Mego From the Ashes: Toyfair 1983

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While Mego Corporation might have shut their physical doors in 1982, the final chapter in the history of the company was yet to come. PAC Toys was already Mego's domestic Manufacturer and it's president Joe Ruzzi worked with the Mego sales force to retain them and create a new company out of the ashes of Mego.





PAC developed new toy lines based on existing Mego Product which resulted in the "Lords of Light" Toyline.


Two new ventures also came of this, the most famous being "Phoenix Toys" a collaboration of Ruzzi and former Mego President Marty Abrams:

Phoenix promised the same creativity Mego had and it's big lines that year were a girl's doll line called Charlotte Rouse (similiar to Strawberry Shortcake), a series called Shaboom Magic and the Fabulous Felines, which were based on the popularity of the musical "Cats".


(Felines image courtesy of Laurie )
Meanwhile, another new company was formed comprising of as Ruzzi put it "The only powers left at Mego" Mike Bauer(Sales), Pat Sirkus and financial whiz Jim Groberg. The new company was to represent PAC and handle sales and R&D for the fledging toy company. It's name was OJEM.

It's announcement was somewhat frank and functional, a far cry from the highpoint of the company's creativity.
Sadly, this second attempt to launch the World's Greatest Toy Company seemed curse as it was beset by legal problems and in June 1984, facing 3 million in debt, PAC Packaging Corp, the parent company filed for bankruptcy protection.
For more information on this period, please read PAC TOYS: A Conversation with Joe Ruzzi.

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[ScottA]

Well, you can't say they didn't try, even if unsuccessful. What might have been....

Those felines are just scary though.

[palitoy]

I really like the Lords of Light personally, a good idea that could have held it's own against anything from Remco at the time. Had that gotten wider distribution, it might have worked better for the company.

[Earth 2 Chris]

That middle feline is very reminiscent of Disney's later design for Beast from "Beauty and the Beast". Weird.

Chris

[toys2cool]

man those Lords of light are pretty cool

[Earth 2 Chris]

Wow, I just read the whole thing. The Lords of Light commercial that is on several Mego commercial compilations is really cool. I would have bought them then had I known of them.

Interesting how both PAC and Mego ended with a conviction for the head honcho.

Chris

[palitoy]

I got to know Joe Ruzzi a little bit while we did this, he was a nice person but you could tell there was some lingering resentment from the death of PAC. I can imagine I'd feel similiarly.

He was VERY pleased that I put his story on the Museum but it seems he's now disappeared. I haven't heard from him in years and hope he's alright.

[chalwa]

Very interesting reading. I have vague memories of this stuff. Maybe an ad I saw somewhere?
For some reason, in my head I hear the announcer for 'Thundaar the Barbarian' saying 'Lords of Light' with those lingering L's.
Ah, well.
bestest

[SUPERUNDERDOGGIE]

Interesting how after being such an innovator with licensing over the years they went back to a non-licensed line to try and start back up.