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Farewell to a Toy Titan: Burt Meyer, Inventor of Childhood Classics, Dies at 99
Burr Ridge, IL – The world of play is a little less bright today as we bid farewell to Burt Meyer, the brilliant mind behind some of the most iconic toys that shaped generations of American childhoods. Meyer, the inventive force behind classics like Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Lite-Brite, and Mouse Trap, passed away on October 30th at the age of 99.
Meyer’s genius flourished during the post-war boom, a pivotal era when advancements in plastic molding and mass production revolutionized the toy industry. He expertly navigated this shift, creating dynamic and enduring designs that would remain staples on toy store shelves for decades.
According to Rebecca Mathis, executive director at King-Bruwaert House, the Burr Ridge retirement community where Meyer resided, he was a man who effortlessly blended a boundless, childlike imagination with a pragmatic understanding of machinery – a rare and potent combination that fueled his success.
Take Lite-Brite, for example. The spark of inspiration ignited in 1966 when Meyer, walking through Manhattan with Marvin Glass, owner of a leading toy design company, was captivated by a window display adorned with hundreds of colored lights.
Despite initial doubts from engineers about the safety of adapting electric lights for children, Meyer, then an employee at Marvin Glass & Associates, was resolute. As Tim Walsh, who interviewed Meyer for his 2005 book “Timeless Toys,” noted, “There’s billions of ideas out there, but executing them into a final creative solution is often the hard part.”
Meyer’s solution? A small, backlit box with black paper sheets, allowing kids to create illuminated patterns.
Lite-Brite was an instant sensation, earning a spot on Time Magazine’s list of 100 greatest toys and induction into the Strong National Museum of Play’s hall of fame. New versions continue to delight children today.
Meyer also played a crucial role in the creation of Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots. The initial concept, a boxing arcade game, faced a major hurdle after a featherweight boxer’s tragic brain injury made any toy invoking such an event unmarketable.
Meyer, however, saw the potential with a simple yet brilliant pivot. “This is too good to pass up,” he recalled saying in a 2010 interview.
“Let’s take it away from humanity, let’s make it robots. And we won’t have them fall over, we’ll have something funny happen.”
The result was the beloved game where players control robot fighters, aiming to pop the opponent’s spring-loaded head with a satisfying theatrical flourish. The toy’s enduring appeal is evident in its appearance in “Toy Story 2” and Mattel’s 2021 announcement of a live-action movie adaptation.
In the mid-1980s, Meyer ventured out to establish his own firm, Meyer/Glass Design, which went on to develop numerous bestsellers, including the delightfully gross Gooey Louie and the ever-popular Pretty Pretty Princess board game. His son, Steve Meyer, continued the legacy, running the business until 2006.
Born Burton Carpenter Meyer in 1926, he served two years as an aircraft mechanic in the Navy. After his illustrious career in toy making, he retired to Downers Grove, a Chicago suburb, where his passion for engineering continued.
He built small planes and, well into his 80s, could be seen expertly piloting them from a nearby private airfield. Meyer often drew parallels between aerospace engineering and toy design, emphasizing the shared need for ingenuity and teamwork.
“When you’re flying the airplane, use every resource that you have in there. That’s why we were able to turn out so many successful products,” Meyer once remarked, attributing much of his success to the collaborative environment at Marvin Glass & Associates.
Meyer’s car proudly bore the vanity plate “TOYKING,” a title he undoubtedly earned. In a 2010 interview, he expressed his ongoing joy in telling people what he did for a living and hearing their delighted response: “Oh, I played with that!”
Burt Meyer leaves behind a legacy of laughter, imagination, and countless cherished childhood memories. He will be deeply missed.