| Month |
Date |
Year |
Event |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
11 |
1896 |
Louis Marx is born in Brooklyn, NY to Jacob and Clara Lou Marx
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1911 |
Marx graduated Ft. Hamilton High School |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1912 |
Office boy for Ferdinand Strauss mechanical toy manufacturer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1916 |
Managed Strauss' New Jersey plant; was fired for urging volume manufacturing/sales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1917 |
Entered U.S. Army as private; promoted to Sargeant |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1918 |
Returned to civilian life; salesman to Vermont Wood Products Co.; gained experience in wood toys |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1919 |
Louis Marx and Co., Inc. established with brother David; as middlemen they worked on sales commission |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1920 |
Fire in Girard plant; new building called Girard Model Works |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1920 -1930 |
Marx marketed toys from other factories; Strauss, C.G. Wood, Girard, Carter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1921 |
Rented factory space from Carter toys in Erie, PA (formerly associated with Strauss); began to make toys |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1921 |
Able to purchase Strauss with old dies for Alabama minstrel dancer, Zippo climbing monkey |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1922 |
Had already sold over 8 million of each toy and had become a millionaire |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1928 |
Produced Yo-Yo with all-time record sales over 100 million; distrib. through Sears |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1930 |
Expanded empire in earnest; larger factories acquired in West Va., Wales, Great Britain, etc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1932 |
Contracted CE Carter Toys to manufacture his toys; managed by Monty Feist |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1935 |
Marx acquired Girard plant, Girard Manufacturing Co. to avoid confusion with other Erie plants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1935 |
Dominated most dime store counters; started as train manufacturer (Girard) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1936 |
Additional buildings purchased: Eriez Stove Co., known as buildings A,B,C on W.12th St. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1940's |
Wife Renee Freda died leaving Louis with 4 children |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1940's |
Remarried to Idella Ruth Blackadder |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1941 |
World War II turned from toy production to defense work |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1941 |
Marx knew General Marshall, Eisenhower, Smith, Bradley and O'Donnell |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1942 |
Marx purchased CE Carter Toys at 19th and Cascade in Erie, Pa |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1948 |
First plastic toys; not durable; switched to poly-ethylene for strength |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1950 |
Entire organization directed from New York offices |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1967 |
Workers strike in Erie plant |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1971 |
Marx sales slipped to 67 million |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
10 |
1972 |
End of Louis Marx era; purchased by Quaker Oats Co., Stamford Conn. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1972 |
Last of Marx Metal Toy Trains; OSHA entered point of safety concerns |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1973 |
Only plastic toys offered due to Federal Safety Standards |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 9 |
5 |
1975 |
Quaker Oats anounced closure of all toy manufacturing. In Erie and Girard, PA. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1975 |
#428 Crossing gate was last train item made in Girard |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 4 |
|
1976 |
Quaker Oats sold Marx to Dunbee-Combex in London England |
