- Jack Odell
John William "Jack" Odell, OBE (
March 19 ,1920 –July 7 ,2007 ) was the English inventor of Matchbox toys and the engineer responsible for their unique design. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/world/europe/17odell.html?ex=1342324800&en=91e5fb7f3b82c08c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Jack Odell, 87, Designer of Matchbox Cars, Is Dead, "New York Times", July 17 2007] ] He joined with partnersLeslie Smith and Rodney Smith to formLesney Products . [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2050957.ece "Times Online" "Jack Odell" obituary] ]The company initially made small products for
cars such asdashboard s anddoorhandle s. Odell designed a smallsteamroller in 1952 for his daughter to take to school. It proved to be a big hit for her for his daughter and her friends. The company started manufacturing small toys to meet the demand with a million copies of a small coach sold during thecoronation ofQueen Elizabeth II in 1953. The first "car", anMG T-type#TD roadster, came out in 1954. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/world/europe/17odell.html?ex=1342324800&en=91e5fb7f3b82c08c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Jack Odell, 87, Designer of Matchbox Cars, Is Dead, "New York Times", July 17 2007] ]By 1966, more than 100 million Matchbox toys were sold each year. Odell retired in 1973 but returned in 1981 when Lesney had run into financial problems. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2050957.ece "Times Online" "Jack Odell" obituary] ] The company was declared insolvent in 1982 and sold to Universal Toys. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/world/europe/17odell.html?ex=1342324800&en=91e5fb7f3b82c08c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Jack Odell, 87, Designer of Matchbox Cars, Is Dead "New York Times", July 17 2007] ]
He founded Lledo, a small vehicle manufacturing company, and was active in that business until 1999 when he retired. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2050957.ece "Times Online" "Jack Odell" obituary] ] Odell had
Parkinson's disease when he died in July 2007. [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/world/europe/17odell.html?ex=1342324800&en=91e5fb7f3b82c08c&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Jack Odell, 87, Designer of Matchbox Cars, Is Dead, "New York Times", July 17 2007] ]References
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