Stretch Armstrong - Flash Back Friday

I don't think any Stretch Armstrongs exist in the world today for this reason:

Yup, he was just too tempting for kids to open up and see what was inside. 
Check out the original ad at Plaid Stallions:

If you have some time this Friday, Plaid Stallions is an amazing collection of 70's "fashion" and toys.  I highly recommend for your viewing pleasure...

The history of Stretch Armstrong is detailed by wikipedia:

Stretch Armstrong was in the shape of a well-muscled blond man wearing a pair of swimming trunks. Its most notable feature was that its arms and legs could stretch outwards, presumably without breaking.

The doll was re-issued in the 1990s with a canine sidekick, "Fetch Armstrong".  He also has an evil brother named Evil X-ray Wretch Armstrong who has a skull face, sports a mohawk and also stretches. Wretch Armstong seems to be a redesigned, smaller remake of Stretch X-Ray from 1977 who had an over sized exposed brain, alien creature looking face with a see through body that shows his internal organs.

Other similar releases were Stretch Monster, a reptilian green nemesis released by Kenner in 1978 and Fetch Armstrong, the figure's pliable canine counterpart released in the early 1990s by Cap Toys. Cap Toys also released Stretch Vac-Man while ToyQuest released Super Morphman, both of which were filled with a granular solid instead of the viscous liquid found in the other figures. A vacuum pump which attached to the heads of these figures removed the air from within and allowed for considerable, but not unlimited, stretching ability.

You can find memories of Stretch and his Friends over at Feeling Retro where people have recorded thoughts of Stretch for eternity.  Memories like this one from Dave:

"My Stretch Armstrong experience was short but sweet. It’s all I wanted for Christmas and truly the only toy I remember loving. When I finally got it, I was elated to say the least. I got to enjoy him for about an hour before I bounced him on one of the old exercise mini trampolines (you know, the ones you used to jog on) and he crashed into an old glass oil lamp my mom had. Well, the glass shards cut him open and that was that. Goo oozed out everywhere and he was ruined."

Ahhh,Good Times people, Good Times....

Here are some retro commercials:

The 1977 Commercial for Stretch Monster

and here's another classic:

Have a great weekend!
--Laura McMullan

Comments

[The Toy Detective on April 24, 2009 at 03:48 PM]

I remember selling these in the mid-1990s.

A great many were victims of over stretching. In the store by adults who had not paid, nor did they have intention of paying for what became a knuckle dragging, bow-legged Stretch Armstrong.

Thankfully, do not recall such a vicious beheading as pictured above - sleep tight everyone.

[jms on April 25, 2009 at 02:18 PM]

I had one too. They were pretty tough, but once they got the smallest hole in the outer plastic they would ooze goo every time you stretched them.

Great toy though! Made you actually use your muscles to play with it! We could use more toys like that today ...

[Matt Groom on April 26, 2009 at 07:12 AM]

I had a Mini-Stretch Armstrong and a Fetch Armstrong in the 1990's, which I did not cut open, since I assumed it was just corn syrup inside (based on previous experience with the sticky syrup). My Stretch lasted longer than the amusement factor did, however. I lost interest in stretching him long before he wore out. Eventually, the rubber broke down and was punctured whilst residing in my toy box, and stretch was ka-put. Fetch lasted much longer, but he was so much thicker that he was nearly impossible to stretch in any significant way, which wasn't much fun.

[achat jeu pc on September 26, 2009 at 02:30 AM]

the 1970s stretch armstrong was better.you could leave him in the sun and he would change colors and dry out.or stick him in the could and he would get hard and break off in chunks.that was so cool..

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