Tonka
Industry | Toys and games |
---|---|
Founded | Mound, Minnesota, United States (1946) |
Founder |
Lynn Everett Bake, Avery F. Crounse, Alvin F. Tesch |
Key people | Russell L.Wenkstern Nathon Tonka[1] |
Parent | Hasbro (1991–present) |
Website |
www |
Tonka is an American producer of toy trucks.[2] Maisto International, which makes diecast vehicles, acquired the rights to use the Tonka name in a line of 1:64 scale diecast vehicles, featuring mostly trucks. The Winifred Museum in Winifred, Montana, has a collection of more than 3,000 Tonka toys.[3]
History
Mound Metalcraft was created in 1946 in Mound, Minnesota, by Lynn Everett Baker (1898–1964), Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch. Their original intent was to manufacture garden implements. Their building's former occupant, the Streater Company, had made and patented several toys. E. C. Streater was not interested in the toy business so they approached Mound Metalcraft. The three men at Mound Metalcraft thought they might make a good side line to their other products.[4]
After some modifications to the design by Alvin Tesch and the addition of a new logo created by Erling Eklof (based on a University of Minnesota drafting student's sketch by Donald B. Olson who later became the company Chief Industrial Engineer; with the Dakota Sioux word "Tanka" or Tonka, which means "great" or "big"), the company began selling metal toys, which soon became the primary business.[5] In November, 1955, Mound Metalcraft changed its name to Tonka Toys Incorporated. The logo at this time was an oval, showing the Tonka Toys name in red above waves, presumably honoring nearby Lake Minnetonka.[6] In 1964, Tonka acquired the Mell Manufacturing Company in Chicago, allowing it to produce barbecue grills, eventually under the Tonka Firebowl label.[7]
In 1987, Tonka purchased Kenner Parker, including UK toy giant Palitoy, for $555 million, borrowing extensively to fund the acquisition. However, the cost of servicing the debt meant Tonka itself had to find a buyer and it was eventually acquired by Hasbro in 1991.[8]
In 2001, Tonka trucks were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York.[9]
Tonka has produced a variety of toys over the years, including dolls (Star Fairies, Bathing Beauties, Maple Town, and Hollywoods) and other toys aimed at girls like Keypers and aimed at boys like Gobots, Rock Lords, Spiral Zone, and Steel Monsters. It was the original manufacturer of the Pound Puppies toy line, and in the late 1980s licensed products inspired by Maple Town.
Tonka produced video games, including Tonka Raceway, and purchased the rights to distribute and market the Sega Master System after Sega of America stopped competing against the Nintendo Entertainment System in the U.S. However, the Master System's market share declined, since Tonka didn't have experience with video games or how to market them. Hasbro sold the digital gaming rights for various properties (including My Little Pony, Magic: The Gathering, Tonka, Playskool, and Transformers) to Infogrames for US$100 million in 2000, buying back the rights for US$66 million in June 2005.[10]
In other media
Video games
Fifteen video games based on the toys were released between 1996 and 2006.[11]
Game Title | Release Date | Developer | Publisher |
---|---|---|---|
Tonka Construction | August 20, 1996 | Vortex Media Arts | Hasbro Interactive |
Tonka Search & Rescue | October 15, 1997 | Media Station | |
Tonka Garage | April 7, 1998 | ||
Tonka Construction 2 | October 2, 1999 | ImaginEngine Magellan Interactive | |
Tonka Raceway | December 6, 1999 | Media Station | |
Tonka Space Station | November 6, 2000 | Data Design Interactive | |
Tonka Monster Trucks | September 25, 2001 | Data Design Interactive | Infogrames |
Tonka Search & Rescue 2 | November 15, 2002 | Artech Studios | |
Tonka Town | Late 2003 | ImaginEngine | Atari |
Tonka: Rescue Patrol | November 18, 2003 | Lucky Chicken Games | TDK Mediactive Atari |
Tonka Firefighter | February 27, 2004 | Unknown | Atari |
Tonka: On the Job | November 15, 2006 | Webfoot Technologies | THQ |
Filmography
TV series
Title | Premiere date | End date | Network | Note |
---|---|---|---|---|
Challenge of the GoBots | September 8, 1984 | 1985 | First-run syndication | co-production with Hanna-Barbera Productions |
Pound Puppies | September 13, 1986 | December 19, 1987 | ABC | |
TV movies and specials
Title | Premiere date | Network | Co-production with |
---|---|---|---|
Star Fairies | October 26, 1985 | Syndication | Hanna-Barbera Productions |
Pound Puppies | ABC | ||
Films
# | Title | Release date | Co-production with |
---|---|---|---|
1 | GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords | March 21, 1986 | Hanna-Barbera Productions and Clubhouse Pictures |
2 | Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw | March 18, 1988 | Tristar Pictures, Carolco Pictures, Atlantic/Kushner-Locke, The Maltese Companies, Cuckoo's Nest Studio, and Wang Film Productions |
3 | Tonka Tough Truck Adventures: The Biggest Show on Wheels! | September 28, 2004 | Hasbro Studios, SD Entertainment, and Paramount Home Entertainment |
In 2012, an animated movie based on the trucks toy line was in development. It was to be produced by Sony Pictures Animation, Hasbro Studios, and Happy Madison Productions, and to be distributed by Columbia Pictures.[12] A script was written by Happy Madison alumni Fred Wolf, and was to be produced by Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo, Brian Goldner (CEO and president of Hasbro) and Bennett Schneir (Hasbro’s senior vice president and managing director of motion pictures).[12]
References
- ↑ Published: January 22, 2000 (January 22, 2000). "Russell L. Wenkstern, 87, Toy Chief and Dump Truck Co-Developer". The New York Times. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ↑ ANTHONY RAMIREZPublished: February 1, 1991 (February 1, 1991). "Tonka Accepts Offer from Hasbro". The New York Times. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ↑ "Winifred Museum - Russell Country Montana". Russell.visitmt.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ↑ "Tonka`s Troubles Nothing To Toy With As Ghostbusters Line Fades". Chicago Tribune. August 19, 1990. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ↑ Dennis David and Lloyd Laumann, Tonka (MBI Publishing Company, 2004) p. 14
- ↑ "Tonka Logo". i4.ebayimg.com. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ↑ Dennis David, Lloyd L. Laumann, Tonka, 2004, MBI Publishing Company, pp. 85–6, ISBN 0-7603-1868-9
- ↑ ANTHONY RAMIREZPublished: February 1, 1991 (February 1, 1991). "Tonka Accepts Offer From Hasbro". The New York Times. Retrieved October 17, 2012.
- ↑ "Tonka Trucks". National Toy Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
- ↑ Hasbro Reacquires Digital Gaming Rights From Infogrames for $66 Million, Hasbro press release, June 8, 2005.
- ↑ Game Search: "Tonka". GameFAQs.
- 1 2 Fleming, Mike (June 11, 2012). "Sony To Make Tonka Trucks Animated Pic". Deadline. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tonka Toys. |