1960s Universal Monster Toys from MAGE Toys Corp (wind-ups and others)

[mjaycox]

The MAGE Toy Corp is most known for two things: 1) a series of licensed Mego-style 8" Monster figures made in the 1970s, and 2) for going out of business in spectacular fashion by squandering it all on blow, crystal meth, and junk bonds.

However, MAGE's roots stretch back into the 60s, and possibly earlier... new toys by them surface every year. Very little is known about this disreputable fly-by-night organization. It's irascible CEO was one Turner James William Mallard III, Esq. Few photos still exist of the reclusive entrepreneur, so most of what is here will have to serve as a re-creation of events:

When he first appeared on the scene, he was your average Willy Wonka-ish dandy:


seen on the left

Later on at his toy factory in the 70s, with things in high gear, the business hours are clearly getting to him:



He can't even be happy on this trip to Venice, with his impossibly-hot British wife


But there were brief periods of elation, such as when he tried to fly a replica of a Fokker tri-plane across the English channel. He didn't realize his company workers built it to H-O scale... oops!



But by the end of the 1970s, he was coked out of his mind and overcome with paranoia



His company in ruins, and on the run from the Feds, The DEA, the Sandinistas, and Dexys Midnight Runners, he nonetheless showed up to accept this award in 1982 as "Most Improved Money Launderer"




With this ignominious end, its easy to forget about the early glory days... so let's take a look back at Mage Toys' 1960s output... at least what's known:

Tin Wind-ups were apparently a big thing from the years of 1964-66, and came in large rich-kid deluxe size, and poor-kid economy size. Love that Wolf Man









For all his other faults, the man clearly "got" monster toys





Look at that Glenn Strange likeness...






The "Frankenstein Buddy" as he is called, is a plush with a light-up head. The head is modeled after the Soakie, clearly. And the box art is bald-facedly ripped off from the head speaker.








A face any Monster Kid could love




Well thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with me... if I discover more 60s Mage Toys, I will post them with all haste

Best,

Matt

[frankenstein73]

Hilarious! Awesome pics, be sure to post more pics as you find these illusive toys!

[Mord]

 Matt, you do realize that you're torturing us, don't you? These are absolutely beautiful!

[Mike Scott]

Thanks for the lesson on MAGE Toys, Matt! Really great likenesses on the Phantom and Strange Frank bots!

[Monolith]

WOW! Those Mage tin toys are impossible to find! They are in pristine condition- you must know someone who worked for Mage and had  an un-played-with box of them stashed away. Those boxes are crisp. I always LOVED
the artwork on the Phantom box- it's so cool! I love the Frankenstein box art,too. These are so hard to find, you can't buy them anywhere. Someone once said that that Mage guy looked like Donald Sutherland, now, after seeing these photo's I can see the resemblance. What a fantastic find!

[raycastile]

I think the Frankenstein Buddy is my favorite MAGE toy. It is quintessential MAGE.

[hugohernandez]

ARe these for real?

I have never ever seen these before or mentioned even.
wow, more elusive exclusive monster toys to pine over....

   Yup Phantom floats my boat and the box art looks like it was lifted straight off of the aurora kits.   Especially Wolfman!!!!

c'mon guys, is this another April Fools?

If not, WOAH!

[Monolith]

ARe these for real?

I have never ever seen these before or mentioned even.
wow, more elusive exclusive monster toys to pine over....

   Yup Phantom floats my boat and the box art looks like it was lifted straight off of the aurora kits.   Especially Wolfman!!!!

c'mon guys, is this another April Fools?

If not, WOAH!

They ARE real (in the sense that you could touch them and feel them if you had them in your hand), and they ARE made by Mage. But they're not from the '60's. They are customs.

[hugohernandez]

so can people buy them?
what i wouldn't give for a frank buddy!

[bigbud]

Built off the basic structure of the Robot House Walkers from '91?

[raycastile]

Where did Mage get the hands for the Frankenstein Buddy? They look familiar. Maybe Robot House or a Motion-ette. I can't place them.

[mjaycox]

The Frank hands are from an Addams Family plush

The Frank robot is built off a robot house Tin robot

The Phantom off of a reissue Nomura spaceman robot

The Wolfman was built off of a mini Tin robot of Ultra7

[Monolith]

I couldn't place those Frankenstein Buddy hands either- I love the blood on them. All the blood is so '60's monster.

[Toy Ranch]

Super work, Matt!  Those are great!

[monsterjoe]

I LOVE THIS STUFF....