WHO was the Man Behind 12st CENTURY TOYS????? (1 Viewer)

[Plastic General]

Who was the guy behind 21st CENTURY TOYS?

In my opinion, he was (along with Richard Conte) the biggest toy soldier "Game Changer" in the past 20 years!
Does anybody know the answer to this question?

Plastic General

 

[Markster]

Who was the guy behind 21st CENTURY TOYS?

In my opinion, he was (along with Richard Conte) the biggest toy soldier "Game Changer" in the past 20 years!
Does anybody know the answer to this question?

Plastic General

How about Bill McMaster,or Ron Barzso !

Mark

 

[theBaron]

George (Warrior) might be able to shed some light on this, because I think he sold their product, when they were still in business, although, my guess is that there was no single person behind 21st Century Toys. I think they were affiliated with BlueBox, whether just produced by the same factories in China, or marketed by the same vendors. Remember, too, that their catalog ranged from 1/35 armor and figure sets to 1/18 aircraft.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Warrior]

George (Warrior) might be able to shed some light on this, because I think he sold their product, when they were still in business, although, my guess is that there was no single person behind 21st Century Toys. I think they were affiliated with BlueBox, whether just produced by the same factories in China, or marketed by the same vendors. Remember, too, that their catalog ranged from 1/35 armor and figure sets to 1/18 aircraft.

Prost!
Brad

Yes, I looked into this and I don't think there was one person responsible, so no man behind the curtain so to speak.

21st Century produced decent quality vehicles, their figures and accessories were pretty toyish. Forces of Valor really is the company that stepped their game up and produced outstanding vehicles that collectors incorporated with painted metal figures from Conte, ONTC and Britains.

The issue for plastics collectors was painted vehicles with unpainted plastic figures, there is no true company making unpainted vehicles short of BMC and their Sherman, Tiger II and Amtrac and Airfix recasts of their hanomag, Sherman, Mark IV among others.

CTS produced smaller sized unpainted vehicles that were for the most part designed to go with the unpainted Marx vehicles.

Stay tuned as things are rumbling in the unpainted vehicle arena.

 

[gk5717]

I also think 21st Century was fantastic for the hobby. I got hooked and still enjoy their 1-18th line. I think the company got over extended and I also believe WalMart dropped them. FOV is also great but for your money 21st 1-32 vehicles were the best. I will say this their 1-32 figures were flat out horrible.
Gary

 

[theBaron]

George, I figured you'd have some good intel for us!

I have a couple of the 1/18 scale airplanes. I agree that they were a positive for the hobby. I thought that their products were perfect to buy for a kid whom you wanted to expose to our hobby, because they could be played with, and you weren't spending too much money for it. Even if it gave kids a little taste of history and piqued their interest, that was a plus, too.

The 1/32 aircraft weren't bad, either. I recall "serious" modelers looking down their noses and sniffing in disdain at those models, some even refusing to call them models, because they were already painted and nearly finished. You just attached the wings and the ordnance and you had a completed model. But there were serious modelers who bought those big models and then went to town adding their own touches. What fan of an F6F or a TBF could pass up a 1/18 model of his favorite?

The only thing that disappointed me was that they didn't produce a 1/18 SBD, but there was another outfit, Admiral's Toys, or something similar, that later brought one on the market, just about the time that 21st Century Toys shut down for good.

Prost!
Brad

 

[larso]

"Stay tuned as things are rumbling in the unpainted vehicle arena."

Are you referring to the Sell Toys Jagdpanzer? (I'm really keen on it.) Or is there other other things going on too?

 

[Plastic General]

How about Bill McMaster,or Ron Barzso !

Mark

Yes Barzso & McMaster are and were important but on a smaller level.
They didn't reach the epic heights that "JAMES ALLEN" did for 21st Century Toys.
Within a 6 or 7 year period, 21st released a staggering amount of product spanning 4 different scales (1:32, 1:6 1:18 or 1:24 and maybe 1:72?)
and carried their lines threw Target and Toys-R-Us!
Selling to millions?

There is a toy soldier documentary being made and it's my task to find Mr. Allen for an interview with the Director.
Would anyone out there know how to get a hold of him?

Plastic General