My inspiration for this post came from my dear, longtime blogging friend, Debbie @ Musings by an ND Domer's Mom, who is not only a gifted...
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Notice how this little chap was so curious, he held nothing back. He simply reached up; ripped open Teddys' mouth; and looked inside...
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History of Teddy Ruxpin -
Created in 1985, the plush toy came preloaded with a cassette tape that enabled Teddy to tell stories while his mouth and eyes moved. Ken Forsse, an inventor, author and Alchemy producer, created the toy. Worlds of Wonder distributed Teddy Ruxpin, which became a best-selling toy in 1985 and 1986.
Originally, it cost $70.00 (plus an additional $20 for an additional cassette tape and book). Today, it would cost about $190.00.
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Personally, I found Teddy Ruxpin creepy. I could see why the toy was intriguing to so many people because it seemed so high-tech back then. I mean, a talking bear who moved his eyes and mouth as he read you a story from his book was like, "WOW!"
However, the way in which he moved his eyes and mouth was eerie. You could actually hear the mechanism working from inside his body as he talked, which made it sound like you were in the presence of a robot. And his eyes blinked verrrry slowly. As though he was high on weed.
As infamous as the toy was in the 80s, I had my reservations. But then, talking/moving dolls have never been a favorite of mine, ever since I saw the Twilight Zone episode, "Living Doll" - Talky Tina. It scared the bejesus out of me!
The year Teddy Ruxpin was launched, my mother wanted one so badly because she collected toys. So, I surprised her for Christmas and bought her one. But boy oh boy, Teddy Ruxpin was in high demand; therefore, I had to go to several stores to find one because so many retailers were sold-out. But I got lucky and eventually found one. I still remember the look on my mother's face when she opened my gift on Christmas morning. She was soooooooooooo happy!
Here are two photos of where the batteries and tape cassette were stored inside Teddy...
A few weeks ago, my friend Kelly and I met for coffee. And while walking to our favorite cafe, we passed a consignment shop that sold an array of goods (clothes, household items, etc.). Looking through the storefront window, we both thought the shop seemed interesting, so we went inside to check it out.
Lo-and-behold, guess what we found in the back of the store in a small room that contained vintage toys?
Did you guess?
That's right...the talking bear himself!
Kelly and I both looked at each other and screamed, "OH MY GOD...IT'S TEDDY RUXPIN...RUN!!!!!"
However, we couldn't resist taking a few pictures before we ran. So, Kelly grabbed her phone and captured the look of fear and horror on my face...
Oh, and we also found a Teddy Ruxpin wearing what looked like a Key West Jimmy Buffett shirt...
I also found several photos online that captured the disturbed look on the faces of children who were introduced to Teddy Ruxpin today, for the first time. I was glad to see that I'm not the only one who finds the talking bear creepy, scary. I love the expression on her face. It's PRICELESS!...
And this little cutie looks as though she can't decide whether she wants to laugh or scream, while trying to stay in control of her emotions...
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I leave you with the TV commercial that launched this toy in 1985. It's old, so please excuse the poor quality. Oh, and notice the kids' faces in the classroom when the bear starts to talk. They look hypnotized, as if they were slowly being possessed by Teddy Ruxpin.
"Hi, my name is Teddy Ruxpin. Can you and I be friends?"...
Remember, if you ever see Teddy Ruxpin....RUN like hell!
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