Diddy Wishingwell figure in top of Weebles Barn Dance playset
Weebles are a range of children'sroly-poly toys that was introduced in 1971[1] by the US toy companyHasbro and currently marketed under theirPlayskool brand. They areegg-shaped, so tipping one causes a weight located at the bottom-center to be raised. Once released, the Weeble is restored bygravity to an upright position. Weebles have been designed with a variety of shapes, including some designed to look like people or animals.
Thecatchphrase "Weebles wobble, but they don't fall down" was used in advertising during their rise in popularity in the 1970s and during successive relaunches in the early 2000s. The line was coined by advertising executive J. Mitchell Reed in his Madison Ave Office.[2]
In theUnited Kingdom, Weebles were manufactured and marketed byAirfix under licence from 1973 until Airfix's collapse in 1981.[3]
In 2023,PlayMonster acquired an international licence fromHasbro to manufacture and sell Weebles.[4][5]
Diagram of the principles of operation of a Weeble. The grey material is of a higher density than the red material, causing the center of mass of the object (labelled C) to be very low. This means that when the Weeble is wobbled, as in position B, the center of mass will be on the other side of the pivot point (where the Weeble is in contact with the ground), and so gravity will cause it to return to an upright position.
Weeble is shaped like an egg—in order for the physics principles to work as intended, the shape must have a bottom which is a more or less smooth (unfaceted)hemisphere (to allow the Weeble to roll) and from the centralvertical axis the shape must be nearlycylindrically symmetrical (that is, any plane cut through the vertical axis line must produce close to the same profile). Next, the shape must be filled with two basic types of unmixedsolids, and thevolume of the lighter solid must be greater than that of the heavier solid. Next, the overall shape must haveconstant positive curvature. Next, the relationship between the heavy solid and the light solid must be such that any orientation of the object off of the vertical axis line must cause the object'scentroid to raise and to become offset. Lastly, the object must have only one position in which it can achieve stablemechanical equilibrium.
Combining these characteristics produces a basic Weeble. In theory, it is not possible to have a Weeble with a centroid that is too low to achieve a stable mechanical equilibrium.
TheWeebles 1971–2011 Price Guide and Index lists and shows every Weeble model made over the preceding 40 years. There are 116 Weebles in total (83 regular; 21 peelable; 12 tumbling) including all egg-shaped sizes and variations made during 1971–1983. In 2011 Hasbro started making a new line of larger egg-shaped Weebles and had produced 42 new Weebles by July 2011. A wide range of accessories was available for the Weebles, including vehicles, buildings and furniture. Some sets had themes, such as the Weebles circus set.[citation needed]
There are 44 Weebles sets that include at least one Weebles figure and a vehicle, or larger sets made between 1972 and 1982.
A new line of Weebles was created in 2004 that were not egg-shaped but rather shaped like different animals. These were produced for a couple of years.
In 1975, theMacy's Thanksgiving Day Parade introduced a balloon of the standard Weeble design, which lasted until 1978. Almost 20 years later,balloonicles with the Weebles characters Tibbey, Tooey, and Bumpus made their debut.[17]
