Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war'
- Publication: Birmingham Post
- Date: 1964-12-24
- Author: John Solan
- Page: 4
- Language: English
THE breadwinner, in his hazardous progress towards the stockings at the foot of the tiny beds tonight, has less cause than his own father had a generation ago to fear that he may startle the little ones from their childish slumbers. Horror toys have prepared them for the worst.
According to a report from America, the most popular toys over there this Christmas are a do-it-yourself Chamber of Horrors kit and a French guillotine with a battery-operated knife.
Other toys which would never have reached the counter if the Birmingham Sunday Films Committee had been in charge, are reproductions of Frankenstein and Dracula.
Only a tame psychiatrist could explain why American children seem to prefer this kind of toy to the more civilised guns, tanks and grenades with which a thoughtful trade is also willing to provide them.
In the top space race, Britain is apparently 200 years ahead of the United States.
The Daleks, who regularly turn Saturday afternoons into a weird Wellsian world of flying saucers and fantastic bleeps—and, who as far as I can gather, are bent on burrowing through the centre of this planet to steal its magnetic core have beaten all-corners on the shop counters.
No, not all. The Christopher Robins of this world still prefer soft toys.
Mr. L. Barnes, financial director of the Chad Valley toy firm. said last night that Teddy Bears and glove puppets have been their best sellers this Christmas. And cowboys and Indians.
Neither wholesalers nor retailers, he said, would be interested in horror toys along American lines. The Daleks were a different matter. They were not frightening.
One Birmingham store, however, reported that it sold Frankensteins and the odd Dracula. There was no rush to buy them. Daleks. on the other hand, were at a premium. and many a parent, I am afraid, will have to be prepared to play Dr. Who tomorrow.
Disclaimer: These citations are created on-the-fly using primitive parsing techniques. You should double-check all citations. Send feedback to whovian@cuttingsarchive.org
- APA 6th ed.: Solan, John (1964-12-24). Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war'. Birmingham Post p. 4.
- MLA 7th ed.: Solan, John. "Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war'." Birmingham Post [add city] 1964-12-24, 4. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Solan, John. "Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war'." Birmingham Post, edition, sec., 1964-12-24
- Turabian: Solan, John. "Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war'." Birmingham Post, 1964-12-24, section, 4 edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war' | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Daleks_are_winning_the_toy_counter_%27war%27 | work=Birmingham Post | pages=4 | date=1964-12-24 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 November 2024 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=Daleks are winning the toy counter 'war' | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/Daleks_are_winning_the_toy_counter_%27war%27 | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=22 November 2024}}</ref>
