Mike Wood's family is organizing a celebration of Mike's life on Friday, October 10 in Livermore, CA, and Emily has extended an invitation to us all.  Here's the link to the celebration details and to RSVP: https://www.paperlesspost.com/go/YrARQ2qCpRW3yETWWKQZV

Don Kingsborough A visionary leader at the intersection of toys, technology, and payments, Don served as President of Consumer Products at Atari. In 1985 he co-founded Worlds of Wonder, launching Teddy Ruxpin and Lazer Tag, and helping bring the Nintendo Entertainment System to major U.S. retailers.

Adrian Carney The senior Commercial manager at Jazwares, has passed away. Jonny Taylor, SVP Europe at Jazwares, said:  "Adrian was a hugely respected team member and vital part of the Jazwares Europe team for over nine years."

David Strang A memorial and celebration of David Strang, who passed away earlier this year, is to take place in London in October. David Strang, founder of Wicked Vision, sadly passed away unexpectedly earlier this year on 21st April.

Gary Wyatt It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Gary Wyatt, founder of the Green Board Game Company, who died on Saturday 13th September in Portugal at age 68.

Michihiro Maeda The president and CEO of Epoch Making Toys, Michihiro Maeda, has passed away at the age of 67. He first joined the company in 1989, and was appointed president in 1995.

Richard Weintraub Richard Weintraub—known to many simply as Richie—passed away at the age of 77, leaving behind a legacy as colorful, inventive, and unforgettable as the toys he helped bring to life.

Dave Wallace Through his presentations at the GAMA trade show and his willingness to offer advice on any aspect of business, he did more to put the tabletop game industry, and possibly the comic industry, on a professional footing than any other individual of which I know.

(from Robert Pasin) My dad, Mario, passed away peacefully this week at the age of 95. My mom, his wife of 66 years, was by his side. My dad was the CEO of Radio Flyer from the 1960’s into the 1990’s. He took over leadership of the company from his dad, Antonio, who founded Radio Flyer in 1917.

Chicago Sun-Times Tribute to Mario Pasin

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Terence Stamp, the English actor who played the arch-villain General Zod in the original Superman films, has died at the age of 87.

Dennis Schiefer, a producer on the Destroy All Humans! remakes, and worked at Black Forest for seven years.

​​​​​​Joan Anderson. Joan Anderson, who coined the name for the hula hoop and played an unsung role in its rise, has died age 101. The former model was visiting her native Australia from her home in the US when she spotted groups of people swivelling wooden hoops around their waists.

Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi. Barbie designers Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi have been killed in a head-on car crash after a man, 82, drove the wrong way down a highway in Italy.

Julian LeFay. Julian LeFay, best known as Bethesda Softworks' chief engineer for pioneer games like The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, passed away last night at the age of 59.

Shunsaku Tamiya. Tamiya, who died Friday of undisclosed causes, was known for contributing to the worldwide recognition of the toy maker, based in Shizuoka, central Japan, by developing radio-controlled cars and mini 4-wheel-drive models.

Alan Hassenfeld. (Hasbro's realease)  Alan Hassenfeld was so much more than Hasbro’s former Chairman and CEO. 

He was a beloved leader, a visionary, a mentor, and a friend. A champion for children, a pillar in his community, and always a kid at heart.
Alan devoted his life to causes greater than himself—reminding us that our true legacy lies not in the products we make, but in the lives we touch.

We will carry forward his legacy of giving through the Hasbro Foundation and Hasbro’s ongoing philanthropic initiatives to bring joy to children and fans around the world.

Alan’s spirit lives on in every toy that sparks imagination, every cause he championed, and every person he lifted up. 

Thank you, Alan. We’ll keep chasing the wind in your honor. 

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Link to Hasbro's heartfelt video.

Link to official obituary and details for memorial service this Sunday.

Link to my (Mary's) tribute last week in tBR. ​​​

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George Soulakis, Jr.  A gifted designer and engineer, George worked for Mattel Toys in El Segundo and later was promoted to VP of Orient Development. He is best known for designing Sizzlers in 1970, which he created to be "Hot Wheel scale electrified motor cars". To make the World's Fastest Electric Cars run, George went to General Electric to have a special battery made and they came up with the first rechargeable nickel cadmium battery. In 1972, he suggested to Mattel to use the Tampoprint process to smoothly apply graphics on the surface of Hot Wheels, which gave them more style and flash. George holds over 30 patents throughout his career including mechanisms he designed to launch toy cars and give their wheels sound, toy car remote control driving, and a helical racetrack system.

