US EditionToy Inventor Burt Meyer, Who Dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Dies Age 99
Burt Meyer invented iconic toys like Lite-Brite and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots during the postwar plastic boom; Lite-Brite joined the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2022.
- On Oct. 30, Burt Meyer died at 99, confirmed by his son and Rebecca Mathis, executive director at King‑Bruwaert House in Burr Ridge, Illinois.
- Meyer rose at Marvin Glass & Associates, where he created enduring toys like Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots and Lite-Brite as plastic molding transformed the postwar U.S. toy market.
- The idea for Lite‑Brite began during a walk in Manhattan with Marvin Glass, and the toy later earned spots on Time Magazine's list of 100 greatest toys and appeared at the Oct. 2, 2023 Toy Fair.
- The result was a tabletop game where players control fists with joysticks and pop the opponent's head, after a featherweight boxer's fatal injury stalled the original boxing concept, prompting Meyer to suggest robots.
- Meyer launched Meyer/Glass Design in the mid‑1980s, producing hits like Gooey Louie while his son Steve Meyer ran the firm until 2006; after retiring to Downers Grove, Illinois, he built and flew small planes into his 80s.
51 Articles
51 Articles
Toy Inventor Burt Meyer, Who Dreamed Up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Dies Age 99
(AP) – Burt Meyer, who invented toys like Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Lite-Brite and MouseTrap in the 1960s that delighted a generation of childhoods, has died. He was 99. Meyer’s creations arrived in the postwar boom, when plastic molding and mass production transformed how American children played. That shift opened the door for more […]
Toy inventor Burt Meyer, who dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, dies age 99
By SAFIYAH RIDDLE Burt Meyer, who invented toys like Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Lite-Brite and MouseTrap in the 1960s that delighted generations of children, has died. He was 99. Meyer’s creations arrived in the postwar boom, when plastic molding and mass production transformed how American kids played. That shift opened the door for more dynamic toys, and Meyer seized the moment with designs that would stay on shelves for decades. Meyer died on …
Toy inventor Burt Meyer, who dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, dies age 99
By SAFIYAH RIDDLE Burt Meyer, who invented toys like Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Lite-Brite and MouseTrap in the 1960s that delighted generations of children, has died. He was 99. Meyer’s creations arrived in the postwar boom, when plastic molding and mass production transformed how American kids played. That shift opened the door for more dynamic toys, and Meyer seized the moment with designs that would stay on shelves for decades. Meyer died on …
Toy inventor Burt Meyer, who dreamed up Lite-Brite and Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, dies age 99
By SAFIYAH RIDDLE Burt Meyer, who invented toys like Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots, Lite-Brite and MouseTrap in the 1960s that delighted generations of children, has died. He was 99. Meyer’s creations arrived in the postwar boom, when plastic molding and mass production transformed how American kids played. That shift opened the door for more dynamic toys, and Meyer seized the moment with designs that would stay on shelves for decades. Meyer died on …
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