Ken Forsse
Inventor of Teddy Ruxpin, the best-selling toy of 1985.
Earl Kenneth Forsse, born September 17, 1936, in Bellwood, Nebraska, and later moving to Southern California, is remembered as the inventor behind Teddy Ruxpin, the animatronic talking bear that became America’s top-selling toy in 1985. Before founding his company Alchemy II, which produced the bear and the animated series *The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin*, Forsse spent twelve years as a Disney Imagineer, contributing to attractions like Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the Enchanted Tiki Room, It’s a Small World, and Country Bear Jamboree. A tombstone in the Haunted Mansion’s graveyard scene, reading “R.I.P. Nekeessorf,” is sometimes speculated by fans to be a tribute to him, but this has not been confirmed by Disney.
Forsse’s career began in Disney’s mailroom after graduating from Burbank High School in 1954. He worked as an “inbetweener” on *Sleeping Beauty* (1959) alongside animator George Edwards. Laid off after that film, he and fellow Disney colleague Ron Cobb learned prop-making under Ellis Burman, though their designs for Roger Corman went nowhere due to high costs. In the late 1950s, they contributed early development to Forrest J Ackerman’s unproduced film adaptation of *The Lord of the Rings*, a project J.R.R. Tolkien critiqued in a 1958 letter. Forsse also sculpted puppets and built sets for a children’s TV pilot, *The Adventures of Sir Gadzooks*, written by Budd Bankson, and worked on a second pilot, *The Flying Dutchman*; neither sold, but he called the experience valuable training. With Robert S. Anselmo, he started Artistry in Dimension, selling museum replicas with little success.
In May 1960, Forsse completed eight weeks of advanced missile training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, training as a crewman on the Army Corporal missile. After military service, he returned to Disney. He also did contract work for the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, creating pieces for the Cave Train to the Lost World and three seahorses for the Looff Carousel roof.
During the mid-1970s, Forsse worked with Sid and Marty Krofft, running their model shop and contributing mechanical and miniature effects to TV projects like *The Lost Saucer*, *Far Out Space Nuts*, and *Land of the Lost*.
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Earl Kenneth Forsse
- Birth Date
- 1936-09-17
- Birth Place
- Bellwood, Nebraska, US
- Death Date
- 2014-03-19
- Death Place
- Laguna Woods, California, US
- Known For
- Creator of Teddy Ruxpin
- Occupation
- Inventor
- Spouse
- Wendy Forsse (m. 1964 – her death in 1984); Jan Forsse · 1987
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Ken Forsse was born on September 17, 1936, in Bellwood, Nebraska, before moving to Southern California with his family. He graduated from Burbank High School in 1954. Forsse began his career in Disney’s mailroom before later joining the animation team, working as an 'inbetweener' on Sleeping Beauty (1959) alongside animator George Edwards. When Forsse found himself laid off upon completion of Sleeping Beauty, he and fellow Disney colleague Ron Cobb sought the mentorship of Ellis Burman, where they learned how to create movie props. Attempts to break into the industry by creating designs for Roger Corman were unsuccessful, largely due to the cost. In the late 1950s, science-fiction promoter Forrest J Ackerman sought to mount a film adaptation of J. R. R.
Reader's Guide
Ken Forsse's significance lies in his creation of Teddy Ruxpin, a groundbreaking animatronic talking bear that became the best-selling toy in the United States in 1985 and 1986. His earlier work as a Disney Imagineer contributed to iconic theme park attractions such as Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, It's a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Country Bear Jamboree, and The Haunted Mansion. Forsse also developed the concept of 'puppetronics,' a hybrid technique combining animatronics with wearable costuming, first used for the Disney Channel series Welcome to Pooh Corner. Through his company Alchemy II, he expanded into children's books and an animated television series. His legacy includes influencing animatronic toy design and theme park entertainment, with his work on Teddy Ruxpin paving the way for interactive electronic toys. The toy was revived in 2006 by BackPack Toys before being discontinued again in 2010. Forsse's life and work have been documented in a nine-part docuseries, Ken Forsse: Come Dream with Me Tonight, and featured in the television series The Toys That Built America.
Did You Know?
- Forsse trained as a crewman on the Army Corporal surface-to-surface missile at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in 1960.
- In the Haunted Mansion's graveyard tea-party scene, a tombstone marked 'R.I.P. Nekeessorf' is interpreted as a tribute to Ken Forsse.
- Forsse was nominated for a CableACE Award in 1983 for costume design for Welcome to Pooh Corner.
- He purchased a bear-head prop from the Kroffts, named Carl, which inspired his later animatronic costume experiments.
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