# Weird toys you vaguely remember **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 20, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231 "2003-06-20T18:16:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/41 "2003-06-21T01:24:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by delphica \* > \*\*Can anyone help with an ID for this toy – it was a construction/building set, you snapped together horizontal and vertical pieces to make the skeleton of a building, and then snapped on plastic rectangles to make the exterior walls. The look of the design was 1960s modern, although I had this set in the 1970s (ok, it was really my brother’s set, but whatever). We had one set with an airport theme, it also came with little signage clips-ons so you could build O’Hare, Kennedy, or other actual airports. > > It was NOT an Erector Set, and once you finished building, it didn’t have any moving parts, it was more like a model. Once you built it, it took freaking FOREVER to unsnap the whole thing and put it back in the box. \*\* I think I know what you are talking about because I had the same thing. It had white plastic rectangle, square and triangle “frames” with a groove on two sides and “fingers” on the other two. There were also “beams”. The frames could fit together and you would use the beams to make right angle connections. Once you had built whatever you were building there were panels that would fit into the frames to form the walls. These were very thin plastic molded to look like bricks or whatever. There were also clear colored plastic pieces for windows, some of which were shaped like domes or something for “skylights”. **lesa** - It looked similar to what you linked to but I’m not sure that was it. (To be fair I may have had a different version.) \*\* BraheSilver\*\* - Somewhat similar but I’m pretty sure that isn’t it. \*\* Sqwert\*\* - I think your haunted house game was [Which Witch](http://boardgamegeek.com/viewitem.php3?gameid=1613) (aka “Haunted House”). It is now fairly highly prized among collectors. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/42 "2003-06-21T01:28:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cholo \* > \*\*I recall in the early 70’s that my brother and I had an astronaunt action figure. He could travel in a transparent globe of some kind. It was cool back in the day. Can’t remember the name. > > \*\* Major Matt Mason. Loved that toy line! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Acrylic\_Vessel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Acrylic\_Vessel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acrylic_Vessel)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/43 "2003-06-21T01:32:29Z")
1. They were rubber octopuses that were different colors and had stickey stuff on them. When you through them onto the refrigerator or wall they walked down or flipped down the surface. Maybe they were called Wakey Wall Walkers. 2. Those little cars that you needed to insert a penny into the back to make them do tricks or race around. Not sure but “Penny Racers”. God I loved playing with those on the kitchen floor. Here are some that I had to put down cause I remembered them: -Linclon Logs -Heman Action Figures -Care Bear plush figures -Cabage Patch Kids (Dolls and Trading cards) -MouseTrap (the board game) -My Pet Monster -Glow Worms ---
**Author:** ![BizarroRonJeremy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@BizarroRonJeremy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BizarroRonJeremy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/44 "2003-06-21T01:33:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by flyershistory \* > \*\*I’m a child of the 70’s too - so this is a fun topic > > That 13" cowboy and indian set _might_ have been Johnny West. > > And I had the Smash’em Up Derby and a few of the SSP cars … that was fun ! > > I forgot all about that mold-thing. Didn’t it make rubbery-type things that you could paint ? (the item could have come out rubbery but later harden up) I have a fuzzy recollection that they had a monster-movie set in the early 70’s \*\* Nice call. The cowboys I had were Johnny West. I had Geronimo and Sam Cobra - The Movable Bad Guy (which is what it says on the box). ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/45 "2003-06-21T01:50:51Z")
Maybe someone here will prove that I’m not insane. As a child, I distinctly remember a _Return of the Jedi_ themed game that was based on the Sarlacc Pit / Jabba’s Sail Barge. The “game board” was about the size of a large mixing bowl and hard a cardboard Sarlacc in the middle. Jabba’s barge was a platform of some sort, and the pieces were miniatures of the characters in the movie. I have a very vague recollection that the object was to cross a bridge over the pit, but I doubt it’s accurate. I’ve hunted occasionally for this game, but never found a mention of it online. Please say that someone else has seen this alleged product of the early 80s. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/46 "2003-06-21T01:52:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*The **Mighty Men & Monster Maker**. You would choose from a variety of plastic plates, one each for head, torso, and legs. Put paper over it, rub with a crayon. This gave you an outline of your creation, which you could then color with crayons or markers or colored pencils or whatever. Made lotsa neat pictures with that one. \*\* BEST TOY EVER! There was also a fashion one for “girls” and I think we found out the plates were interchangeable. We spent much time making beautiful women with tentacles and horrible monsters with knockout gams. One thing I had when I was very very young (early 70s) was a wooden car made by Playskool that came with a big plastic wrench and screwdriver and you could un- and reassemble the car. It was really neat and a lot of fun. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/47 "2003-06-21T01:55:51Z")
Cool **lesa** , it was Girders and Panels! The first sets featured on that site are much older than what we had, I didn’t even realize they had been around for so long. Mine was the version that came out in the 1970s, there’s a pic on the bottom of the page that looks just like it. I wonder if this is still kicking somewhere at my mom’s house… ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/48 "2003-06-21T02:00:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lno \* > \*\*Maybe someone here will prove that I’m not insane. > > Please say that someone else has seen this alleged product of the early 80s. \*\* Was it [Battle at Sarlacc’s Pit](http://members.cox.net/calvinlew/esperqshopping/sarlacc.htm) ? ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/49 "2003-06-21T02:02:37Z")
