Mr. Potato Head invented

George Lerner's idea for Mr. Potato Head involved inserting pronged face and body parts into vegetables, creating a "funny face man." The origin of this idea is uncertain, with theories ranging from Lerner's childhood habit of making dolls from garden vegetables to inspiration from his wife's nephew, who would stick items into potatoes. Another account suggests that his children’s playful habit of arranging food inspired him. This concept eventually led to the creation of Mr. Potato Head, a toy icon. George Lerner invented Mr. Potato Head as a set of plastic face and accessory parts meant for decorating real vegetables. Initially, it was sold to a cereal company due to post-war food rationing concerns. 

In 1951, Hassenfeld Brothers (later Hasbro) bought the rights, launching it as a standalone toy in 1952. It was the first toy advertised on TV, marking a major innovation in toy marketing. Due to complaints about using real vegetables, a plastic potato body was introduced in 1964, with Mrs. Potato Head added in 1953.