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Hasbro
was founded in 1923 by Polish immigrants Henry, Hilal and
Herman Hassenfeld. The company originally sold textile remnants
(cloth leftovers). It soon moved into manufacturing pencils
and other school supplies. In 1952, the company introduced
its still-classic Mr. Potato Head, the first toy to be advertised
on television. In 1954 Hassenfeld became a major licensee
for Disney characters. By 1960, Hassenfeld Brothers had become
one of the largest private toy companies in the nation. In
1964, the company released the successful GI Joe toy, a foot-high
"action figure" with articulated joints. In 1968,
the company changed its name to Hasbro Industries. Over the
next few decades, Hasbro would produce many well-known toys,
including Star Wars toys, Transformers toys, My Little Pony
and many others. They remain one of the leading makers of
toys and games in the world.
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