Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? For years, college students, especially at Yale, had played a game of catch with pie tins (or in some versions of the story, lids of cookie jars) made by the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Conn. Mr. Knerr said in an interview yesterday that the similarity of the name of Wham-O's disk to the name of the student game was a coincidence. Stingley and the company spent two years trying to create a manufacturing process that would result in a stable ball (prototypes were prone to exploding). In 1962, they sold a limbo dance kit to take advantage of that fad; and in 1975, when the movie Jaws was released, they sold plastic shark teeth. ''He said it would be huge. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. When a ball dreams, it dreams it's a Frisbee," they said. They were more of an old-school company. There was a sense they had passed their heyday., Melin and Knerr were also faced with an unfortunate consequence of people trying to have a little too much fun: the Slip 'N Slide, intended for children, proved catastrophic to adults and teens who were too large to use it properly. Bubble Thing (1988), a flexible plastic strip attached to a wand, which was dipped in soap solution and waved through the air to create giant soap bubbles. Many products were not successful. They added toys in 1955, when building inspector Fred Morrison sold them a plastic flying disc he had developed after watching Yale University students toss pie tins. Please enter your email and password to sign in. In 1957, Wham-O, still a fledgling company, took the idea of Australian bamboo "exercise hoops", manufactured them in Marlex, and called their new product the Hula Hoop. All Rights Reserved, Hula Hoop promoter Arthur Spud Melin dies. They extensively researched new product ideas, including traveling around the world. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Arthur Melin (27070295)? They branched into other sporting goods, including pellet guns, crossbows and daggers. A giant promotional specimen accidentally dropped from a 23rd-floor hotel room window, rebounded 15 floors and destroyed a parked convertible as it fell again. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. By 1948, they had moved into Knerr's Los Angeles garage, where Spud Melin cut slingshots with a handsaw, Knerr sanded, and both sold, personally first, then by mail-order and through dealers all over the United States. Try again later. Instead of counting a fortune, Wham-O was sitting on inventory they wouldnt clear for years. Other companies began making their own versions, and within four months Americans were spinning 20 million of the hoops and organizing national competitions. The Men Who Invented Fun: A History of Wham-O Knerr and Melin left behind a considerable legacy in the toy world. You can navigate days by using left and right arrows. Spudwas the quiet, kind of brainy idea man and more introverted, says Lori Knerr, Richs daughter. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. Wham-O was also enjoying the creative freedom that came from the plastic injection molding process, a relatively recent innovation in the wooden toy business. COSTA MESA, Calif. Arthur "Spud" Melin, co-founder of the toy company that introduced the world to the Frisbee, Hula Hoop and other faddish gems of American You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. March 5, 1963: the Hula Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that became a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958, is patented by the companys co-founder, Arthur Spud Melin. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27070295/arthur-kelso-melin. The Original Hula-Hoop Girl, Now 94, Is Still At It - Vogue Please try again later. Richard A. Johnson, author of the book American Fads, declared the Hula Hoop the undisputed granddaddy of American fads. No sensation has ever swept the country like the Hula Hoop, he wrote. By the summer of 1958, the Hula-Hoop, and its many imitators, took the nation by storm. Their first major development was a buy-in - the Frisbee. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Wham-O changed the name to Frisbee and began selling the rebranded toy in 1958. Costa Mesa, Orange County, California, USA. March 5, 1963: the Hula Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that became a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958, is patented by the "Superball was such a great one. 3 1 greengrenades To be the man, you gotta 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved, 12 Wacky Products from Wham-O You Have to See to Believe, 12 WackyProducts from Wham-O You Have to See to Believe. But they wanted to see what they could do with it.. Ed Sullivan (2 However, his most famous offspring happens to work in the football industry. Melin was right, though. In 1965, while Hula Hoops were still rolling out the door, Melin and Knerr introduced the Superball, a small rubber ball with an exceptionally high bounce invented and patented by chemist Norman H. Stingley. Wham-O was also responsible for a few ideas that did not etch themselves into popular history as indelibly as the Frisbee, the Hula Hoop or the Superball. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. On January 31, 2011, Wham-O announced an agreement with ICM, the agency representing Atari video games, to represent Wham-O in movies, television, music, and online content based around its toys.