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A 1966 Hasbro Funny Mooners toy set with its box and an unproduced Monster Maker set with molds. Dick Smith designed the Funny Mooners toy set to allow children to build their own monsters out of the various parts included, much like Hasbro's popular Mr. Potato Head toys. Hasbro released Funny Mooners for a limited time in 1966. The Monster Maker toy set was a similar idea of Smith's, but was ultimately unproduced. This lot originates from the collection of Dick Smith.
The Funny Mooners set consists of:
Five green bodies.
Four black hair pieces.
Four pairs of blue and red eyes.
Four purple mouths.
31 yellow extremities including noses, arms, and feet.
One orange cardboard Funny Mooners box decorated with printed illustrations of monsters and the 1960s Hasbro logo.
The Monster Marker set consists of:
14 torsos with various heads, wings, and limbs attached.
15 additional extremities.
One tiny white car casting.
One small box of pins.
19 monster mold pieces.
One cardboard box hand-marked "Adrub Molds Little Rubber Creatures."
The toys are made primarily of rubber, plastic, and foam; and the boxes are both stamped with Smith's name and address. The lot shows evidence of wear consistent with handling and age; including air pockets from the casting process, holes in the foam Funny Mooner bodies where limbs were previously stuck in, and staining and tape residue on the boxes. Dimensions: (largest) 11.5" x 6" x 3" (28.75 cm x 15.25 cm x 7.75 cm)
Estimate: $600 - 1,200
View all lots from DICK SMITH
View all lots from Dick Smith Collection
Regarded as "The Godfather of Makeup," renowned special makeup effects artist and author Richard Emerson Smith, known professionally as Dick Smith, was a pre-med student at Yale University when he encountered the theatrical makeup book Paint, Powder and Makeup that changed the trajectory of his life. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II, Smith began his illustrious career in television as the first makeup director of WNBC. Entirely self-taught, Smith pioneered the development of prosthetic and practical makeup with techniques that are now considered the standard in film and television, such as making prosthetics in multiple pieces to allow actors full range of facial expression. He is also credited with creating realistic age makeup as an alternative to prosthetics, blending special effects with hidden bladders and squibs, and for innovating the combination of makeup with on-set "practical" effects, as seen in William Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973).
In a time where makeup artists were secretive about their techniques and unions purposely suppressed the sharing of knowledge, Smith proved to be a generous soul, mentoring and training many younger artists who went on to accomplished careers in cinema, including Rick Baker, Mike Marino, Greg Cannom, and many more. Smith went as far as publishing an instructional book in 1965 titled Dick Smith's Do-It-Yourself Monster Make-up Handbook as a special edition of Forrest J. Ackerman's "Famous Monsters of Filmland" series.
With a career that spanned over six decades, Smith is today best known for his work on such classics as Little Big Man (1970), The Godfather (1972), Taxi Driver (1976), Altered States (1980), Scanners (1981), The Hunger (1983), Starman (1984), and Death Becomes Her (1992). In 1985, he won an Academy Award® for Best Makeup for his work on Amadeus, as well as a BAFTA® the following year. He was honored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences twice with special tribute ceremonies in 2009 and again in 2011, the latter including an Honorary Academy Award® presented by his most acclaimed protégé, Rick Baker. Smith left an indelible legacy in film and television, represented by a curated collection he carefully maintained throughout his career. Propstore is pleased to present these select artifacts from this legendary artist's personal collection, reflecting a distinguished career spanning decades in Hollywood and beyond.
This item comes with a Propstore Certificate of Authenticity.