtoy Industries, c. 1983". The Strong National Museum of Play - Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  17. ↑ McKay, Sharon (1988). The New Child Safety Handbook. Macmillan of Canada. p. 189. ISBN   9780771599125.
  18. ↑ Chamberland, Gilles; Provost, Guy (1996). Jeu, Simulation et Jeu de Rôle. PUQ. p. 48. ISBN   9782760521247.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Bedard-Bidwell, Betty (2001). Hand in Hand. GeneralStore Publishing House. pp. 178–179. ISBN   9781894263382.
  20. ↑ "Kids go crazy for Crazy Bones". Strategy. 4 January 1999. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  21. ↑ Habib, Marlene (11 December 1998). "Don't toy around when buying toys". Nanaimo Daily News. Nanaimo, British Columbia. The Canadian Press. p. C2. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.