The first Weebles toys appeared in shops in the early seventies as a kind of follow-on from the Punching Clown from the Romper Room TV series (a franchised US kids show from 1953). Weebles are actually meant to be miniature versions of those bop-bag punching things. Hasbro acquired Romper Room Inc. in 1969 and it wasn't long before the Weebles were born.
In the UK Airfix made Weebles called Romper Room and they looked different to the US version (see the Weeble in the header image). They had scary moulded faces with holes for eyes - guaranteed to terrify any child.
The very earliest Weebles were altogether different from the type that can be bought today. They were shorter and fatter with peelable stickers which were surface mounted and easily scratched. Less than a year on a new generation of Weeble was launched with improved stickers which were no longer peelable.
The original line-up comprised the father who wore a red shirt or a blue sweater, a blond mother with a green dress a little boy wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt, a red-haired little girl wearing green trousers a pink baby holding a blue balloon and a brown dog.
A few years later the Weebles treehouse and cottage were produced and before long the Weebles had gained significantly in popularity and a whole range of other vehicles and accessories were being produced.
The vehicles included a police van, firebrigade truck (rare), boat (the S.S. Lilleput) an aeroplane and airport, a submarine with a diver Weeble and a dairy truck (rare). Other accessories were available including a pic-nic set with pic-nic table (food printed on top) a playground set which included swings slides and roundabout, pop-up camper, a train, a harbour with lots of boats, the well remembered haunted house (with scared girl, boy, witch and glow-in-the-dark ghost), a blimp (with pilot), circus (with Wobbles the clown, Gina the trapeeze artist, and Bert the Ringmaster), a swimming pool, and a race-track (with numbered Weebles).
Disney got in on the act and licensed the production of various Disney themed Weebles sets including the Magic Kingdom set, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse set, a Winnie the Pooh treehouse, a Winnie the Pooh cottage, and a Winnie the Pooh circus. The actual Disney Weebles characters include Mickey Mouse, Billy and Karen the Mouseketeers, Donald Duck, Goofy (in two forms), Pooh, Tigger, and Christopher Robin.
A range of other Weebles lines emerged including a Treasure Island set which included pirate Weebles and a pirate ship and another treehouse set but this time for Tarzan and his ape friend. There was also a wild west Weeble set called The Weeble West Ranch, which included a stern Train, the Wagonmaster, and Indian Wigwam sets. The wagonmaster is larger than the cowboy girl and boy and Indian girl and boy from these sets.
Other themed Weebles sets included the holiday sets which were produced in carded sets of two. For Christmas you got Santa and Rudolph and for Easter there was a bunny rabbit and a chick dressed in their Sunday best. On halloween you had a glow-in-the-dark ghost in his purple ghost van (because ghosts drive vans don't you know), or you could get a superhero SuperWeeble whose back was opaque so that when turned he would become an ice-cream truck driver to conceal his superhero identity! The SuperWeeble came with an ice-cream truck and his enemy was a dodgy character called Mr. Trouble, who carried a bomb in his back pocket. Other carded sets included The Flintstones family and Raggedy Ann and Andy.
In 1978 a new variation of the Weeble was born - the Tumblin' Weebles. These were slightly different in that instead of having a fixed weight in their bottom, they had a free weight which could move up in to their head when tipped and resulted them in rolling around like a jumping bean. There were a few other sets produced for the Tumblin' Weebles including a fun house.
In the early 80's a range of Sesame Street characters appeared as Weebles including Big Bird and his aeroplane, Ernie and his helicopter, the Cookie Monster and his Sailboat, Bert and his convertible, and Oscar the Grouch. There was also a Sesame Street playground available for them.
A range of other Weebles merchandise has also been produced including puzzles, a big bop-bag, and even jewellery so that you could wear a charm necklace of your favorite Weeble to school!
Today Weebles are still being made under Hasbro's Playskool brand and come in an even wider range of characters including many animals.
The original Weebles remain collectable however and are well worth hanging on to if you still have them.
The 70's TV adverts and other advertising for Weebles featured the catchy and lasting phrase "Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!", a phrase which has been reused as a lyric by a band called Lawnmower Deth in their song of the same name!
The name Weebles is also used as a derogatory name for the Ole Miss athletic teams (University of Mississippi).
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FLM said:
Great site, I used to love weebles.
Thursday July 17, 2008, 11:04 AM
Michael said:
My daughter's are now playing with the same weebles my wife had when she was little!