James Carter Cathcart. Sad news today as it has emerged that Pokémon series voice actor James Carter Cathcart has passed away at the age of 71 after a long battle with throat cancer. James brought several Pokemon characters to life including Professor Oak, Meowth, Gary Oak and James from Team Rocket.

Jim Shooter, who began his career in the comics industry at the age of 14 and later became Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, died on June 30, 2025, of esophageal cancer. 

Peter Brown. Toy industry stalwart Peter Brown sadly passed away peacefully on 24th June, following a long illness.  John Baulch, publisher of Toy World, said: “The word ‘legend’ is bandied around a lot these days, but Peter truly was a legend in the toy community and will be missed by his many friends and colleagues. His legacy and fantastic contribution to the toy industry over his illustrious career will live on.”

Joe Morrison - Joe joined toy giant Mattel in 1978, heading up its Hot Wheels division. As Executive VP of Marketing in the early ’80s, he led the team that created the legendary He-Man and the Masters of the Universe toy line that was later developed into an animated TV series and movie. Award-winning actor Frank Langella has said that the Masters of the Universe movie gave him one of his all-time favorite roles, the supervillain Skeletor. Joe left Mattel to follow a longtime dream. He co-founded a toy company, Morrison Entertainment Group (now MEG Toys). The company went on to create Monster In My Pocket, Puppy in My Pocket, Stink Blasters and other “evergreen” brands that continue delighting new crops of kids, year after year.

Judy Blau in NY Times. Judy was a lovely person and the article captures her spirit. I was honored to get to know her when she was the recipient of our 2017 TAGIE Lifetime Achievement Award and we kept in touch. Two researchers from the NY Times reached out to me for help on the article, including photos. Here is our article about Judy, written by Ruth Green Synowic that we ran in 2017.

Robin Muller - (Goliath shared the following): We are deeply saddened by the sudden and tragic passing of our dear friend and colleague, Robin Muller, following a fatal accident. Robin had been with Goliath for over a decade and had grown into the role of Sales Manager Benelux. He was a deeply loved colleague, known for his passion, speed, and big heart. He was only 33 years old and leaves behind his wife, Lieke, and their one-year-old son, Loek.

Geoff Smith. It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Geoff Smith, a well-known and cherished figure in the toy industry whose career spanned an impressive 50 years. As a former director of A.B.Gee, Geoff played a central role in shaping one of the UK’s most enduring toy companies.

Mike Wood, founder of Leapfrog and Smarty Ants to Achieve 3000. After selling his businesses, Mike went back to Oakland, CA schools to teach children how to read, three or four days a week. His passion and dedication to helping kids read is a great loss for our community. Read tributes from colleagues here.

Robert Trebor, who portrayed the serial killer known as the Son of Sam in a CBS telefilm and the scheming merchant Salmoneus on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its sister series, Xena: Warrior Princess, has died. He was 71.

Robert McGinnis, Painter and illustrator who created sexy posters for the James Bond franchise as well as numerous other films, magazine illustrations and book covers, died March 10 in Old Greenwich, Conn.

Lori Rubin, (from her ToyBook colleagues) a cherished member of the Adventure Media & Events family who served as our Controller for more than a decade. After fighting through a cancer diagnosis for more than a year and a half, Lori passed away on March 26 with her loving husband and two daughters by her side. Known in our office as “Mama Lori,” she treated everyone at our company like family. A fierce protector, she always led with her heart, took an interest in our lives, and shared so many special moments with each of us.

Philip Moore. The owner of beloved independent toy store Howley’s Toymaster  passed away after a battle with Lewy Body Dementia. Phil started work on Weymouth beach when he was 14, staying with extended family before his parents moved to the south coast.

Sir Torquil Norman CBE, founder of Bluebird Toys, which first brought the Polly Pocket brand and other iconic lines such as The Big Yellow Teapot to the toy market, has died aged 91.

Thomas Lee, EA alum and strategic advisor, a business development director and executive producer at several studios, recently passed away from cancer. He was 59.

Dave Mallow, a longtime voice actor across games and animation, has died at 76. For many, Mallow was best known as the voice of Baboo on Power Rangers and Angemon in the first two seasons of Digimon.

