While I didn't have the Tiger Joe as a kid, I did have the Marx (or maybe it was REMCO) large tank. Neither of those were R/C and neither of those had a rotating turret gunner.
"Only sold in Food Markets"... That was a thing in early 60's American advertising. I wonder if it also held true for the English import system? I mentioned rescently how I used to walk to my Junior School every day. I used to pass one of those old death trap playgrounds, all hard asphelt and spinning wooden roundabouts! Next to it was a building that might have been a Pub once. It was lived in and they obviously had kids. In the Cyclone fenced back yard was a Tiger Joe, out of power, out of love and exposed to the elements... As a kid, I didn't know the Gerry Anderson connection, but that derelict Tiger Joe has lived in my merories for my entire life!
'Only sold in supermarkets' absolutely screams Deluxe Reading! All the other big name toy companies sold through places like Sears, Montgomery Wards, J.C. Penney's or in stores like Woolworth's and W.T. Grants. Deluxe Reading avoided all those outlets and sold almost exclusively in supermarkets.
Fascinating about Deluxe Reading Ed and supermarkets. I had lots of their toys under the Topper brand. My fave two toys of all time in fact. Secret Sam and Johnny Seven! Yes!
A big toy and two of them formed the trailer of the crablogger in Thunderbirds, so that was one huge model!
ReplyDeleteIncredible! Have you made one Kevin?
DeleteNo, would love to but there's nowhere to put it, it would be so big!
DeleteWhile I didn't have the Tiger Joe as a kid, I did have the Marx (or maybe it was REMCO) large tank. Neither of those were R/C and neither of those had a rotating turret gunner.
ReplyDeleteSuperb Ed! What a toy!
Delete"Only sold in Food Markets"...
ReplyDeleteThat was a thing in early 60's American advertising.
I wonder if it also held true for the English import system?
I mentioned rescently how I used to walk to my Junior School every day. I used to pass one of those old death trap playgrounds, all hard asphelt and spinning wooden roundabouts!
Next to it was a building that might have been a Pub once. It was lived in and they obviously had kids. In the Cyclone fenced back yard was a Tiger Joe, out of power, out of love and exposed to the elements...
As a kid, I didn't know the Gerry Anderson connection, but that derelict Tiger Joe has lived in my merories for my entire life!
'Only sold in supermarkets' absolutely screams Deluxe Reading! All the other big name toy companies sold through places like Sears, Montgomery Wards, J.C. Penney's or in stores like Woolworth's and W.T. Grants. Deluxe Reading avoided all those outlets and sold almost exclusively in supermarkets.
DeleteGreat memory Looey. It's funny how abandoned toys stick in the mind like that! Maybe it's about not being where they should be.
DeleteFascinating about Deluxe Reading Ed and supermarkets. I had lots of their toys under the Topper brand. My fave two toys of all time in fact. Secret Sam and Johnny Seven! Yes!
DeleteMy Deluxe Reading Operation X-500 (as well as a couple of other toys) came from the Roundy's Supermarket right across the street from our house.
Delete