Mr. Potato Head Unarmed
From 1972 through the mid-eighties, Mr. Potato Head had one major thing in common with the Fisher Price Little People: A lack of arms! Yet, this armless style of Mr. Potato Head may be the most underrated and overlooked version of them all. Attention is often focused on the original small Potato Head from the fifties or the current version of Toy Story fame, thus ignoring the poor middle child shown below. Even Hasbro itself seemed to slight this version by giving it the least amount of parts and accessories. All of this is quite unfortunate since this version had a unique and chraming style that deserves to be recognized. This special style of Potato Head may very well be my all time favorite.
Of course, as a child, I was quite shocked when I first saw this style on store shelves. I was very used to the original small style of Mr. Potato Head with its numerous accessories. I never thought I could warm up to this new bizarre armless version with limited pieces. Yet, it wasn't long before I grew to love everything that made this style so different, like its lack of arms and its giant, bulky shape. I grew to adore the simplicity of this Potato Head and the challenge of making several different faces with only a small amount of body parts. It was new! Unique! Special! I loved it and I still do!
Armless Mr. Potato Head was also advertised on television with this very catchy jingle: "I made you! You know it's true! Mr. Potato Head, I made you!" Ah, long live this armless wonder!
