There he is. He could kick all of the butts.

We’ve hit our Friday of the week, and at the moment, Kyle and I are rather busy with some big things (we’re recording a separate, legit podcast with a very special guest). That means I’m going to keep today light and nostalgic, which lends itself to a Forget-Me-Nots, the segment Kyle came up with but we haven’t been doing enough with. For today then, join me as I remember one of my favorite toys as a youth: My Lone Ranger Action Figure.

Time for the timewarp. WOOSH! Okay, wavy lines and spacey music just kicked in, and now we’re in Chris’ childhood circa 1989. My grandmother, Grandma Barbara, probably one of the greatest grandmas the world has even seen, had one of the greatest rooms in the world known only as “The Toy Room.” You can probably surmise what was in this room, but for me, one of the coolest items was a simple Lone Ranger toy from even before I existed.

This is how he looked in my head.

The toy was nothing complex. Lone Ranger’s head could turn, his arms would move at the shoulder (though they were completely loose, so they couldn’t be put up and stay there), and his legs bent at the knee and the hip. Because his joints were so loose he could hardly even stand up, and he was missing his guns or his horse Silver, but for some reason I couldn’t get enough playtime with him.

I ended up taking the Lone Ranger toy from my grandmother, either by accident or design, and incorporated him into my daily routine. The most basic storyline I came up with involved the Lone Ranger and three G.I. Joes I owned, one of which was Lifeline. For the first few months I had the Lone Ranger fight the G.I. Joes until Lifeline became a good guy as well, making him my official Tonto. Does that make sense? Of course not, but I was five.

My plots were better than theirs.

As time went by, I eventually added more Joes to the mix, always as bad guys. More and more Joes showed up with new powers and such until I got one that looked like Chuck Norris, making him the ultimate villain, far beyond the Lone Ranger’s capabilities. This meant I had to add a new hero character, and because my child logic was unbiased, the only black Joe I had became the new most powerful and therefore coolest character in my storyline. I’d have the Lone Ranger hold back, instead just training the new guy (Lifeline was naturally jealous), until he had to step in and show he was still the strongest, ala Master Splinter. The Joes never did relent, but unfortunately my series was canceled before the final inevitable battle, so we’ll never know what happens.

While the Lone Ranger has become the Woody of my life, I know he’s still there in my closet should I ever decide to finish the fight. But there’s no way I’d ever let him go and pass him down to someone less than my own flesh and blood. Hopefully my son finds him as awesome as I did.

This year classic toy designs are enjoying quite a renaissance. Parents are turning away from toys that they perceive as unsafe, or risqué, as well as expensive electronic toys, like Nintendo’s Wii game console. Especially popular right now are toys from the fifties. But it would be a stretch to call this a revival for these toys—many of them never went out style at all! Here are some of the most popular and beloved, both then and now.

Try an Ebay search for a huge selection of vintage toys. (Hint: try “1950s toys”)

Mr. Potato Head—Did you know that the Mr. Potato Head toy originally only came with the face pieces? Children were actually supposed to use a real potato! Even so, the toy enjoyed incredible success. Released in 1952, Mr. Potato Head was the first toy ever advertised on television, which lead to profits topping $4 million—that’s $30 billion by today’s standards! Still sells incredibly cheap to this very day.

The Hula Hoop—Though it’s one of the defining objects of the 1950’s, the exact origins of the Hula Hoop are unknown. They were used in various forms in ancient Greece, Egypt, and Australia, but were reinvented by the toy company Wham-o in 1957. The design was switched to plastic, and the company sold over 100 million within a year.

Frisbee—The very next year, Wham-O Toys hit it big again with the Frisbee, although this toy’s history is better documented. The Frisbee flying disc started in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the Frisbie Pie Company delivered pies to several college campuses nearby. The students started tossing the empty pie tins around, and the Frisbee was born! Wham-O made the Frisbee plastic and more aerodynamic, coined the name, and made a fortune marketing the discs, which are still a staple at colleges everywhere. You can find a classic Frisbee for under $3 nowadays.

Silly Putty—Like a lot of great toys, Silly Putty was invented entirely by accident. The fortuitous mistake happened during WWII, as scientists did research into synthetic rubbers. One inventor developed a bouncing substance that would go on to become Silly Putty. Since then, this gooey putty has been used in stress-reduction and physical therapy, was used by Apollo astronauts to secure their tools in zero-gravity, and has found a number of unique household uses. Some got into the hands of toy store owner Ruth Fallgater, who marketed it in plastic eggs. The inexpensive toy became enormously popular worldwide and remains a toy classic, easily found at a reasonable price.

Play-Doh—This squishy toy was actually invented as a wallpaper cleaner. The inventor’s sister, however, started letting her kindergarten students use it in crafts as an alternative to harder and messier clay. Play-Doh, now owned by Hasbro, has sold over 900 million pounds, and the exact formula remains a secret to this day, though you can get a hold of a sample for yourself for less than $10.

Scrabble—Board games were also quite popular in the fifties. Scrabble was designed by architect Alfred Butts, who worked on several versions of the game before selling the idea, which was refined into the Scrabble we know and love. The game’s big break happened when the president of Macy’s, Jack Strauss, played the game on vacation. When he returned and found that the game was not sold in his stores, he placed a large order, and Scrabble quickly received national attention. Despite the controversy with new rules, the game still sells great and for less than you’d think.

Barbie Dolls—Of course, at the end of the fifties, the Barbie Doll came out, revolutionizing girls’ play time forever. Barbies became the highest selling fashion dolls in history within a year, and the dolls now sell more than two per second across the world. You can find everything Barbie at Amazon’s main Barbie page.

Also check out our post about the world’s most popular toys.

Vintage toys, especially tin toys, are all the rage nowadays, and Schylling, offering everything from keepsakes to collectible toys and more, has the market cornered. One of their specialties, however, is their retro collection of vehicles.

Boys love to imagine that they’re flying high with toy planes. The Schylling “Overseas Airplane” lets kids do just this. With its real spinning propellers and painted details, kids love to pull the plane back and let it shoot forward. Perfect for your little pilot!

For adventures of the aquatic sort, what child wouldn’t love the vintage Bluebird Speedboat? Capturing the timeless appeal of classic wooden speedboats of the 1920s, this toy is beautifully crafted with exacting attention to detail. It has a real, working wind-up motor that’s made of tin and removable.

An even more classic tin toy from Schylling is their T-35 Ducati Racecar. Kids love nothing more than to wind this car up and watch it roll. And its timeless design and details are sure to inspire nostalgia.

For more classic toy ideas, check out what toys were popular in the 1950s.

From a tin man on a motorcycle to a locking cashbox, these toys are well-crafted classics. The designs range from timeless treasures like tea sets and popguns, to chic collectibles like Curious George alarms clocks and lunchboxes.

Some of the more eccentric, imagination-inducing items include their Chrome Planet Robot, 10 3/4” tall and sure to provide hours of play. Schylling also offers a great selection of vehicles, from their T-35 Ducati Race Car to their Blue Bird Speed Boat—perfect for boys with a need for speed.