Retro Monster Toys
December 24th, 2010 by John WolfeSimilar to last year, with it being a matter of hours until millions of children rip into their packages hoping for cool toys, I thought I’d visit a couple of awesome looking monster toys from decades past. Though I was alive in the ’70s, I was more a child of the ’80s — and unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to enjoy these kooky, creepy play things, they were long gone.
Source: YT user, fmofmpls
It was probably a good thing I didn’t get my hands on the Witch DR. Head Shrinker’s Kit. I did stupid stuff as a kid and no doubt I would have eventually tried to make the “plastic flesh” or “petrifying potion” an afternoon snack. 
Source: YT user, bolt70
While this last vid isn’t a monster toy, it’s still more retro fun:
Source: YT user, tallboyyyy
I hope you and your family have a great holiday season!
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December 24th, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Thanks for reminding me of how old we are John.
It’s always fun to see some of the things we grew up with, or in this case, just missed growing up with. I remember my first “scary” gift was a record player accompanied by Gene Simmons’ Solo album. Though it doesnt seem like a scary gift now, it sure scared the hell out of my sister, who was only 5 at the time. It always brings me back to those days whenever I see the Solo albums’ cover.
December 25th, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Wow I wish I would have had the head shrinkers kit. That is awesome. The hairy bunch is cool too . A bit corny though. I have never seen it before. I can not remember ever seeing the munsters cheerios comercial. Very cool finds thanks for sharing.
December 26th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
SKAustin,
While I never had Gene Simmons’ solo album, I do remember being interested in KISS during the late ’70s and early ’80s. Considering the appearance of KISS (and I’m sure Gene Simmons continued having an interesting look even during his solo career) I can see where it would creep out a five-year-old.
And you’re welcome about the old age reminder. Every once in a while I have to chronicle my gradual decent into decrepitude.
ssflipo13,
I wish I had the Witch Dr. kit, too. Though I don’t think they were still making it into my youth, I’m really surprised I never came across it at a yard sale. When I was a kid we used to go to garage sales a lot and that would have been something I’m sure I would have begged my parents to buy.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
December 26th, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Oh, those are so awesome! Thank you for the giggles, John! The Hairy Bunch things remind me of troll dolls kind of. The shrunken heads are a scream! I love those! I wish I had had those as a kid! And to think I was contented with shrinky dinks and silly putty when there was such coolness to be found elsewhere! LOL!
December 26th, 2010 at 7:28 pm
Oh, I so want to get my hands on those!!!
December 26th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
That head shrinking kit would be great even today. It seems like the best toys/shows/etc. were only acceptable in previous decades and those types of media wouldn’t fly today.
December 27th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
LoL, ahhh yes SK said it perfectly. It’s odd how MUCH we are reminded of our age when we see the items and commercials from our childhood past. This may sound strange to say but in some ways I still feel as though I am that child growing up in the 70′s and that my grandparents are right around the corner waiting for our delightful visits. Pictures of my past will do that as well; it honestly doesn’t seem that long ago sweetie that the picture was even taken. I remember the smell in the air, what food we were eating at the time, the clothes I was wearing and so forth. To “be” the age I am now, lol, at times seems almost surreal aside from the tremendous life lessons learned along the way of course.
Perhaps that’s why I have such a love, such a deep hard core passion for anything and everything old. Retro is cool but never goes back far enough in time for me as anything vintage does. I’ve noticed some kitchen appliances are being custom made to look retro including the bold colors and it’s a trip to see now in the 21st century. However I find that there is something hugely rewarding about seeing such retro devices still being with us in the 2011′s because I’m very much an old fashioned kind of gal myself. In fact, if I could make a home out of an antique store I would! Wow….sorry got on my “old” soap box
These were great finds though John! I’m reminded of how our sound used to be back then. One of the other things I love about watching something like this is how the children are “using their hands” to create something. Not a single techno thing around so children were left to use their imagination and their hands to create something. I never had one of these growing up but I do remember the commercial quite well. One of the many other billion reasons I adore you so John, you have an wonderful organic flare for anything vintage, retro and antique. A delightful and most charming natural flow in all things old fashioned. I appreciate that greatly about you my dear friend
Never stop being you because YOU ARE AWESOME!!!
Great find and I love the unique content you continue to pour into your website John. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with Josh Gates thanks to the most fantastic friend in the whole wide world
December 28th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Camile,
Come to think of it, you’re right — The Hairy Bunch does have a whole troll doll look going on. It’s funny how there was a phase were toys were made to shrink as is the case with the Witch Dr. Kit, The Hairy Bunch and the Shrinky Dinks you mentioned. Then, sometime in the ’80s, toys went through a phase where they grew. I remember having the Gremlin characters (Gizmo and Stripe) that were about the size of a quarter length of a pencil. They were made of some rubber-like material, and when you placed them in water they grew really large. There was a whole push during the ’80s and even into the ’90s where all sorts of characters would grow in water.
Don’t feel too bad about Silly Putty occupying your time; it kept me busy “copying” the comics most Sunday mornings when I was a kid.
autumnforest,
I don’t blame you. In fact you’ve inspired me — I think I’m gonna look around on eBay and see if anyone has these for sale, especially the Witch Dr. Kit.
Doug,
Yeah, it seems like we’re pretty inconsistent these days with what is and isn’t acceptable for kids. Just as you said, some of this stuff would probably be deemed inappropriate nowadays, yet there’s a lot of modern things deemed appropriate for kids that appear far worse (to me) than the innocent products found in these vids. The logic seems pretty funky sometimes.
Goldie,
I’m the same way with certain memories. It’s funny, but many things that happened five years ago seem like they’re older and fuzzier in my mind than stuff I can recall from twenty-five years ago. It’s also strange to see how dated everything looks in these commercials, yet I can recall how vibrant and “in style” everything appeared when some of these toys were being marketed during my childhood.
I share your interest in things that are vintage, too, if not almost antique at this point. As you know, I’m a big fan of Napoleon Hill’s books and I’m totally enthralled right now with the time frame when he was doing the majority of his writing (the 1920s-1950s).
I know you said you never had any of these toys, but did you ever have an Easy Bake Oven? I always thought it would be cool to use one of those. As a kid I never had one and never knew any other kid that did either. I didn’t realize it but apparently there was a toy from a few years back mimicking the Easy bake, but it was called The Queasy Bake Oven — I found it on YT, too. The Queasy Bake looks like it was marketed for boys, because the ads show edible, gross-out items being baked.
Glad you’re enjoying your time with Josh. You can just call that friend the DT cupid, I guess!