Stuff You Should Know: SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: Etch A Sketch!

Hosts: Josh Clark & Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant
Date: December 12, 2025
Podcast: Stuff You Should Know, iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this installment of their holiday toy series, Josh and Chuck dive into the fascinating history, enduring popularity, and cultural legacy of the Etch A Sketch. The discussion ventures from its surprising French origins to its pivotal role in American toy history, the mechanics of its iconic design, quirky manufacturing tales, and its firm place in pop culture—even as technology outpaces most classic toys. With their trademark humor, tangents, and banter, the hosts blend nostalgia with deep-dive research into how a lo-fi, battery-free toy won (and kept!) a spot in millions of childhoods.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

A Trip Down Toy Memory Lane

[03:18–05:05]

• The hosts reminisce about past classic toys they've covered, ranging from Slinky and LEGO to Teddy Ruxpin and Monopoly, before turning their focus to Etch A Sketch as another “iconic toy.”
• Chuck quips about not finding a Frisbee episode, with Josh humorously recalling their "novelty flying disc" joke.

The Etch A Sketch’s French Roots

[05:10–07:16]

• Despite seeming quintessentially American, Etch A Sketch ("La Croix Magique" in France) was invented in France by André Cassagnes in the mid-1950s.
• Surprising to both hosts, who muse on its "TV-like" shape and consider it a piece of Americana.
• Chuck notes the device’s “lingering mystique” in an era of digital, connected toys:

  "It's amazing that today... this little lo-fi toy that doesn't even have batteries... is still super popular and still has a little bit of mystique." (Chuck, 06:27)

The Moment of Inspiration

[07:30–12:00]

• Cassagnes, working at the Lincrusta company (an old wall covering manufacturer), discovered the principle behind the Etch A Sketch by noticing disturbed metal powder on a decal while installing an electrical switch plate.
• Josh struggles to reconstruct the precise "magic" moment Cassagnes observed:

  "This man witnessed a feat of magic that still cannot be explained to this day. And that's where he got his idea for the Etch A Sketch." (Josh, 11:26)

The Path to Patent & Manufacture

[12:15–15:27]

• Lacking resources, Cassagnes partnered with Paul Chaze (who owned a plastic injection molding company).
• The patent for Etch A Sketch (1959) listed the name of Chaze's accountant, Arthur Granjean, who is sometimes mistakenly credited as the inventor.
• Josh clarifies the mix-up:

  "Since Granjean... paid for the application for the patent, as far as the government was concerned, he was the person who patented the Etch A Sketch..." (Josh, 13:55)

How Does Etch A Sketch Work?

[15:10–17:38]

• The magic is aluminum powder inside the frame, coating the screen. The knobs control a stylus via pulleys/gears, scraping away powder to reveal lines. Shaking redistributes the powder and "erases" the image.
• Chuck and Josh marvel at how the modern Etch A Sketch's mechanism is unchanged since Cassagnes’ vision.

Bringing Etch A Sketch to America

[18:03–26:31]

• Cassagnes first sought $100,000 for distribution rights at the Nuremberg Toy Fair (1959), but was rejected—including by Ohio Art, who later purchased the rights for $15,000–$25,000.
• Ohio Art was founded by a dentist-turned-entrepreneur and first made metal picture frames and toys.
• Significant engineering changes included replacing the joystick with familiar control knobs to evoke a TV set.
• The toy debuted as Etch A Sketch for the 1960 holiday season, selling approximately 600,000 units at $2.99 (about $25 today).

Early Marketing & Explosion in Popularity

[26:31–29:47]

• Etch A Sketch was one of the first toys to be advertised on television, drawing on the novelty of TV among kids to showcase the toy's magic.
• Chuck jokes about children's minds being blown:

  "Kids in 1960 were idiots, but they might as well have been dosed with LSD." (Chuck, 27:41)

• Ohio Art famously worked up until noon on Christmas Eve in 1960 to meet nationwide demand.