Jim Curry, a writer and marketing manager on Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and the Gex series, passed away in mid-February. In an obituary on his Facebook page, his wife Ellen revealed he had been battling an undisclosed illness for "over two years." According to MobyGames, Curry got his start in the industry as a special advisor on 1991's Marvel Land and on the "Hometek Team" for Rolling Thunder 2 that same year. Most of his credits, such as 3D Baseball and Abomination, pertain to product marketing. Along with Soul Reaver, his writing credits include Battle Cars (as a copywriter), Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (cinematic script editor), and Akuji: The Heartless. Both Soul Reaver and its sequel were recently remastered in a bundle for PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S, and serve as his final credited work.

George Lowe, famous for voicing Space Ghost on Space Ghost Coast To Coast, has died at age 67. The sad news was confirmed by friends and former colleagues on social media.  Lowe, who was born in Florida in 1957, got his first radio job at the age of 15. In the 1980s he began doing some voiceover work for TBS and later Cartoon Network. Space Ghost Coast To Coast was his first real voice acting role, with Lowe portraying the silly and boisterous Space Ghost from 1994 to 2004. Lowe’s voice and his comedic timing helped turn Space Ghost, previously a forgotten cartoon superhero from the ‘60s, into one of Cartoon Network’s and later Adult Swim’s most iconic and popular characters. Lowe also occasionally portrayed the character in live-action. Beyond Space Ghost, Lowe voiced Dad in The Brak Show as well as various other characters in different Adult Swim shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Sealab 2021. His last role was returning to voice Space Ghost in a 2024 episode of the animated Max series Jellystone. While Lowe is well-known for his voice acting and for being Space Ghost, he was also an accomplished artist and art collector. In 2016, he talked to the Lakeland Ledger about his collection and an exhibit he was hosting to show it to people.

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Brian Griffin sadly passed away on 29th January at the age of 93. Heading up Hamleys in a golden era for the retailer during the 1960s and 70s, Brian was responsible for launching iconic toy ranges such as Paddington Bear and supporting growing British companies like Hestair Kiddicraft.

His former press officer Dawn Allan rang Toy World to pass on the sad news and was fulsome in her praise for her former boss, telling us: “He was my mentor, my guide. My entire career in press and PR was down to him. He was a great boss, he treated everyone in the Hamleys family equally. He was such an inspiring figurehead and hugely well-liked and respected by his employees and toy companies.”

Zoe Bamsey, Head of Animation Development for BBC Studios Kids & Family, has passed away after a long illness. It’s so hard to put into words the impact Zoe made on the kid’s business but her passion and drive to develop great shows with all her friends and colleagues here at BBC Studios will be greatly missed. 

She will also be missed in our wider community; the impact she had during her 30-year career, on the productions she worked on as well as people she met and loved will be felt for many years to come. I’ll always remember the exceptional vision she had for identifying and developing the creative essence of every show with obvious enjoyment for doing something she truly loved. 

Viktor Antonov - Celebrated artist and art director Viktor Antonov, known for shaping the worlds of Half-Life 2 and Dishonored, has passed away.  According to his Linkedin page, Antonov joined Valve in 1999 and spent seven years at the company as art director. During his tenure, he worked on notable projects including Counter-Strike: Source and Half-Life 2.  After departing Valve in 2006, Antonov joined Arkane Studios to oversee the visual direction of the Dishonored franchise. He eventually moved to ZeniMax Media in 2011, taking on the role of visual design director and working on titles such as Wolfenstein: The New Order, Doom, and Fallout 4. Throughout his career, Antonov received multiple awards from organizations such as BAFTA and The Visual Effects Society.​​​​​​​​​​

TURTEL ONLI - a comic artist, teacher, and lifelong promoter of Black comics creators, died on January 15, 2025. In the late 1970s, Onli decided to become a freelance comics artist. He described his experience in an interview with the Chicago art history site Never the Same, "I won’t name names, but major people at major companies looked at me and said, 'do black people read?' … And then when I went back, they were ‘do black people know anything about science fiction?'"  Onli’s response was to create his own superhero, NOG, Nubian of Greatness, who protected the pyramids on the planet Nuba, and pitch it to the publishers.  In the interview, he related what happened next.

Robert (Bob) Goldstein - 2/6/35-2/6/25 - (from Bob's son, Jeff Goldstein) -  It is with unimaginable sadness that I announce the passing of Robert (Bob) Goldstein a beloved father, husband, grandfather, uncle and friend. After a brief illness dad left us on February 6th...which also happened to be his 90th birthday. His passing was just months after the sudden loss of his beloved wife ,Gail, whom he adored beyond measure.

