Remembering MR. POTATO HEAD

Mr. Potato Head turns 60!
　

An American made plastic toy and the first toy to be advertised on television. Mr. Potato Head and all of his accessories have remained in production and quite popular since his debut in 1952. Through the years this popular spud has kept up with the changing times and even has a facebook page.

Invented and developed by George Lerner. Hasbro manufactured and distributed the original Mr. Potato Head toy consisted of only the push pin parts - hands, nose, mouth, eye glasses, shoes, ears, etc.to be used on a real potato...Now that sure gives a whole new meaning to "don't play with your food!". After complaints regarding the rotting potato Hasbro created a plastic body part for the guy. The rest is history........

Mr. Potato Head has been quite a popular guy since the days when many of us spent hours rearranging his face. And how ironic is it that Mr. Potato Head celebrates his birthday just as potato planting season gets into full swing on the Eastern Shore.

Today I am reminded of the grandmother with her grandson who wasn't acting the obedient child she thought he should be (many years ago). She squeezed his hand, bent down to him and looked him in the eye. She said to him, "(name) tatas has eyes". I understood the meaning- so did he.

And  I am still haunted today by a birthday of my only daughter many years ago when all she wanted for her birthday was a Mr. Potato Head. Silly me made the decision to give her something entirely different. There was holy you-know-what raised that day when she discovered there was NO Mr. Potato Head. I learned an important lesson on that day.

And today, tucked away with all her belongings from the past, I am sure, is Mr. Potato Head.

Who knew.

To read more about the exciting life of Mr. Potato Head go here

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. POTATO HEAD