Lasting Impact & Cultural Moments

[30:15–33:55]

• Over 175 million Etch A Sketches have sold since 1960.
• Spikes in sales have coincided with cultural references, such as a Mitt Romney gaffe and Toy Story's Etch character (“fastest knobs in the West”).
• Several attempts at reinvention (Etch A Sketch Animator, Doodle Sketch, mobile apps, etc.) failed to eclipse the original.
• Chuck’s review of the official Etch A Sketch photo app:

  “For something that downloaded in 30 seconds and was free, I'm going to give it a half a thumb up.” (Chuck, 33:49)

Who Makes Etch A Sketch Now?

[33:55–36:10]

• Etch A Sketch manufacturing was outsourced to China in the 2000s; later, Ohio Art sold the rights to Spin Master, who continue to cash in with branded versions.
• Ohio Art returned to its roots in metal lithography.

The Art and Mastery of Etch A Sketch

[36:10–38:30]

• Although a challenging medium (the stylus is never “lifted”), master artists use retracing techniques and edge “frames” to plot complex images.
• Notable Etch A Sketch artists: George Vlosich III (portraits), Jane Labowitch (“Princess Etch A Sketch”), Ryan Burton (erotic Simpsons art).
• Permanent artworks are created by draining the powder and locking the knobs.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On its unlikely origin:

  "Turns out, buddy, the Etch A Sketch is actually French in origin. Did you know that before this?" (Josh, 06:04)

• On the invention’s discovery:

  "He had disturbed the shape. So there was like the whole decal is coated in a metal dust. He marks on it with a pencil... gouges out lines on the backside of the decal... It was magic. Basically. This man witnessed a feat of magic..." (Josh, 11:00)

• On the patent confusion:

  "For decades, everybody thought Arthur Grandjean was the guy who invented the Etch A Sketch." (Josh, 14:43)

• About early TV advertising:

  "A TV commercial comes on for a toy... that rocket ship would animate and take off. These kids might as well have been dosed with LSD." (Chuck, 27:41)

• On anatomical toy limitations:

  "I'm not that good. I can make a line go up and a line go to the left or right. Yeah, I can't even make it go down." (Josh, 26:06)

• On enduring popularity:

  "Nothing has managed to improve on the original Etch A Sketch... kids were like, nah, I'd rather have the original." (Josh, 32:38)

• On Etch A Sketch mastery:

  "When you're making a good Etch A Sketch drawing, it is all one single line frequently doubled back over. ...Artists will create a line frame around the edges that they can travel back out to and move around the picture like that." (Josh, 37:02)

Major Segments & Timestamps

• [02:17–03:18] Introduction to “Etch A Sketch” episode.
• [03:18–05:08] Toy nostalgia & lead-in to Etch A Sketch.
• [05:10–07:16] French origins and mystique.
• [07:30–12:00] The inventive spark in Vitry-sur-Seine.
• [12:15–15:27] Partnerships, patent confusion, and mechanism.
• [15:27–17:38] How Etch A Sketch works, nod to a classic "HowStuffWorks" article.
• [18:03–26:31] Ohio Art’s involvement, production tweaks, first sales.
• [26:31–29:47] The power of TV and explosive 1960s demand.
• [30:15–33:55] Massive sales, cultural spikes, and redesigns.
• [33:55–36:10] Ownership changes, manufacturing shifts.
• [36:10–38:30] Etch A Sketch as an art form, notable artists & making masterpieces permanent.
• [38:30–39:49] Humorous side tangent: never shake a baby.
• [39:49–end] Listener mail (topic: Jerry eating during podcast recordings; largely content-light).

Language, Tone, and Humor

• The episode is marked by the hosts’ relaxed, playful banter and accessible “two friends chatting” tone.
• Humor is woven throughout, from gentle self-deprecation about their “French” to calling 1960s kids “idiots” (with obvious affection), and the running bit about podcast producer Jerry’s mysterious meals.
• As ever, insights are blended with personal anecdotes, curious facts, and the inviting warmth characteristic of Stuff You Should Know.

In Summary

Whether reminiscing about personal Etch A Sketch failures or marveling at high art produced with it, Josh and Chuck deftly balance historical detail and cultural insight with signature wit. They make a compelling case that the enduring appeal of Etch A Sketch lies not just in nostalgia, but in a singular blend of design and play that no technological evolution has yet topped.