Transogram

Transogram

Company type	Public company
Industry	Toys and games manufacturing
Founded	1915 (1915)
Founder	Charles Raizen
Defunct	1971 (1971)
Fate	Declared bankruptcy; trademarks acquired by American Plastic Equipment
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	United States
Key people	Charles Raizen (founder, chairman), Roy R. Raizen (president), Joseph Bruna (CEO)
Products	Toys, board games, licensed TV and film board games

Transogram was a U.S.-based manufacturer of toys and games that operated from the early 1900s until it declared bankruptcy in 1971. The company gained recognition for long-lasting products such as Tiddledy Winks and Game of India, while also leveraging popular television franchises by producing board games themed around shows like Atom Ant, The Flintstones, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Perry Mason, and Tom and Jerry.

Early years

Beginning around 1915, Charles Raizen converted his summer employment experience in embroidery pattern production into the establishment of the Friction Transfer Pattern Company located in Manhattan. Initially focused on friction-transferred images, the business pivoted toward children’s products and eventually rebranded as Transogram under Raizen’s leadership, maintaining 1915 as its founding date. The firm moved to 200 Fifth Avenue and founded the Toy Research Institute, which collaborated with child psychologists to create "Kid Tested" toys during the 1920s. Transogram also ventured into licensed merchandise, including a clothes pin set featuring the character Little Orphan Annie.

In 1929, Transogram introduced its inaugural game-related product, Orje, The Mystic Prophet, a solitaire game centered on fortune-telling. By 1939, the company was actively marketing new games such as Movie Millions through extensive advertising efforts managed by Lee Sheldon, utilizing magazines, newspapers, and radio broadcasts.

Later years

Transogram debuted its first board game based on a television series in 1955 with Dragnet. In 1960, the Federal Trade Commission accused Transogram along with six other toy manufacturers—including Ideal Toy Company and Parker Brothers—of antitrust violations concerning unfair advertising allowances.

After suspending television advertisements for six years, Transogram resumed in 1968 with a $1 million campaign promoting glow-in-the-dark games like Green Ghost and Hocus Pocus, the divination game Ka-Bala, and an Inkless Printing kit. These ads were produced by the Smith / Greenland agency.

Going public and final years

Initially incorporated in New York, Transogram re-established its incorporation in Pennsylvania on September 4, 1959. In May 1962, it launched an initial public offering offering 196,000 shares at $10 each; founder Charles Raizen maintained a majority stake of 61.4%.

By 1966, Transogram's revenues had grown to $18.7 million. However, financial results deteriorated afterward: a loss of $1.19 million on $4.7 million in sales during early 1967 (a decrease from $6.17 million the previous year), followed by a $2.33 million loss on $21.6 million in sales during the first nine months of 1970.

In August 1969, Transogram diversified into financial services by acquiring an 81% ownership interest in Mountain Savings and Loan based in Boulder, Colorado through a stock transaction.

That same year saw Winthrop Lawrence—a financial holding company controlled by du Pont heir Lammot du Pont Copeland Jr. and Thomas A. Sheehan—take controlling ownership of Transogram and appoint Joseph Bruna as CEO. Despite this leadership transition, Transogram filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 26, 1971, reporting liabilities exceeding $12 million against assets totaling $3 million; trading of its stock on the American Stock Exchange had been halted days prior.

After liquidation proceedings in 1971, Jay Horowitz of American Plastic Equipment acquired Transogram’s trademarks and assets. These were subsequently transferred to American Classic Toys, a subsidiary company. In 2019, American Classic Toys granted The Juna Group exclusive global licensing rights to the Transogram brand; this license was later obtained by CSN Press LLC., publisher of Comic Shop News, in 2023.

Board games

• Big Business (1935)
• Game of India (1938), also known as Pa-Chiz-Si: The Game of India
• Wink Tennis
• Tiddledy Winks (1938)
• Ring the Schnozzle
• Movie Millions
• Happy Landing
• Steps 'n' Slides
• Betsy Ross Flag
• Disneyland
• Score a Word
• Screwball: A Mad Mad Game
• Jamoose
• Superman
• Green Ghost (1965)
• Hocus Pocus
• Kabala or Ka-Bala

• Michigan Rummy & Ace-Hi Horse Race (combined 2-in-1 set)

Licensed film & TV board games

Unless otherwise indicated, sources apply:

• Arrest and Trial
• Around the World in 80 Days
• Dragnet
• Hogan's Heroes
• Snagglepuss Fun at the Picnic
• Johnny Ringo
• The Monkees
• Outlaws
• Space Angel Game (1965)
• Overland Trail
• Perry Mason
• Stoney Burke
• Tic-Tac-Dough
• The Virginian
• Wyatt Earp

Other products

New Twists To Cords and Knots (1938)

• Inkless Printing kits
• The Little Country Doctor and Nurse Kit
• Paint by Number Mosaic Art Pictures sets
• Photomate (1967) device
• Pyrocon plastic modeling items
• Swing Wing (circa 1965)

Subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities

Unless noted otherwise:

• Anchor Toy Corporation
• Graphic Products, Inc.
• National Assembly Company
• Playwood Plastics Company
• Toy Research Institute, Inc.
• Toy Scouts of America
• Transco Adult Games division
• Transogram Midwest, Inc.

Divisions

• Tag, Inc., specializing in jigsaw puzzles production

Manufacturing plants

• Sturgis, Michigan
• Easton, Pennsylvania
• Sikeston, Missouri
• Canada

Personnel

Prior to achieving fame as the creator of Li'l Abner, Al Capp was employed at Transogram as a graphic designer.

By 1948, Harold Ross had assumed the role of advertising art director. In 1956, Jack Arnold was appointed advertising manager.

Leroy Fadem held the positions of executive vice president and chief financial officer from the late 1950s through 1971.

In 1968, Jerry Tolk served as executive vice president.

Founder Charles S. Raizen

Charles S. Raizen (1892–1967), founder of the company, lived with his wife Patricia Tolk in New Rochelle, New York during 1958 when their son Roy R. Raizen was engaged. Roy, an alumnus of Salisbury School and Lafayette College, and a former first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, held the position of vice president at Transogram at that time. In 1964, Roy advanced from executive vice president responsible for operations to company president, succeeding his father who transitioned to chairman. The couple also had a daughter named Edna Mae.

Charles Raizen served as president of the Toy Manufacturers of the US and resided at 309 Beechmont Drive in New Rochelle until his passing on May 13, 1967, at age 74 during a charity event held at Manhattan's Plaza Hotel. His visionary leadership and contributions to the industry were honored posthumously with induction into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 1986.