I have one! 16 inches tall, white hair,clear cheast w/organs that pumped blood and moves when you press the button on his back You can lift his face and put these little disks in…strange strange toy. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/50 "2003-06-21T02:08:43Z")
I LOVE YOU FOREVER DELPHICA ---
**Author:** ![BadBaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@BadBaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBaby)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/51 "2003-06-21T02:09:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biffy the Elephant Shrew \* > \*\ ***Incredible Edibles**? It was essentially the same idea as the Thingmaker/Creepy Crawler set, only with edible goop. They tasted nasty. \*\* Hmmm, a search on eBay for a picture says no. Plus about ten years too early. It was more a little factory with a conveyer belt or platform. My faulty memory is what has kept this a mystery for so long. Thanks for the name, now I know. They tasted nasty heh? I remember mine were delish, but I was two and my parents had to keep a close eye on the craft paste… ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/52 "2003-06-21T02:14:44Z")
And copies on eBay, too! **delphica** , you’re the best! There’s one auction that ends in just an hour with no bidders yet, but it’s missing a few pieces … there’s another with apparently a complete set for a couple dollars more. Yay! Yay yay yay! ---
**Author:** ![BizarroRonJeremy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@BizarroRonJeremy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BizarroRonJeremy)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/53 "2003-06-21T02:54:55Z")
Though it’s not a toy, no one hear has had anything to say about Garanimals. It was a animal-themed clothing line where you can match tops and bottom. IE: A tiger top went with a tiger bottom. Living in Canada, I don’t think I was able to get any, but I distinctly remember the ads on Sat. morning TV ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/54 "2003-06-21T03:01:05Z")
Well, I go back farther than most of you. The toys I remember are from the 50s. I had one similar to _Grousser_’s Capone cars, though not gangster themed. It was a stamped-metal plate with intersecting roads and wind-up cars. There were, IIRC, three levers at the front for control, two to release cars automatically stopped at a crossing and one to force a car to turn off the straight path. The board got stepped on too many times and was tossed out, but I still have the cars! 😃 I also had a pretty good collection of [Meccano](http://www.freenet.edmonton.ab.ca/meccano/) model-construction stuff. That’s the inspiration for the US Erector sets. According to the linked page, the idea was patented in England in 1901 and sold under the Meccano name since 1908. Then there was a set of wooden building blocks in various shapes for making arches and building facades. They were stained instead of painted, and had plain surfaces, unlike alphabet blocks. There were quite a few more (Lincoln Logs and a chemistry set, for example), but nothing I recall as being very exotic. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/55 "2003-06-21T03:29:39Z")
I Vant To Bite Your Finger As a collector of monster stuff, I’ve got a copy of this. Pulsar lost(or probably broke) the one I had as a kid. Bought a new one a few years ago. After purchase had strange craving for cigarette and a nap. Micronauts I love these! I love going to old Toys R Us and finding Micronauts and Interchangables on top of the shelves. Zoids/Robostrux The same. The last one I bought was reduced from $30 to $10 because it had been in the store for over 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/56 "2003-06-21T03:46:29Z")
Does anyone remember MIGHTY MAX THE MAXIMUM MAN? ---
**Author:** ![flat\_pitch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/90ced4/32.png) [@flat\_pitch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flat_pitch)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/57 "2003-06-21T03:51:32Z")
My favorite ever was called a “VertiBird”. It was a battery powered helicopter that flew around in circles from a base in the center, and you sat on the outside working the controls. It came with a man or two that you could pick up. But the fun really began when I surrounded the LZ with my moms house plants to make a jungle to fly through while trying to evade charlie. I cut the shit outta those plants and got my ass whooped good for it but it was worth it!! Flat… ---
**Author:** ![davesink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@davesink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davesink)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/58 "2003-06-21T03:55:16Z")
My favs from the 60’s: Odd Ogg (sp?) motorized thing that would move along the floor if you rolled a ball into it’s mouth. Mostly I remember the commercials (“Odd Ogg, Odd Ogg, Half turtle and half frog”) and my all time favorite: Hands-Up Harry, a plywood cutout of an outlaw who you’d engage in a shootout with a dartgun. You could shoot the plastic guns out of his hands. If you shot his hat off,he’d raise his arms. And the coup de gras, if you shot his belt buckle, his pants would fall down revealing his striped longjohns. ---
**Author:** ![IUHomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90db22/32.png) [@IUHomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IUHomer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/59 "2003-06-21T04:27:40Z")
Anyone mention Lite Brite? What was that and why did I waste time with it? ``` Someone mentioned electric football....LOVED it. A great pre-video game era football game. Never did really figure out how to pass and kick. The guys had a little dial on the bottom that you had to trun to get them to run straight. My brother and I would race the guys to determine which one would be the ball carrier. Very loud and would vibrate a whole lot. Such a crude game, but lots of fun. Though not a toy, I had my fair share of Garanimals as a kid. And lets not forget Underoos. Think about the subliminal sexual messages those undergarments sent to a whole generation of pre-pubescents. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231/60 "2003-06-21T04:39:38Z")
No one remembers the fine, if limited, selection of [Mad Scientist](http://www.bigredtoybox.com/articles/madscientistindex.shtml) toys? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-toys-you-vaguely-remember/183231.md?page=4)