Wooly Willy is a
toy
A toy or plaything is an object that is used primarily to provide entertainment. Simple examples include toy blocks, board games, and dolls. Toys are often designed for use by children, although many are designed specifically for adults and pet ...
in which metal filings are moved about with a
magnetic wand
A wand is a thin, light-weight rod that is held with one hand, and is traditionally made of wood, but may also be made of other materials, such as metal or plastic.
Long versions of wands are often styled in forms of staves or sceptres, which ...
to add features to a cartoon face. The toy was originally manufactured in
Smethport, Pennsylvania
Smethport is a borough and county seat of McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States. The mayor is Wayne V. Foltz. The population was 1,430 at the 2020 census. Smethport is part of the '' Bradford, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area''. Smethport, h ...
and was launched on the toy market in 1955. It remains in production as of 2016.
Funny Face, Betty Brunette, and Dapper Dan were similar toys.
The Woolly Willy trademark is currently held by the
Beloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 36,657 people.
History
Twelve men in Colebrook, New Hampshire, created the "New England Emigrating Company" in October 1836 and sen ...
-based company
PlayMonster
PlayMonster (formerly, Patch Products) is a manufacturer and marketer of family entertainment products that specializes in games, children's puzzles, toys, activities, and teaching tools. As of February 2016, Patch changed its company name to Pla ...
, formerly known as Patch Products, which purchased the Smethport Specialty Company in 2008.
Description
Creation
The artwork for the first Wooly Willy was created by artist Leonard Mackowski of Bradford, Pa. His signature is found hidden in the grass on the reverse side.
Launch
Priced at
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
0.29, Wooly Willy was successfully launched on the market in 1955.
A buyer for
G. C. Murphy
G.C. Murphy was a chain of five and dime or variety stores in the United States from 1906 to 2002. They also operated Murphy's Mart (full scale discount stores), Bargain World (closeout merchandise), Terry & Ferris and Bruners (junior department ...
dime store
A variety store (also five and dime (historic), pound shop, or dollar store) is a retail store that sells general merchandise, such as apparel, automotive parts, dry goods, toys, hardware, home furnishings, and a selection of groceries. It us ...
chain initially purchased six dozen of the toy and expected not to sell them for a year. The buyer called Herzog just two days later and ordered 12,000 for nationwide distribution.
[Attoun, Marti. "Wooly Willy Attracting Smiles for 50 years". ''American Profile'' Sep. 27 - Oct. 5, p 12.] F. W. Woolworth Company
The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or simply Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was among the most successful American and international five-and-dime businesses, se ...
also distributed the toy. More than 75 million Wooly Willies have been sold.
[
]
Honors
Wooly Willy became a hit with young baby boomer
Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the Western demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964, during the mid-20th century baby boom. ...
s, and remains in production as of 2010
References
External links
* {{cite web , url=http://www.smethporthistory.org/smethportspeciality/wollypage.htm , title=Smethport's Wooly Willy , accessdate=2009-02-10
1950s toys
Products introduced in 1955
Magnetic devices
Toy brands
Smethport, Pennsylvania