Lite-Brite

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Lite-Brite is an electric toy introduced in 1967 by Hasbro that allows lighted pictures to be created.

Contents 1 Description and operation 2 Advertising 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Description and operation

Lite-Brite allows the artist to create a "glowing" picture. The picture is created by placement of multi-colored translucent plastic pegs through opaque black paper. The light from an illuminated light bulb is blocked by the black paper except where the pegs conduct the light through. When lit, the pegs have an appearance similar to that of LEDs. Most Lite-Brite toys come with a series of pre-prepared patterns. Classic patterns include the "Wizard of Light" (a picture of a wizard with the "Lite-Brite" name above), and the clown.

The world's largest Lite-Brite object was recently certified by Guinness as a rendering of Da Vinci's "The Last Supper" by Malvern, Pennsylvania artist Mark Beekman. The picture took over 15 months to construct and measures 5'5" by 11' and was constructed with 124,418 pegs. It was over double the previous record. Hasbro sent him the first 100,000 pegs. He had to purchase the rest of the pegs by purchasing individual Lite-Brites from his local area.^[1] The picture was recently auctioned on Ebay [1] with the proceeds going to the Milton & Catherine Hershey Heritage Foundation. [2]

The battery powered Peg-A-Lite by Magic Maker was a similar toy.

[edit] Advertising

The famous Lite-Brite commercial jingle begins: "Lite-Brite, Lite-Brite, Turn on the magical shining light!" Another jingle featured "Lite-Brite, makin' things with light. Outtasite, makin' things with Lite-Brite."

[edit] See also

• Dot-S
• 2007 Boston Mooninite Scare, in which devices similar to Lite Brites, used to promote the television show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, sparked a bomb scare in Boston, Massachusetts

[edit] References

1. ^ Davidson, Tracy. "Worlds Largest Lite-Brite", Philadelphia: NBC 10 - All that & more, 20 December 2007. 

[edit] External links

• Hasbro's Lite-Brite
• Lite-Brite Simulator
• Stop motion video done with Lite Brites
• Lite-Brite vintage commercial