[30]. Wham-O's most famous contribution to silliness, the Hula-Hoop, was born in 1957. Recalled in 1978 after it caused the deaths of two children, having sold approximately 2.5 million units. If they liked an idea, it could be implemented immediately. Along with his wife, Melin is survived by five daughters, Linda, Sally, June, Carol and Della; one brother, Tom; and 11 grandchildren. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? But Headrick wasn't the only mad scientist on staff.Wham-O had a second secret weapon in Norm Stingley, a chemist who brought them a highly volatile compound his company had been working on. And in answer to a music and dance fad of the era, it also marketed Chubby Checker Limbo sets. Add to your scrapbook. Mr. Melin was right, though. Millions of rings sat in piles like gargantuan wrist bracelets. "We didn't want it used as a toy, we wanted it to be a sport," Melin said in a 1998 interview with the Pasadena Star-News. The Hula had been nothing less than an international sensation, hypnotizing adults and children into rhythmically twisting just to keep a plastic ring from falling to the floor. Every toy company has a submission policy, says Walsh, who also designs games. Sorry! Knerr once had a baby elephant delivered to Melins wife, Suzy, after Melin went on an African safari without him. Today in History: March 5, 1963. They tried to sell their birds to enthusiasts, but got more interest for the shot, which they named Wham-O, for the sensation felt when it hit the target. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Anyone can read what you share. Wham-O rebounded a few years later with the unusual spring of the SuperBall, made of a compressed plastic known as Zectron. And when the novelty products missedlike the "Mr. Hootie" egg rake, meant to help users pluck out bits of egg shell from a cracked eggat least Melin and Knerr managed to amuse themselves. In an era dominated by toymakers who had been around for decades, Wham-O innovated or acquired revolutionary ideas: the Frisbee, Slip N Slide, Super Ball, Silly String, and dozens of novelty items, all bearing their unique brand aesthetic. Melin and his wife, Suzy, became aware of children in Australia and elsewhere around the South Pacific playing with a bamboo or rattan ring by swinging it around their hips. It was inexplicable. He left behind a legacy of fun. Its first hit toy, a flying plastic disc known as the Frisbee, debuted in 1957. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Magic Window (1971), two 30 by 30 centimetres (12in 12in) oval plates of heavy clear plastic, with a narrow channel between them containing "microdium" (glass) crystal sands of varying colors that created complex patterns when shifted. ''Spud brought it home and showed it to me,'' Mrs. Melin recalled yesterday. Melin GREAT NEWS! Humans have been hula hooping for hundreds of years. The ball was uninjured. For example, Sea-Doo is a brand of personal water craft owned by Bombardier; Wham-O makes a Sea-Doo line of small inflatable rafts designed to be towed behind watercraft. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? And for every Super Ball they successfully marketed, there were a dozen or more imitators shaving away at market share. After selling more than 100 million Hula Hoops in 16 months, Arthur Spud Melin and Rich Knerr took a look at their books. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. But I think this country gave us more than we gave it. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. This is a carousel with slides. WebThe hoop has been a popular children's toy for thousands of years, and the introduction of the Hula Hoop in 1958 by the Wham-O toy company has been documented by sociologists as one of the biggest fads ever to take hold in America and one of the most significant events of the time. This Day in History The company ended 1958 with losses of $10,000. WebIn 1948, he co-founded the company Wham-O with Arthur Melin (nicknamed "Spud"). One of the best relationships on Merlin was between the series' eponymous protagonist and Camelot's king. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. The domestic size sold 20m. Around 20 million Super Balls were sold that decade, and the NFL named the Super Bowl games after it.[10]. Richard Knerr - Wikipedia Today, Woodmans net worth is estimated at $800 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, which is actually much lower than his peak valuation of $4.5 billion. But Wham-O continued to make other novelties, like Silly String and the Slip 'n' Slide. Save . The Frisbee and Hula Hoop created fads. Melin is survived by his wife, Suzy; five daughters; a brother; and 11 grandchildren. For about a year in the 1950s, the company markets their sporting goods under the name WAMO. Wham-O first tried to sell the disk as the Pluto Platter, an attempt to cash in on the country's fascination with unidentified flying objects. All rights reserved. Arthur "Spud'' Melin, toy executive who gave world Frisbee Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Melin, known by his childhood nickname Spud, formed Wham-O with a friend, Richard Knerr, in 1948, while they were working for their fathers and attending the University of Southern California. RELATED: Sherlock Holmes: 5 Similarities Between The Films Reboots & The BBC Series (& 5 Differences) They may Melin retired from the company when it was sold to Kransco Group Cos. in 1982. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Thanks to a savvy marketing campaign, 25 million hoops were sold within a few months of the product's launch; the hula hoop craze was off and looping, with kids all over America spinning hoops around their hips and waists. Sales skyrocketed, reaching 100 million before Mattel eventually bought out Wham-O. They were buddies to the end.. Wham-O was the comic book sound effect they assigned to their ball bearings hitting a target, and a good name for a company that specialized in launching projectiles: blowguns, throwing knives, and tomahawks followed. "I think he proved the American success story. The History of the Frisbee Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. (Stingley got a penny per ball.) Overview. The technology allowed them to dream up all sorts of packaged nonsense. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. They started making slingshots, just for kicks, out of the ends of orange crates, Chuck recalls. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Mr Knerr, who retired when he and company co-founder Arthur Spud Melin sold Wham-O in 1982, Richard Knerr who invented the Hula Hoop and the Frisbee. Both the Hula Hoop and Instant Fish sprang from Melins interest in other parts of the world. Knerr and Melin marketed their products directly to kids, including demonstrating their toys at playgrounds. U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Canada, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. They just banned Elvis Presley's hips from the Ed Sullivan show.' Photo courtesy of Phil Kennedy. We wanted it to be a sport.. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), Current one is: March 5. The domestic size sold 20 million. In 1958, they renamed it the Frisbee, either because that was the phoneticisation of the trade name as heard by Knerr on a college tour, or after Mr Frisbie, a US comic strip. He sold the design to Wham-O in 1957. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Richard Rich Knerr co-founded the Wham-O company, which specialised in fun products such as Silly String and the Super Ball. A group of investors then bought Wham-O back from Mattel in 1997 for about $20 million and relaunched many of its best-known toys, including the Slip 'N Slide. By the end of the 1970s, Wham-O had settled into a strange sense of complacency. Knerr and his partner, Wham-O co-founder Arthur "Spud" Melin, specialized in fun, with the Hula Hoop, Slip 'N Slide, Silly String and Super Ball, entertaining countless By 2006 Wham-O's product line included several groups of related items using licensed brand names. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Richard Knerr | The Blog of Death This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. With plastic molding so inexpensive, hoop hobbyists didnt necessarily have any brand loyaltyparticularly if the generic was cheaper. Retailers in the United States were skeptical, but the two sensed a hit. Nevertheless, the public of all ages also adopted them, buying more than 100 million Frisbees in 30 years. She didn't know what she was going to do with it.. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Made of aluminum spars, wood, steel wire and mylar, it was brightly painted to resemble a hawk or owl. Richard Knerr (19252008[2]) and Arthur "Spud" Melin (19242002[3]), two University of Southern California graduates who were friends since their teens, were unhappy with their jobs and decided to start their own business. A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? Because of its enduring popularity, the Hula Hoop was inducted into Potato Heads can be worth from $200 to $695 dollars. See more:12 Wacky Products from Wham-O You Have to See to Believe., That wouldnt fly in todays toy world. Richard Knerr, a businessman who brought joy to millions of children around the world, died on Jan. 14 from complications of a stroke. But the imported fish produced no hatchable eggs. Melin passed away in 2002; Knerr, in 2008. Wham-O would never have seen that success if not for their open-door policy: Anyone could telegram, mail, or show up in person with a toy idea. Bookbinding! Old ones were retired, for a few years or permanently, as their popularity waned. One hundred million platters have been sold, and as Spud Melin hoped, they became a sport - the basis of the team game Ultimate, with world championships, and disc golf on 500 courses worldwide. I once asked Rich Knerr about stuff like the Mr. Hootie egg rake, Walsh says. Weve updated the security on the site. He patented a design for a two-handed tennis racket with an adjustable handle. How much did a Hula Hoop cost in the 1950s? idswater.com Greatest toy invention in years! ad copy blared. We're Not Toying With You! These Really Are the Most Popular More importantly, they were actually having as much fun as people thought they were. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. In 1982, Melin and Knerr sold Wham-O to the Kransco Group for $12m, but Melin kept up his interest in gadgets - at one point, he Arthur Melin, the co-founder of Wham-O, which introduced fads like the Hula-Hoop and lasting diversions like the Frisbee, died on Friday at a care center in Costa Mesa, Calif. (It was also 1958, before the advent of more sophisticated distractions.) They balanced and complemented each other.. He was 77 and had Alzheimer's disease. They bought a saw at Sears, Roebuck & Company on a monthly payment plan, set it up in a garage and began making and selling slingshots. Five dozen were ordered by the White House. On this day in 1963, the Hula-Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that became a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958, is patented by the company's co-founder, Arthur "Spud" Melin. Left strictly to their own sensibilities, items like the Bowmatic bow-making machine and the Super Foam Machine probably wouldn't have kept the lights on. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. (modern). An hour later, Knerr had the elephant returned to the circus. ). They had no corporate ego, willing and happy to allow inventors like Springley and Morrison to pose with their creations. Born in Los Angeles on December 30th, 1924, he and his boyhood pal, later business partner, Richard (Rich) Knerr, studied at the University of South California. While visiting that continent he saw a little fish that buried its eggs in mud during the dry season. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). [6][7] 25 million were sold in four months, and in two years sales reached more than 100 million. According to Ripleys Believe It or Not, in April 2004, a performer at the Big Apple Circus in Boston simultaneously spun 100 hoops around her body. They showed little regret. Love, Spud., An hour later, she sees Dad and another man from work walking up her driveway, Knerr says.Then this fake delivery truck arrives, Suzy couldn't see what it was. WebEd Sullivan (2): Directed by Franklin Heller. Were it not for a chemist and a former World War II spy, things might have stopped being fun. The enterprise ended with the oysters being dumped into a nearby bay because they could not get the venture off the ground.Wham-O's first incursion into the mainstream came in 1955, when it bought the idea for a plastic flying disk from a building inspector named Walter Frederick Morrison. Dad was the extrovert, a more sociable people person, so he was the one who did most interviews and the PR in the later years. COSTA MESA, Calif. Arthur "Spud" Melin, co-founder of the toy company that introduced the world to the Frisbee, Hula Hoop and other faddish gems of American pop culture, has died. Knerr and childhood buddy Arthur "Spud" Melin started a slingshot-selling business in 1948 in Pasadena and called their company Wham-O after what they said was the sound a slingshot made when it hit something. They bought a saw at Sears, Roebuck & Company on a monthly payment plan, set it up in a garage and began making and selling slingshots. As Wham-O changed ownership, its new management adjusted this formula to accommodate the changing toy industry, which had increasingly complex toys and fewer distribution channels. Use Escape keyboard button or the Close button to close the carousel. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. ''. Today I Found Out There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. All the funny product namesFling-a-Ring, Zip Zap, Water Weiniehad been exhausted. Try again later. The name "Wham-O" was inspired by the sound of the slingshot's shot hitting the target. Wham-O Inc. is an American toy company based in Carson, California, United States. But as quickly as it started, it was over. Today, Woodmans net worth is estimated at $800 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, which is actually much lower than his peak valuation of $4.5 billion. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. When Hasbro tried to buy Wham-O in 1982, Melin and Knerr were responsive. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. It became Wham-O's long, slow seller, with its own plant in San Gabriel, California, taking off in the 1960s as a counter-cultural exercise, the toy of hippies and of guys trying to impress their girls with Frisbee flips - "Flat flip flies straight. An estimated 25 million Hula Hoops were sold in its first four months of production alone. He was 77. There was no one like Melin or Knerr sitting over a drawing board and trying to come up with an outlandish product. Arthur Kelso Spud Melin (1924-2002) - Find a Grave Memorial Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Gender Male; Jobs. The enormous popularity of the Hula Hoop was short-lived and within a matter of months, the masses were on to the next big thing. For many years, the company's strategy was to maintain eight to twelve simple, inexpensive products such as Frisbees, Super Balls, and Hula Hoops. But Spud and Rich knew good ideas were out there and were willing to listen.. "No sensation has ever swept the country like the Hula Hoop," author Richard Johnson wrote in his book "American Fads." When lawsuits were brought over serious injuriesincluding one death and two broken necksthe company ceased production.. But Wham-O continued to make other novelties, like Silly String and the Slip 'n' Slide.Tiring of business, Mr. Melin persuaded Mr. Knerr to sell the company in 1982 to the Kransco Group Companies for $12 million. The two never publicly commented on the injuries, but for a company that was built on levity, it had to be sobering. Wham-O also benefited from the relative economic sense of advertising nationally. 1957: WHAM-O acquires the rights to the Pluto Platter from Fred Morrison and renames it Frisbee. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Melina and Knerr were inspired to develop the Hula Hoop after they saw a wooden hoop that Australian children twirled around their waists during gym class. If Headrick firmed it up and added ridges to make it more aerodynamic, they might have something. By the summer of 1958, the Hula-Hoop, and its many imitators, took the nation by storm. Arthur Spud MelinAmerican Role Model - Corsini Consulting Most wont even look at an idea unless it comes through an agency. It did not sell well, but Morrison demonstrated it to Wham-O in 1955, as the pluto platter; Spud Melin and Knerr bought the novelty for $1 million (plus lifetime royalties for Morrison), and marketed the toy as the Fling Saucer. Of their new releases, only Magic Window, which displayed psychedelic patterns in grains of sand, was a bonafide hit., People were gravitating towards stuff like Simon and Pong, Walsh says. They did not know what to make of it until another friend from Australia showed them how to gyrate their hips, thus spinning the hoop. His great success story was the Hula Hoop. Today, Wham-O is owned by the Aguilar Group, a private investment company, and still markets their trademark products. Their Air Blaster could blow out a candle at 25 feet. They had her sign for it first. The two stayed on as consultants for several years, but it wasnt the same. How Much People Earned From Their Iconic Inventions - Insider cemeteries found in Corona del Mar, Orange County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Services are being planned in Newport Beach on Tuesday. (They couldnt.) Turning the Titans into an offensive juggernaut. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. A local barber suggested they sell the contraption. 10 Best Moments Between Arthur & Merlin Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. Long story short, after much effort and rejection, Spud finally got financing for his Hula Hoop, and Wham-O went on to sell some 25 million hoops the first year, making The next year it was refined and reintroduced as the Frisbee. Head to one of these 8 L.A. spots for the perfect spring paddle. Even in the face of abdominal injury, no one could resist the Hoop. Oops, we were unable to send the email. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. "They were like John Wayne and Ernest Hemingway all rolled into one. The cause was Alzheimer's disease, his wife, Suzy, said. (L to R) Rich Knerr, Fred Morrison, and Arthur Melin. Failed to report flower. Family members linked to this person will appear here. An email has been sent to the person who requested the photo informing them that you have fulfilled their request, There is an open photo request for this memorial. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. In 1955, the founders of the Wham-O toy company, Arthur Spud Melin and Richard Knerr, saw Morrisons flying disc. Wham-O began producing a plastic version of the hoop, dubbed Hula after the hip-gyrating Hawaiian dance of the same name, and demonstrating it on Southern California playgrounds. A. Melin, 77; Introduced Frisbee and Hula Hoop READ MORE: The History of Must-Have Holiday Toys. After selling more than 100 million Hula Hoops in 16 months, Arthur Spud Melin and Rich Knerr took a look at their books. Additional Sources:The WHAM-O Super Book. Some versions say Knerr had become aware that the idea had come from flinging the Frisbie pie tins, and he changed the spelling slightly to trademark the name. Commercials were shot in their own backyards. With only network channels to choose from, the odds kids would see ads for the Super Ball were substantial. Wham-O took a fair share of wild swings in the marketplace. Youre never going to see a toy that costs a dollar on television again. The success of the Super Ball and Frisbee largely made up for Wham-Os misadventures with the Hula Hoopwhich, contrary to belief, wound up being a steady seller over time. But neither Arthur Melin nor Richard Knerr can lay any claim to inventing the thing. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. He is survived by his wife and five daughters. Richard Knerr, co-founder of the company responsible for turning the Hula Hoop, Frisbee and many other ingenious creations into iconic toys died Monday at age 82. Mattel Inc. bought the company in 1994. The pair, who would remain lifelong pals and business partners, attended the University of Kids would just throw it on the ground and it would just take off to the ceiling, into lights.". The cause was Alzheimer's disease, his wife, Suzy, said.Born in Los Angeles, Mr. Melin, known by his childhood nickname Spud, formed Wham-O with a friend, Richard Knerr, in 1948, while they were working for their fathers and attending the University of Southern California.Their inspiration came from a slingshot they had made while hunting with falcons, which was used to shoot meat up to the birds. Wham-O Bird Ornithopter (1959) sold in a large cardboard box, ready to fly. He was a good player in his own right, earning the nickname Steady Ed for his even throws. By 1994, when Mattel purchased Wham-O, the San Gabriel factory was down to a skeleton crew keeping up production of only a handful of products. Since then, he has been involved in several experimental treatments, Mrs. Melin said, and he has willed his brain to the University of California at Irvine, where he was treated.
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