Deluxe Talkboy TEARDOWN 1993 Tape Recorder & Player As Seen in Home Alone II by Tiger Electronics
57Type Voice recorders, sound novelty
Company Tiger Electronics
Country North America, United Kingdom
Availability 1992–1999
Materials Plastic
Features
Variable-speed voice changer (some products)
Sound effects (some products)
Talkboy is a line of handheld voice recorder and sound novelty toys manufactured by Tiger Electronics (now owned by Hasbro) in the 1990s.[1]
The Talkboy was originally conceived as a cassette recorder and player prop for the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. At the request of director John Hughes and 20th Century Fox, Tiger designed and built the prop. The company was given permission by the movie studio to sell a retail version of the toy, and it released two cassette recorders modeled after the film prop in 1992 and 1993, respectively. The original model did not have the variable-speed voice changer of the film version and sold only moderately during the 1992 holiday shopping season. In April 1993, Tiger released the Deluxe model, which added the voice-changing feature. Following the release of Home Alone 2 on home video in July and a cross-promotion with Life cereal, interest in the toy spiked. Retailers had severely underestimated demand, and as a result the Deluxe Talkboy was one of the most highly sought-after toys during the 1993 holiday shopping season, selling out of stores across the United States. The product continued to be a best-seller in subsequent holiday shopping seasons. A pink version of the cassette recorder called Deluxe Talkgirl was released in 1995.
The success of the Talkboy cassette recorders spawned a product line of electronic sound novelty toys, including a phone, walkie talkies, and a radio. For subsequent recording devices, Tiger transitioned to digital technology, using solid-state storage and adding sound effects, beginning with Talkboy/Talkgirl F/X+ pens in 1995, which sold more than a million units in 45 days.
Origin as movie prop
The original Talkboy model was a cassette player and recorder that was conceived as a prop for the 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.[2] In the film, the main character Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) uses the Talkboy to outsmart adults,[3] successfully making a reservation at the Plaza Hotel by slowing his voice down with the toy's variable-speed voice changer and later recording incriminating statements by the burglars Marv and Harry.[2][4] The film's director John Hughes and the movie studio 20th Century Fox wanted a device that was realistic yet appeared to be cutting edge.[4] Nancy Overfield-Delmar, the vice president of marketing for 20th Century Fox licensing and merchandising, said: "It was important to John that Kevin not use something already out in the marketplace. Kevin has to be one step ahead of other kids."[2]
To manufacture the prop, Hughes and 20th Century Fox turned to toy licensee Tiger Electronics.[4] The studio made an introduction between Hughes and Roger Shiffman,[5] Tiger's co-founder and executive vice president,[4] and the two met at Shiffman's office several times to develop the prop.[5] Hughes's original concept in the script was for Kevin "to have a gun", but Shiffman thought it was impractical since the character would need to travel with it through O'Hare International Airport in the movie. Shiffman told Hughes to let him work on the idea,[5] and his team at Tiger subsequently built a prototype in three weeks.[6] The ensuing design for the Talkboy featured a handle that would allow the device to slide onto a hand and a retracting microphone so it would look "more lifelike".[5]
Original retail Talkboy
Following the success of the original Home Alone (1990), which grossed $285 million in North America, the third-highest amount at the time, an extensive marketing and cross-promotion campaign was undertaken for Home Alone 2. About 80 licensed products were released to tie-in with the movie, while corporate partners included Coca-Cola, Bloomingdale's, Kids "R" Us, and American Airlines. As part of the campaign,[7] Tiger was given permission by 20th Century Fox to sell a retail version of Talkboy in stores,[8] with Shiffman negotiating a "modest royalty" to build the brand.[5]
The original retail Talkboy model requires 4 AA batteries and uses a standard cassette tape.[2] However, it does not feature the voice changer of the film prop.[3] The toy was previewed at the American International Toy Fair in New York in February 1992,[9] and was released to market for that year's holiday shopping season, coinciding with the release of Home Alone 2. Tiger spokeswoman Robin Plous said, "sales weren't very good because the product couldn't do everything it did in the film".[3][10]