Dad's love for his family was boundless and he took immense pride in all of his family members. 

He shared a passion for sports which led him to heartbreak when the Dodgers left Brooklyn and more recently when Saquon left his Giants to join my Eagles. He passed down his love of golf to me for which I will forgive him.

Professionally ,dad's heart belonged to the toy industry ,a world he remained deeply connected to long after his career. He eagerly followed industry news ,read each edition of the Toy Book and relished conversations about the people and products that shaped his professional life. Those who knew him in the business spoke not only of his knowledge and expertise but also of the kindness ,integrity and respect he earned from colleagues on both sides of the table.

To those who were part of what he loved most about the toy industry, its people, I say thank you. Your friendships and shared memories meant the world to him.

John Hales - It is with great sadness that Golden Bear Toys has announced that chairman and co-founder, John Hales, has passed away at the age of 85, surrounded by his family.

John started Golden Bear on 12th February 1979, along with his business partner, Christine Nicholls. Headquartered in Telford, John’s energy, drive and love of the toy industry has infused the business for over 45 years, creating iconic toys loved by children of all ages.

Christine Nicholls, co-founder and Creative director at Golden Bear Toys, said: “John was the most amazing business partner and friend for over 45 years. Our vision for the business back in 1979 set us off on an adventure in the toy industry that has been second to none. On a personal level I will miss him greatly and all his pearls of wisdom, as will everyone at Golden Bear.”

John accomplished much over his long career, including the incredibly successful launch of the Teletubbies toy range, which won Toy of the Year in 1997. He was also extremely proud to receive a lifetime achievement award from the British Toy & Hobby Association in recognition of his work in the industry.

Howard J. Morrison, 92, happily married for 53 years to his soulmate and love of his life Pauline, Howard was a lifelong inventor, innovator, and problem solver. At an early age he needed transportation, so he built a motorcycle from salvaged parts. He sold yarn dolls on the street and when demand rose, he created a machine to make six at a time. When TV commercials annoyed him, he made a remote-controlled mute button long before such a thing existed.

This innovative problem-solving ability led him to a phenomenal career as a prolific toy designer and inventor, creating dozens of successful and iconic products that have touched the lives of millions. His visionary gift turned gyroscopes into race cars and stuffed animals into talking companions. He created the iconic Simon, the light and sound memory game which sparked the electronic toy market. He designed the Mickey Mouse telephone, which launched a worldwide novelty phone craze. He added electronic mechanisms to stuffed animals that have become an industry standard. Howard's significant achievements led him to be inducted into the Toy Industry Association Hall of Fame in 1998 and received a Toy and Game Inventor Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

In 2006 a motorcycle accident nearly ended Howard's life, but he fought back and recovered against incredible odds. Despite his injury, his sweet and endearing personality persisted, enjoying his favorite activities and family and friends until his final days.​​​​​​​​​​

Steve Bennett, Longtime ICv2 columnist, who wrote Confessions of a Comic Book Guy for this site for almost two decades, passed away between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home, likely due to cardiac issues.  He reported a week-long hospital stay earlier in December for a variety of ailments on his Facebook, but continued to post on topics of interest (his last was on Jonny Quest) through December 22.

Alan Emrich, a designer and writer of board games and videogames credited with coming up with the term "4X" to describe sprawling, empire-building strategy games, has died. Emrich's death was reported by friends in a forum post on the wargaming community website ConsimWorld.

Emrich was a notable figure in the world of boardgaming: His bio at BoardGameGeek says he was the founder of boardgame publisher Victory Point Games as well as multiple tabletop gaming conventions.

He was also a significant presence in the early days of videogaming, working on games including Castles 2: Siege and Conquest, Warlords 2, Conquest of the New World, and Master of Orion 3. His most recent credit listed on MobyGames is as a design consultant on the 2016 Master of Orion remake.​​

Britt Allcroft, the producer behind the beloved Thomas the Tank Engine TV series Thomas And Friends, has died. 

Allcroft began her career in British television and was introduced to Thomas the Tank Engine when she met the author, Reverend Wilbert Awdry, while making a documentary about the Bluebell Railway. According to The Independent, multiple producers were interested in adapting Thomas, but she successfully convinced Awdry that she was the right person for the job. After securing the rights, she and her husband, fellow TV producer Angus Wright, spent four years securing funding for their program. 

