United States, 1930 to 1960

Play and New Heroic Characters

In the 1930s, fantasy entered the world of boys' toys. The Better Play for Childhood League chose Peter Pan as the symbol of its Children's Day. Comic book popularity soared after the 1938 introduction of Superman and Action Comics, with commercialism apparent in the tieins that followed shortly thereafter. Dick Tracy, Buck Rogers, and Superman were some of the characters depicted on science fiction guns and gadgets. Hollywood contributed characters too; the first movie character doll was Scarlett O'Hara, manufactured by Madame Alexander in 1939. Girls' toys were less a departure from tradition, but their fantasies were part of the appeal of Shirley Temple and Little Orphan Annie dolls and toys.

New Games and Toys

The 1930s saw the debut of the 3D View Master. Comic books also boosted sales of handheld radios and X-ray glasses and other toys advertised on the comic book's back page. The emphasis was on cheap, which meant easily broken—arguably the beginning of the modern way of toy making. The 1930s were the Depression years, and toy manufacturers moved away from innovative designs because the market required inexpensive toys. Toy soldiers were popular. The 1930s also saw the introduction of classic board games, including Sorry, Scrabble, and Monopoly. Checkers, Chess, and Chinese Checkers held their own in this and subsequent decades.

The beginning of World War II saw an increase in specialization, including in toys. The board games Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders, and Silly Putty, were lines developed specifically for children, and Clue was marketed as a family game. Tonka Trucks were miniature replicas of the heavy equipment that adult males were using in their daily work—an indication that imitation of real life was becoming important in play again.

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