Hasbro, originally founded as Hassenfeld Brothers in 1923 by textile and pencil-case entrepreneurs, transitioned into the toy business with various novelty items before achieving its first monumental breakout success with Mr. Potato Head in 1952. Invented by George Lerner, Mr. Potato Head was distributed by Hasbro and achieved legendary status in toy history by becoming the very first toy ever advertised directly to children on network television. In its original form, the set consisted solely of plastic facial parts with push-pins that children attached to real potatoes or other vegetables. This groundbreaking marketing and product innovation propelled the family firm into a major player in the global toy industry.