“When the owner approached to look at Marks' greeting cards, he was still playing with the links. ‘Marks was so interested in playing, he hadn’t realized so much time had passed,’ adds Dinhofer.” biggest chain with 2,100 stores. “They liked it, but wanted a & Hobby World’s Toy Hit Parade chart. At No. 3, coincidenguarantee that we would put it on TV for 13 weeks, or ap- tally, was BOM’s future Toy Story co-star and eventual Hasproximately $150,000 to $275,000 worth of commercials,” bro brand-mate, Mr. Potato Head, simply listed as Potato he says. TV advertising was becoming the norm, and this Head. made it impossible for Marks and Dinhofer to agree to WoolToday, BOM is sold by Milton Bradley under the Hasbro worth’s deal, which seemed too expensive and risky. umbrella. As it turns 50, Dinhofer cannot help but reflect on In time, Marks moved on and partnered with another its history. “I had a lot of talent; too bad it took me 50 years man, Herman Kesler, while Dinhofer met James R. Becker at to realize it,” he jokes. But thanks to Dinhofer and many Lakeside in 1969. Becker would eventually become Lake- other talented people, BOM has successfully existed for alside’s president, but at the time, he was a vice president and most half a century. Why is it so successful? Is it the barrel, still relatively new at the company. the monkeys, the links, or maybe the Through Becker, Dinhofer came to learn game’s simplicity? It likely doesn’t how Lakeside picked up BOM from Kesler hurt that it brings a smile for under and Marks: In 1964, Kesler called Zelman $10. Quite possibly, it was just a perLevine, the chairman and president of fect storm of ideas, people, timing, Lakeside Toys, and set up a meeting in and luck. New York City. At the meeting were Levine, Whatever the reason for BOM’s Becker, and Lakeside’s soon-to-be national longevity, after hearing Dinhofer’s sales manager, Stanley Harfenist. recounting, one can’t help but imagAccording to what Becker would tell ine a big 50th birthday bash with Dinhofer, Kesler walked into the meeting monkeys swinging from chandeliers, room, and just as Marks had done with his barrels of champagne flowing, and links at Dinhofer’s, Kesler un-cupped his Dinhofer photobombing us all. At the hands, dropped the monkeys onto a table, very least, it would offer the chance and started to link them together. Becker to raise a glass and toast to all who also said that he himself brought up the put those monkeys in a barrel, and phrase, “More fun than a barrel of monthose barrels into tiny, happy hands. keys,” at the meeting. Levine immediately And when my grandfather raises his approved the item, and took all of the samown glass, may he be beside his own drawing of the original Barrel of Monkeys links ples back with him to Minneapolis. favorite links—including his chilLegal documents show Kesler and dren, his grandchildren, his greatMarks signed an agreement with Lakeside dated January grandchildren, and his great-great-grandchildren, because ■ 29, 1965. Dinhofer also has royalty statements showing truly, what could be more fun than that? gross sales beginning in the first quarter of 1965. He speculates that if Lakeside used his original mold, that would Tracy Leshay is the granddaughter of Barrel of Monkeys explain how the toy got to market so fast after contracts were signed. Lakeside also used similar packaging to their inventor Milton Dinhofer. She is a Los Angeles-based children's already successful Pick-Up-Sticks game, which probably book author and photographer. Her debut picture book, She sped up the release process. Dinhofer’s news clippings show Yelled. I Screamed... She Pulled my Hair, will be released early that by April of 1967, Barrel of Monkeys was No. 2 on Toy next year.
252 • THE TOY BOOK
FEBRUARY 2015