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Season 2 – The Toys That Built America

Play trailer Poster for Season 2 – The Toys That Built America Oct 2022 Documentary History Play Trailer Watchlist
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Against the backdrop of major events in American history, like the Civil War and the Great Depression, "The Toys that Built America" shares a different story: one that brings new products and nostalgic toys to the forefront as driving forces behind untold cultural and economic shifts. The four-part docuseries showcases visionaries, such as the Parker Brothers, Milton Bradley and Ruth Handler, who transformed a small toy company into the billion-dollar empire now known as Mattel. The series unveils competitive rivalries between iconic brands that changed the fabric of the nation forever.
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The Toys That Built America — Season 2

The Toys That Built America — Season 2

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Cast & Crew

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Ian Karr

Narrator

Brooke Townsend

Executive Producer

Jim Pasquarella

Executive Producer

Keith McKay

Executive Producer

Kristine Sabat

Executive Producer

Mary Donahue

Executive Producer

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Oct 23, 2022 Masters of the Toy Universe After passing on the biggest deal in toy industry history, Mattel President Ray Wagner finds himself a step behind former colleague-turned-rival Bernie Loomis. Details Episode 2 Aired Oct 30, 2022 The Birth of Video Games Defense contractor Ralph Baer invents the world's first home video game console, but it is soon eclipsed by a new table tennis game; when a third pioneer, Jerry Lawson, creates a console featuring swappable games, the video game industry explodes. Details Episode 3 Aired Nov 6, 2022 The Idea Man A visionary named Marvin Glass oversees the creation of many of the most iconic toys of the 20th century; from chattering teeth to a legendary game based on a mouse trap, Glass pushes the boundaries of what a toy can be and inspires generations. Details Episode 4 Aired Nov 13, 2022 Brick by Brick At the height of the industrial age, Alfred Carlton Gilbert goes all in on a revolutionary steel building toy that inspires generations of Americans to build bigger; decades later, a struggling Danish carpenter creates the world's biggest toy empire. Details Episode 5 Aired Nov 20, 2022 Order Out of Chaos Hungarian professor, Erno Rubik's 3-D puzzle takes the world by storm; Leslie Scott stops at nothing to bring an iconic building block board game to market; Alexey Pajitnov risks everything to launch a video game obsession based on a puzzle. Details Episode 6 Aired Nov 27, 2022 Cabbage Clash Martha Nelson creates a one-of-a-kind doll to sell at local Kentucky craft markets; a visionary young entrepreneur uses her artwork as inspiration for a mass-produced doll that sparks a multi-billion-dollar toy craze. Details Episode 7 Aired Dec 4, 2022 80's Tech Toys A former amusement park employee combines his animatronic knowledge with the cassette tape to create the world's first realistic talking toy; a NASA engineer invents an entirely new toy segment stemming from the boring old squirt gun. Details Episode 8 Aired Dec 11, 2022 Christmas Crazes The Christmas crazes that helped transform holiday shopping into the frantic, no-holds-barred $1.1 trillion frenzy that it is today; each season's must-have toy sends desperate shoppers to unbelievable lengths just to buy it. Details Episode 9 Aired Dec 11, 2022 Gross Out Icons From a first-century Roman emperor who created an early version of the whoopee cushion to modern materials that emulate human body fluids, gross equals big bucks for toymakers; examining innovative toys designed to shock. Details Episode 10 Aired Dec 11, 2022 Plumber Bros vs. Hedgehog After the U.S. video game crash of 1983, a Japanese electronics company single-handedly resurrects the industry with a game featuring a jumping plumber. Details
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The Toys That Built America — Season 2

The Toys That Built America The Toys That Built America The Toys That Built America View more photos

Season Info

Director
Nick White
Executive Producer
Brooke Townsend, Jim Pasquarella, Keith McKay, Kristine Sabat, Mary Donahue, Matt Pearl, Steve Ascher
Network
History
Rating
TV-PG (V)
Genre
Documentary, History
Original Language
English
Release Date
Oct 23, 2022