Ben Cooper, Collegeville or...? Whose Halloween costumes do you like the best?

[Hepcat]

Here's a Swass-Cast episode on Ben Cooper Haloween costumes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrtQ539dtjU

[Gory Glenn]

These are cool although I think Frankie had a few too many volts put through him judging by that hair! And Dracula looks a little goth emo with that hair style! 

[WnewCreatureFeatures]

I agree , Halloween is not the same without these 2 costume makers on the shelf during the Halloween season, just looking at the box designs while shopping would put a smile on my face .

Sadly now everything is cookie cuter nonsense spewed from the same overseas factories made out of the same stretchy material and packed in a bag

(let's go costume companies bring back the boxes with the cool artwork! and while you're at it sell your costumes for $1.49 to $2.99) ,

I pity the kids today (and  their parents too) as costumes are either too expensive so they do without or the parents break the bank outfitting their family for the holiday

The dollar store is really the only place a family can shop for Halloween and the closest thing to the good old days as far as finding the cheapy fun chachkas

When Ben Cooper closed it's doors another piece of our childhood disappeared

[Gory Glenn]

Great Pics!

[Hepcat]

The dollar store is really the only place a family can shop for Halloween and the closest thing to the good old days as far as finding the cheapy fun chachkas

When Ben Cooper closed it's doors another piece of our childhood disappeared.

Truth! And that Green Lantern costume is too cool.

[Hepcat]

Ben Cooper continues to lead this one, but it's Halloween costume time again!

[Herr Hussmann]

All my local Woolworth's carried was the Ben Cooper line, so I'd have to go with that. Their Frankenstein was a pretty good likeness of Glenn Strange in A&C MEET F.



I also remember having a Wolf Man, this version



There were so many different versions of these two!

[Hepcat]

The name brand used by the H. Halpern company for costumes was of course Halco:

[Hepcat]

Here's a great article on the history of Halloween costumes from the early 20th century to the present:

From Pagan Spirits to Wonder Woman - CNN

[Hepcat]

Here's a newly published 200 page book on the tacky yet extremely cool kids' Halloween costumes of yesteryear including a history of Ben Cooper, Inc.:





P.S. The book evidently covers only Ben Cooper's offerings.

[marsattacks666]

Here's a newly published 200 page book on the tacky yet extremely cool kids' Halloween costumes of yesteryear including a history of the Ben Cooper, Inc.:

Definitely going to buy this book. Awesome.

[Hepcat]

I understand that Ben Cooper's offerings dominated the Halloween costume space in the major five-and-dime chains such as Woolworth and Kresge which leaves me wondering whether Collegeville's focus was on mom-and-pop retailers. Or did Collegeville which was based near Philadelphia have certain regional niches where it was particularly strong? Does anyone remember where they bought any Collegeville costumes?

[Hepcat]

Man, that's a tough call. When I was much younger I would have probably said Ben Cooper because their licensed Spider-man and Batman costumes are absolutely iconic. They had all the big licenses. But as I get older, I appreciate the classic images created by Collegeville without using licensed characters. The licensed characters that Collegville did acquire were ones I actually wore as a child, including my very first Halloween costume, H R Pufnstuf, and Ultraman. Then there's my latest acquisition, the Ray Harryhausen Sinbad costume....

According to Ben Cooper Inc.'s bankruptcy filing in 1988, the company accounted for 70 to 80 percent of the licensed  character costume business. While I like the Universal monsters, superheroes and most of the cartoon characters for which Ben Cooper made costumes, I have no interest in almost any of the plethora of costumes based on situation comedy and other TV show or movie characters (e.g. Fonzie, Welcome Back Kotter, Fantasy Island, Sesame Street, Star Wars, Chuck Norris, etc.) made by Ben Cooper.

So once again, I'm sticking with Collegeville in this poll because I like a much greater proportion of Collegeville's costumes simply because Collegeville didn't tie so many of its costumes to TV shows in which I have no interest.

[marsattacks666]

While I do enjoy collecting Ben Cooper costumes of different movie and  television genres. I never
understood the popularity of the off-shoot characters. For example. Chuck Barris( Gong Show), Small Wonder(1985), and other strange character choices. Who and what demographic were those costume characters geared to.

[Sir Masksalot]

Does anyone remember where they bought any Collegeville costume?

'Am pretty sure I had one of those Frankensteins as depicted in Herr Hussmann's post above.
My Mom or Dad must've gotten it for me from Newberry's, our local variety store. Its likeness
to Glenn Strange even includes his distinctive cheek wart although it's not highlighted with paint.