Knot’s Landing

Reyn and Matt did.

Reyn ran a marketing agency and was trying to dream up a mail-in offer idea for a brand of shoe polish when he had a great idea … maybe a game … a game customers could play in their living rooms. And since the promotion involved shoes, maybe a game that was played on the floor. Well, after much development, Reyn took the game that he called Kings Footzie and then Pretzel to Matt at Milton Bradley … Matt loved the game and convinced his bosses to take a chance. They changed the name one more time and Milton Bradley proudly showed it off at major industry toy fair .. but they buyers from all the major department stores said they wouldn’t stock it as it was just too risque and kind of knotty … so over Matt’s objections Milton Bradley was shelved the game before it was even launched … but, in a surprise Twist, Matt who didn’t agree with his bosses chose not to tell the Public Relation firm that had already booked the game to be featured on the NBC’s The Tonight Show … with Milton Bradley none the wiser … Johnny Carson and Guest Eva Gabor played the game … live on national television …. that was that.

The very next day retailers all over North America were swamped with people wanting it. Milton Bradley immediately reconsidered and started production .. and sold 3 million copies within 12 months.

Today, the game Reyn created originally as incentive to buy shoe wax … and that was originally called Kings Footsie and Pretzel … and that Mel saved by having Johnny Carson play it on television is in the National Toy Hall of Fame … and we’ve all played it .. Twister.

Twister is a great idea … because taking a chance when you feel something is right can leave you left hand green with success.