Louis Marx

"[2][3] Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Austrian Jewish parents, Marx graduated from high school at age 15 and started his career working for Ferdinand Strauss, a manufacturer of mechanical toys.

Marx then entered the United States Army as a private and attained the rank of sergeant before returning to civilian life in 1918.

Following military service, Marx then went to work selling for Newton and Thompson, a Vermont-based manufacturer of wood toys, where he redesigned their product line and increased the company's sales tenfold.

For much of the 1950s, it was the largest toy manufacturer in the world, with much of the success coming from Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog sales and the many themed playsets available.

As World War II drew to a close, Marx had toured Europe and acted as a consultant on how toy manufacturing could aid reconstruction efforts.

Marx was featured on the cover of Time magazine on December 12, 1955, with his portrait eclipsing an image of Santa Claus, while examples of his toys swirl in the background.

On March 30, 1947, Marx married Idella Ruth Blackadder, Louis' chief jewelry designer for his Charmore line and nearly 28 years his junior.

Marx ruled his toy empire from the 200 5th Avenue, New York office, with open 24-hour telephone communication.