I want to be an Astronaut
The 1960s was a new era for children’s toy manufactures. The
new theme was space and electronics and there was money to be made by investing
in such things. The Cold War introduced the world to the marvels of rocket
power and the race for the stars. The Soviet Union on October 4 1957 launched
the first satellite into space, the Sputnik I, several years later on July 16
1969, the Apollo II rocket put the first men on the moon. Children’s minds, turned
from the usual war games to the new interest, space exploration.
Billy Blassoff is a prime example of the
new commercial toys available for children in this period. Manufactured in
1968, Billy Blastoff was an American astronaut action figure who came with many
different components including a space car and ray gun. The product was created
by the company Eldon and was part of the new phase of electronic toys.[1] Billy Blastoff was a large hit with the public market having sold close to a
million figures by the end of its manufacturing in the 1970s. Billy
demonstrated the consumer’s desire for this new form of child entertainment and
interest in space.
Another popular action figurine of the 1960s was Major Matt
Mason created by the company Mattel in 1966. Major Matt Mason was the leader of
a four man crew of astronauts who lived and worked on the moon. The franchise
grew in popularity and remained a hot seller until the mid-1970s when interest
in space exploration declined. One of
the larger selling points of the toy was its incorporation of extra-terrestrial
figurines both friendly and hostile to the astronaut team. This idea of alien
life was a new concept and no doubt thrilled the young persons who played with
these toys. Along with a space station and space vehicles these toys
incorporated the latest technologies that were unravelling at the time and
interestingly show how the Cold War battle for space influenced a huge number of
children growing up in America.
One last example of the new trend on
children’s toys was the introduction of the Outer Space Men franchise. Produced
by the Colourforms Company in 1968, these collectable action figures feature
extra-terrestrial beings each from a different planet in the solar system.
Designed to be bendy and stretchable, these toys were a fun addition to a
child’s archive of toys in the 1960s.[2]
The toys sadly lost their popularity several years after their production but
continued to be bought and enjoyed right up until 2010 when the franchise was
revived for modern audiences.
While the topic of children’s toys from the 1960s may seem
unimportant, these trends are actually incredibly significant when studying the
effects that the Cold War had on everyday home life. The interest in space
exploration and the race to the moon led to a revolution not just in toys but
technology, science and other areas. The ‘Space Age’ was a significant step
into human understanding of the universe and the role that toys had was to
inspire the future generation of children to continue this quest. Space toys
are therefore incredibly significant as they portray this new understanding and
curiosity that gripped the world in the 1960s.
Jack Martin
[1] http://www.skooldays.com/categories/toys/ty1299.htm.
Accessed 14/11/2017.
[2] http://blippee.com/blog/all-toys/the-outer-space-men.
Accessed 14-11-2017.
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