Play-Doh® was first used as a product to clean wallpaper. Created by N.W. McVicker in 1933 as a cleaning compound for wallpaper, the idea of converting the non-toxic, off-white product to a type of modeling clay for children was inspired by a magazine article read in 1954 by a nursery school teacher named Kay Zufall, who was the sister-in-law of McVicker's nephew, Joe. Originally sold to schools in 1-gallon (3.8-liter) cardboard cans of red, yellow or blue modeling clay, Play-Doh® quickly became a favorite with kids.
More facts about Play-Doh®:
- The product continued to be sold in cardboard containers until 1986. At that time, Play-Doh® began to be packaged in plastic containers.
- Play-Doh® caught on with the public thanks to Captain Kangaroo, whose real name was Bob Keegan. In 1957, the popular children's television show host was offered 2 percent of the profits if he would if he would feature the product on his show once a week. The Captain was so happy with the product that he featured it up to three times each week. As a result, loyal fans of the show began demanding that local stores carry Play-Doh®.
- In 2000, people had the chance to vote on their favorite colors for the product. Hasbro, the current manufacturer of Play-Doh®, said that rose red, garden green, blue lagoon and purple paradise were the most popular colors among the roughly 100,000 people who participated in the survey.
By Malcolm Tatum
, Writer
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.