1896 A partial History of MARX... Louis Marx is born in Brooklyn, NY to Jacob and Clara Lou Marx 1911 Marx graduated Ft. Hamilton High School 1912 Office boy for Ferdinand Strauss mechanical toy manufacturer 1916 Managed Strauss' New Jersey plant; was fired for urging volume manufacturing/sales 1917 Entered U.S. Army as private; promoted to Sargeant 1918 Returned to civilian life; salesman to Vermont Wood Products Co.; gained experience in wood toys 1919 Louis Marx and Co., Inc. established with brother David; as middlemen they worked on sales commission 1920 Fire in Girard plant; new building called Girard Model Works 1920 -1930 Marx marketed toys from other factories; Strauss, C.G. Wood, Girard, Carter 1921 Rented factory space from Carter toys in Erie, PA (formerly associated with Strauss); began to make toys 1921 Able to purchase Strauss with old dies for Alabama minstrel dancer, Zippo climbing monkey 1922 Had already sold over 8 million of each toy and had become a millionaire 1928 Produced Yo-Yo with all-time record sales over 100 million; distrib. through Sears 1930 Expanded empire in earnest; larger factories acquired in West Va., Wales, Great Britain, etc. 1932 Contracted CE Carter Toys to manufacture his toys; managed by Monty Feist 1935 Marx acquired Girard plant, Girard Manufacturing Co. to avoid confusion with other Erie plants 1935 Dominated most dime store counters; started as train manufacturer (Girard) 1936 Additional buildings purchased: Eriez Stove Co., known as buildings A,B,C on W.12th St. 1940's Wife Renee Freda died leaving Louis with 4 children 1940's Remarried to Idella Ruth Blackadder 1941 World War II turned from toy production to defense work 1941 Marx knew General Marshall, Eisenhower, Smith, Bradley and O'Donnell 1942 Marx purchased CE Carter Toys at 19th and Cascade in Erie, Pa 1948 First plastic toys; not durable; switched to poly-ethylene for strength 1950 Entire organization directed from New York offices 1967 Workers strike in Erie plant 1971 Marx sales slipped to 67 million |
