 |
| Teddy Ruxpin, the bear that could read. |
Dan, born in 1983, asked me if I had a Teddy Ruxpin. Teddy Ruxpin was an animated stuffed bear that could read aloud thanks to a cassette tape somewhat hidden in his back. Teddy's eyes and mouth would move while he read giving Teddy a somewhat creepy lifelike feel.
Teddy Ruxpin hit the market in September of 1985 and by then, I was too cool for toys. As an 8th grader, I was already writing for our local newspaper and collecting Monkees articles from Tiger Beat. So I can't say I ever owned or wanted a Teddy Ruxpin bear. How about you? Did you, your siblings or kids have a Teddy Ruxpin talking stuffed bear?
Here are some fun facts about the robotic reading stuffed bear known as Teddy Ruxpin.
- Author and inventor, Ken Forsee created the animated Teddy Ruxpin.
- Originally released by Worlds of Wonder, Teddy Ruxpin was a hot selling toy in 1985 and 1986 -- sadly Worlds of Wonder was also a one-hit-wonder going bankrupt three years later.
- Teddy Ruxpin became such a beloved character he was named the official "spokesperson" for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 1985.
- The short-lived live action TV series, The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin aired on ABC from 1987-1988.
- An original Teddy Ruxpin bear with box fetches $100+ on eBay.
View a vintage commercial for Teddy Ruxpin.
19 comments:
Oh wow! I remember this fella! I didn't have one, but I think I had a friend that did. Frankly, the moving eyes creeped me out...
I remember him. My brother had one.
I totally had one. I too was born in 83 so this was the coolest thing around. Loved it!
Oh God. I think the nightmares are going to come back now....
Wow, this really brings back some childhood memories. I totally had a Teddy Rubskin...that's totally what I called him as a child too.
OMG!
Yes, I had one..
LOVED HIM!!!!
Thanks for the wonderful memory~
I still have mine, though I don't have the box anymore. Got him for my first birthday (was born in 85). Mom says I used to scream bloody murder every time someone turned him on.
My girls remember him. We got my granddaughter Tickle Me Elmo and she cried for fear. She never played with him.
That's an adorable commercial. I don't remember Teddy but I was already reading my college texts then. I'm feeling really old right now but I do still have a collection of teddy bears.
xoRobyn
Oh, Teddy. Daughter opted for a "Cricket" doll, instead.
I used to be freaked OUT by these! My parents bought me one, and I could swear to you he was watching me in my sleep...
I loved him! I was 8 most of that year, but hey, I still loved stuffed animals.
We didn't have a Teddy Ruxpin, but we did have a animatronic ALF toy that did the same stuff. He was AWESOME! I wish I still had that one!
I think I paid close to $100 for my kid's Teddy Ruxpin back in about 1990!
I HATED these things as a kid! They scared the crap out of me with their glassy, soul-less eyes!
Oh yeah, I remember Teddy Ruxpin, the talking stuffed monster. He would speak to me in that creepy voice and, just for kicks, chase neighborhood kids down the road with a bloody knife.
What a creepy bear. I thought it was possessed by the devil.
I so wanted one of those...
I never had a Teddy Ruxpin. I did have the Cricket doll. Remember her? She played tapes like Teddy did, but was a blue-eyed blond with a pleated skirt and Cindy Brady-esque curls. No one seems to remember her but me.
I love the yawning kid in the commercial.
Post a Comment