Kenner Products
44 years in operation (1947–1991)
About Kenner Products
Kenner introduced the Easy-Bake Oven in 1963 and the Spirograph in 1966 before becoming synonymous with the Star Wars toy line from 1977. When Kenner couldn't produce actual toys in time for Christmas 1977, they sold 'Early Bird' certificate packages — empty boxes promising future delivery — a legendary marketing moment. Hasbro acquired Kenner in 1991.
Founding
The brothers Albert, Philip and Joseph Steiner, who named the company after Kenner Street in Cincinnati, where their first offices stood.
History of Kenner Products
Kenner made its name on toys that were mechanically interesting in their own right — the Give-A-Show projector, the Easy-Bake Oven with its light-bulb heating element, the Spirograph — and then in 1977 made the single most consequential decision in modern toy history by acquiring the merchandising licence for a science-fiction film that the studios expected to fail.
Star Wars remade the industry. Kenner's choice of a 3.75-inch action-figure scale — smaller than G.I. Joe, cheap enough to buy several, and sized so that vehicles and playsets were commercially viable — became the industry standard and remains so. Unable to produce figures in time for Christmas 1977, Kenner sold the "Early Bird Certificate Package", an empty box containing a voucher, which is now itself a famous collectable.
The company followed with The Six Million Dollar Man, Stretch Armstrong, Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Ghostbusters and the Batman lines. General Mills owned it from 1967, it passed to Tonka in 1987, and Hasbro absorbed both in 1991; the Kenner name was retired in 2000.
Timeline
- 1947The Steiner brothers found Kenner Products in Cincinnati
- 1963The Easy-Bake Oven is introduced
- 1966Spirograph is launched in the United States
- 1977The Star Wars licence and the 3.75-inch action figure scale reset the industry
- 1987Tonka acquires Kenner
- 1991Hasbro acquires Tonka and with it Kenner
- 2000The Kenner brand is retired
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Star Wars action figures (1977)
- Easy-Bake Oven (1963)
- Spirograph (1966)
- The Six Million Dollar Man
- Stretch Armstrong
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Care Bears
- Real Ghostbusters line
Identifying & Dating Kenner Products Toys
- Figures are marked on the back or legs with "©" and a year, "G.M.F.G.I." for General Mills Fun Group, or "Kenner", plus a country of manufacture — Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan or China.
- The copyright year is the design year, not the production year; country of manufacture is the more useful production indicator for Star Wars figures.
- Card backs are graded by the number of figures pictured on the reverse — 12-back, 20-back, 32-back and so on — which is the standard dating and valuation framework.
Collector's Notes
- Carded Star Wars figures are the highest-value area and are dominated by grading. A 12-back card in high grade is a different market entirely from the same figure loose.
- Loose figures live or die on accessories: the original weapon, cape or cloak is usually missing, and reproductions are widespread and often undisclosed.
- Check vinyl capes, soft goods and Kenner's early plastic for brittleness and discolouration, and be aware that the most valuable variants — the double-telescoping lightsabers, the rocket-firing Boba Fett prototypes — are also the most faked objects in the hobby.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Kenner Products founded?
Kenner Products was founded in 1947, based in Cincinnati, OH.
Is Kenner Products still in business?
No. Kenner Products ceased operations in 1991, after 44 years in business.
What is Kenner Products best known for?
Kenner Products is best known for Star Wars action figures (1977), Easy-Bake Oven (1963), Spirograph (1966), among other toys.
Where was Kenner Products located?
Kenner Products was based in Cincinnati, OH.
What kinds of toys did Kenner Products make?
Kenner Products is categorized under action figures, dolls, games, preschool toys.
Who founded Kenner Products?
The brothers Albert, Philip and Joseph Steiner, who named the company after Kenner Street in Cincinnati, where their first offices stood.
How can you identify genuine Kenner Products toys?
Figures are marked on the back or legs with "©" and a year, "G.M.F.G.I." for General Mills Fun Group, or "Kenner", plus a country of manufacture — Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan or China. The copyright year is the design year, not the production year; country of manufacture is the more useful production indicator for Star Wars figures. Card backs are graded by the number of figures pictured on the reverse — 12-back, 20-back, 32-back and so on — which is the standard dating and valuation framework.
Are Kenner Products toys valuable?
Carded Star Wars figures are the highest-value area and are dominated by grading. A 12-back card in high grade is a different market entirely from the same figure loose. Loose figures live or die on accessories: the original weapon, cape or cloak is usually missing, and reproductions are widespread and often undisclosed. Check vinyl capes, soft goods and Kenner's early plastic for brittleness and discolouration, and be aware that the most valuable variants — the double-telescoping lightsabers, the rocket-firing Boba Fett prototypes — are also the most faked objects in the hobby.