Elliot Handler, Co-Founder of Mattel Toys, Dies at 95

[Omaha Steve]

Source: NY Times

By CHARLES DUHIGG

Elliot Handler, who co-founded the Mattel toy company and designed the plastic playthings that have filled millions of Christmas stockings, made dinner parties possible by occupying otherwise fidgety children, and stubbed countless parents’ toes, died on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 95.

The cause was heart failure, his daughter, Barbara Segal, said.

Mr. Handler helped introduce Barbie, helped design the talking doll Chatty Cathy and popularized Hot Wheels toy cars.

He began Mattel in 1945 with his wife, Ruth, and a short-term partner. Until the Handlers were forced out of Mattel in 1975, they oversaw a toy empire that is among the largest in the world today.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/23/business/elliot-handler-co-founder-of-mattel-toys-dies-at-95.html

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The New York Times

Elliot and Ruth Handler, co-founders of Mattel, assembled a two-stage plastic rocket in this photograph from Feb. 7, 1959.

[Kingofalldems]

1. You can tell it's Mattel--it's swell!

RIP

[Ready4Change]

2. I and my Hot Wheels having a moment of silence.

I've had a lot of fun with the things he and Mattel produced. (Still having fun with them, to be honest.)

[Botany]

3. A life well lived

[lunatica]

4. Blessed be the toymakers

For they know the hearts of children

[BumRushDaShow]

5. R.I.P.

Will Never forget getting my first hot wheels when they first came out (as a little girl even!!) and not being able to figure out how to put the loop-de-loop track together... (apparently the direction sheet was missing)!! :rofl:

R.I.P. and sad to see how the company has now pretty much out-sourced the entire operation with a loss of product quality. :(

[Raschel]

6. Many happy memories of playing Barbies with my sister. Loved Barbie

then and still do. Had a Chatty Cathy, and the boys had Hotwheels.

Thanks for the creations Elliot and Barbara!

[alp227]

7. a contributor to environmental destruction by mass plastic production n/t