Topic: Rosko tinplate animated toys

[dantheman]

These toys are wonderful, my parents had the barman in their pub when i was five years old and i would love to watch him mix cocktails and then drink them resulting in his face lighting up and then,as he smacked his lips,puffs of smoke would magically blow out of his ears! And still do.

[Anne]

I've got the barman too, but I didn't know he should have had a bar... mine's just him.  He's looking rather worse for wear now as his rubber parts are perishing, and his jacket was motheaten when I got him. I love the faces he pulls when you wind him up though. (I didn't know about the smoke from the ears - I'll have to dig mine out and have a looksee!)

[josordoni]

That's Charlie Weaver... famous US character from the 50s  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Arquette

Sells well on ebay - mainly in the US, where he is better known of course. 

[dantheman]

Not exactly accurate Lynne,Charlie was a very similar toy,a variation if you like of mine who was not given a name by Rosko other than "the barman"

[Anne]

Lynne, aren't the Charlie Weaver ones later? It says they are battery operated, whereas mine is a wind up one (key operated.) Also, the face is different on mine.

[dantheman]

Lynne, aren't the Charlie Weaver ones later? It says they are battery operated, whereas mine is a wind up one (key operated.) Also, the face is different on mine.

I would love to see a pic Anne.

[josordoni]

I wonder then if they just used the toy template they already had, and matched it to the then popular name to sell more? 

I didn't realise there were earlier ones as well.

[dantheman]

This one is Charlie.

[josordoni]

Quite a different face actually, I hadn't realised how different they actually looked.

[Anne]

I would love to see a pic Anne.

Dan, the face on mine is the same face as your barman exactly, but not like Lynne's Charlie Weaver one.  Are yours battery operated? Is that why yours' ears steam and mine don't?  I'll have to rescue mine from his storage bag in the cupboard and do a pic.

[dantheman]

Hi Anne,
Charley,The Bartender,The Sailer,The Clown(Yes there are more) and the Cigar smoker, are all battery powered,they all produce smoke when the batteries are not near the end of life. I have not worked out how the smoke is produced but 2 strong batteries are required.