Friday July 18, 2008, 03:33 PM
Natasha said:
I am 11 Years old and never Know what weebles were untill 14th august when i read the home page i was fasanated with some of the thing, my dad was the first peson to tell me about them he said if i find thing about them he would give me his weebles from his child hood and now he is 39 nine same as my mum who i will ask her if she had any because she was groved in the 60s and 70s. Anyway please send me things about the weebles to tttash08@hotmail.com THANK FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT THIS WEB PAGE IS GREAT........................... !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday August 14, 2008, 06:07 PM
Paula said:
I have a Weebles Wobble Fun House that my girls played with. Now their children play with it when they visit. It has a lot of wear and tear, but they still enjoy the toy.
Tuesday September 2, 2008, 11:55 AM
Cool site goodluck :)
Sunday September 28, 2008, 12:05 AM
mark preston was mark wood said:
in the 70's i was one of the kids that appeared in a run of weebles tv ads. Am trying to find out if there exists any websites with comercial stills or footage as i am curios to see the add with me in it again to boast to my own kids.
Saturday November 8, 2008, 11:09 PM
Mark said:
I was just curious if there was a place to purchase the form of a weeble, but not the characters. I kind of just need something that stays right side up.
Friday November 21, 2008, 06:23 AM
Ben said:
I love weebles wobble i still by them to play with!
Tuesday December 9, 2008, 09:09 PM
i never had a weeble but i will get one
Thursday December 11, 2008, 02:27 PM
My daughter's nickname is "Weeble". She is now 34 years old and still signs here letter Weeb. I called here Weeble when she was a tiny baby trying to sit up. She would rock like a Weeble, and the name just stuck with her. We have a few Weebles, but would love to find one that's a moose. Thank you for a great name for my daughter!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Friday December 19, 2008, 08:38 PM
I am trying to find out if the Weebles are discontinued, and if they are, why? I just purchased the Weebles Weebalot Castle, second-hand, and my kids love it. I would like to buy more, but I cannot find them anywhere except on eBay.
Monday December 29, 2008, 03:09 AM
Terry Hoknes said:
The very first ever 1970's WEEBLES Toy Price Guide (2009)
is in the works and I am hoping to complete the book
finally this spring.
I would appreciate any help and input and comments from various collectors, nostalgic 1970s fans or dealers to help pitch in to make this as complete and indepth as possible.
Some of the features I want to include:
Photo gallery of all figures, playsets, packaging and foreign editions
Original advertisements from toy and department store catalogs
Price Guide for various conditions
Interviews with weebles dealers, fans and hopefully some original people involved in the process of making them back in the 1970s.
I have collected hundreds of pictures of Weebles and playsets in
advance of indexing them all for the upcoming Weebles Book and Price
Guide. I appreciate any help you can give in helping to index and
catalog these figures. I am looking for other peoples input on them
and insight into the history of this classic toy series.
Please email me at hoknes@hotmail.com with any thoughts
The more people who help with input the better this reference book will be! Thanks for your help
If you know of any collectors or people involved with the Weebles please give me their contact info or please forward my email address to them or phone # (306) 270-9387 Terry Hoknes in Canada
Monday January 5, 2009, 03:48 AM
decwawlala said:
these things are pretty fun and very pretty to look at
Tuesday February 10, 2009, 01:37 PM
good material thanks
Sunday February 22, 2009, 03:38 AM
KmSiqM h1! nice site! oxyutelno
Thursday March 5, 2009, 06:53 PM
cindy said:
i had weeble wolbles when i was younger and just loved them i wished i still had them i tell my kids about them all the time
Wednesday March 18, 2009, 06:15 AM
i'm fine good work
Friday May 22, 2009, 01:47 AM
thomas said:
reed
Tuesday May 26, 2009, 02:25 PM
Sue said:
I want to buy some for my grandsons first birthday, wish I kept my son's so I could pass then on to his son.
Saturday June 6, 2009, 06:51 PM
Wonderfull great site
Tuesday June 9, 2009, 11:09 PM
Very funny pictures
Tuesday June 9, 2009, 11:10 PM
Very Good Site
Tuesday June 9, 2009, 11:11 PM
It's funny goodluck
Tuesday June 9, 2009, 11:11 PM
It's serious
Tuesday June 9, 2009, 11:12 PM
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this post is fantastic
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