The Street Sign on Kenner Street
Cincinnati, 1946. The Steiner brothers—Albert, Philip, and Joseph—look out a window at a street sign reading Kenner. This moment marks the birth of an American toy company. It does not begin with plastic figures or space battles, but with soap, extracts, and flavorings. The first true breakthrough arrives in 1947: the Bubbl-Matic Bubble Gun. Albert Steiner watches children play with bubble wands and translates that simple motion into a functional aluminum toy.
The company expands through the decades, moving from soap-adjacent novelties to engineering feats of play. In 1957, construction sets like Girder and Panel arrive. By 1963, the kitchen becomes a laboratory for children with the Easy-Bake Oven, utilizing a standard light bulb to bake tiny cakes. The business grows, absorbing Rainbow Crafts in 1971, which brings the colorful world of Play-Doh into the Kenner catalog.
The Star Wars Shift
A massive shift occurs in 1976. While other manufacturers reject the license for a new film called Star Wars, Kenner’s Bernie Loomis moves forward. The demand is immediate and overwhelming. There is no stock ready for the Christmas market. To manage the frenzy, the company sells the Early Bird Certificate Package—a promise of figures to come.
The production of 3.75-inch action figures changes the industry standard. Between 1978 and 1985, the line expands to include 96 different figures, vehicles, and playsets. The scale of success is measurable: over 300 million units sold. This era defines the company's legacy, turning cinematic characters into tangible objects held in hands across the globe.
A Legacy of Play
Kenner Products was not a visual artist; it was an American toy brand and manufacturer. Its output spanned diverse categories:
- Action figures such as The Six Million Dollar Man and the Super Powers Collection.
- Creative tools like the Spirograph and Play-Doh.
- Character-based lines including Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, and The Real Ghostbusters.
The company undergoes a series of corporate transitions. General Mills acquires Kenner in 1967. Later, Tonka acquires the brand in 1987. Finally, Hasbro takes ownership in 1991. By 2000, the Cincinnati offices close, and the Kenner product lines are merged into Hasbro. The name remains a part of toy history, rooted in the streets of Ohio.
