1972.04.19 Niagara Falls NY Gazette Page 36 "Youngsters cold to astronaut toys" by Margaret Shaleuly Article

1972.04.19 Niagara Falls NY Gazette Page 36

Talks about the decline in children's interest in space toys and how the various toy manufacturers like "Mattell" (misspelled in the article) was cutting back. "It's the deadest category in the toy business, and has been for two years" said Bill Attig, manager of sales administration for Mattell Toy Makers in Hawrthorne, Calif." (Hawthorne also misspelled). We'd long assumed this caused the cancellation of MMM and here it is quoted in black-and-white. (apologies for the bottom of the image being cut off - that's from the original file)

1972.04.19 Niagara Falls NY Gazette Page 36 "Youngsters cold to astronaut toys" by Margaret Shaleuly Article

Youngsters cold to astronaut toys

By MARGARET SHALEULY 

Gannett News Service 

A ho-hum juvenile interest in space travel has written the obituary for astronaut doll Matt Mason and his once popular space stations, space haulers and moon crawlers. "It's the deadest category in the toy business, and has been for two years," said Bill Attig, manager of sales administration for Mattell Toy Makers in Hawrthorne, Calif. When the dollar sign dropped out of the space toy line, major manufacturers either deleted their lines completely or made drastic cutbacks, toy spokesmen said.

Gone are the pencil sharpeners shaped like space paraphernalia, space hats and center pieces for parties and many of the self-sufficient robots.

"We don't have any (space toys) now. It never proved to be much," said Jom Langdon, vice president of sales at Manhattan's Larson Association.

Langdon's company represents eight manufacturers in (first column cut off here)

County, Fla., toy stores managers said they have felt a decline in space toy popularity.

Rocket models, both the quiet ones and those which fire, are big local items, said Ray Thead, manager of Danny's Toy Chest, Cocoa.

"The plastic models are terrific. A lot of the guys who work at the Cape make them up for their desks," Thead said.

A Merritt Island toy store reports "continuous good sales" in their space line, especially among Canadian tourists.

"We had a great number of Canadians during Easter. They really enjoyed taking them back. I guess they aren't sold up there," said Jean Ullius, manager of Toy King on Merritt Island.

Space toys available in Brevard, in addition to the rocket models, include space helmets and space guns. One manager said that rockets "that really fly" were the only space items available in her store.

Attig marks the demise of major space toy interest nationwide with Apollo 13.

(second column cut off here)

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