The result was Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends (later shortened to Thomas & Friends), which first aired on ITV in October 1984 with narration from former Beatle Ringo Starr. The series became a huge success, eventually running for 24 seasons and 584 episodes over 37 years. It spawned several spin-offs, including the U.S. show Shining Time Station (George Carlin and Alec Baldwin served as narrators for the U.S. series) and Mr. Conductor’s Thomas Tales. Allcroft went on to write and direct the 2000 feature film, Thomas And The Magic Railroad, starring Baldwin, Peter Fonda, and Mara Wilson. 

In the wake of a poor box office performance for the film, Allcroft resigned from her production company The Britt Alcroft Company, per The Guardian. The company was eventually sold to HiT Entertainment, which itself was later acquired by Mattel. In 2021, Mattel rebooted the show as the 2D animated series Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.

Former Lt Governor Mary Anne Krupsak, a trailblazing figure in the fight for women's rights, and the first woman ever elected Lieutenant Governor of New York State, passed away peacefully on December 28th at her home on Seneca Lake. She was 92. 

She also served on the Board of Directors for several corporations, including toy manufacturer Coleco, whom during her tenure introduced the worldwide phenomenon of Cabbage Patch Kids, generating over $2 billion in sales in 1983-1984. Alongside her friend Dr. Konstatine Frank, her committed efforts played a significant role in the development of the Finger Lakes wine industry as we know it today.
She loved life, and she lived it well.

She loved her friends and her family; the Wytrwals, the Krupsaks, and the Cohens. She exemplified a life of purpose, and of dedication to public service and others.

Martyn Brown, Team17 co-founder Martyn Brown has passed away. Brown helped establish the UK studio in 1990 and spent 20 years at the company. He worked on over 50 titles during that time, including the ever-popular Worms franchise. After departing Team17 in 2010, Brown was tapped by Activision to build frontline mobile game development studio The Blast Furnace. He also supported other studios including Double Eleven, New Start Games, Exient, and Bithead through independent consultancy firm Insight For Hire.

Rickie Einstein Paley, 91, formerly of New York and San Juan, Puerto Rico died peacefully at home on December 30, 2024.
In the late 1950s, Rickie found a new opportunity at the intersection of fashion and the toy industry when Ruth Handler, the co-founder of Mattel, asked her to join the company to market a new kind of girl's toy, the Barbie Doll. Rickie leapt at the chance and became Mattel's first marketer of the new doll which was not an initial success. She realized to make Barbie a financial hit, you only had to sell the doll once, but you needed to create a wardrobe and accessories which would be continually updated and changed. Rickie's work with Mattel led Barbie to iconic status.

When Rickie met Sid Paley, the love of her life at a Borscht Belt Hotel on July 4th Weekend 1960, it was as if they were simultaneously struck by the same lightning bolt. Sid, a confirmed bachelor and real estate developer, whisked her off in a whirlwind and told her that if she could sell dollhouses, she could certainly sell real homes. One of Rickie's proudest accomplishments was selling 372 starter homes in a neighborhood Sid was developing in Puerto Rico. Rickie and Sid were partners in every way.   Along the route of her nine-decade life, Rickie became a beacon of fashion...

George Delaney - George passed away this December. I have not been able to find a link for more information. If you have information, please share with us.

Charles Burchell Phillips, 78, of Walpole, peacefully passed away at home on Nov. 7, 2022, after a long illness.

Charles was born in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of Dr. Charles B. Phillips Sr. and Rose Sutherland Phillips. At the age of 13, he and his brother moved to live with their grandfather, Mortimer Sutherland, in Montclair, N.J., where he attended middle school. He moved back to Jamaica, attended and graduated from Calabar College (high school) in Kingston, Jamaica, and subsequently received a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1966. From 1966 to 1968, Charles worked in Ford Motor Company’s “Experimental Garage” in Dearborn, Mich., where new car styling and features were explored. He was very creative, helping to develop start-up businesses until 1970 when he went to work for the Ideal Toy Company. Following that, he developed new games, consulted with other game inventors and received several patents. Charles’ games, produced and sold by Hasbro and Parker Brothers, include “Advance to Boardwalk,” “Free Parking,” “M.A.G.S.,” “I Vant to Bite Your Finger” and “Clue Jr.” to name only a few. He also created and independently produced the game BUX.​​​​​​