by: aaron sayers. summary creation name debut bad times types of slinkys other milestones
TRANSCRIPT
By: Aaron Sayers
SummaryCreationNameDebutBad TimesTypes of SlinkysOther Milestones
CreationThe slinky was created in 1943 when a
marine engineer Richard James dropped a torsion spring tester off his desk and it tumbled end over end.
Told his wife with a few changes the spring could be a successful toy, so he changes the steel formula so the spring seemed to almost “walk”.
NameRichard and his wife Betty spend combing
through dictionaries for a word that fit the action and look of the toy.
Betty came across the name slinky which means “stealthy, sleek, and sinuous”.
Both agreed the name was perfect for the toy, and soon after with a $500 loan began production on the toy.
DebutRichard along with his wife began selling the
slinkys in small retail outlets.The problem with this was with no name
recognition the toy sold little to none worrying Richard that his investment was a failure.
Around Christmas of 1944 Gimbels Department Store agreed to allow for some counter space for around 400 slinkys.
Debut (continued)Richard arrived before Betty to play with the
toy and provide examples to get customers to buy.
In around an hour when Betty arrived there was a line of people holding money encircling the slinky counter.
Soon after with a name backing it the toy had large sales and Richard along with his wife were rich.
Bad TimesAround 1960 suffering from a midlife crisis
Richard left his children and wife to join a Bolivian Religious cult.
Betty took over as CEO, and moved the company from outlying Philadelphia to its current location in Hollidaysburg.
Around this time debuted the famous slinky jingle.
In 1974 Richard Died.
Types of SlinkysSlinky Jr.
Plastic Slinkys
Slinky Dog
Slinky Pets
Crazy Eyes
Neon Slinky
Other MilestonesThe Discovery/History channels published the
slinky among the top ten toys of all time.The National Mail service in 1999 honored
the slinky on a stamp.The slinky participated during a NASA space
mission.Over 300 million slinkys have been sold since
its production in 1944
Questions