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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AppleBsTime (talk | contribs) at 15:25, 19 October 2020 (airport code). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For the airport with code LJN, see Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport.

LJN Toys, Ltd.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryProduction
Founded1970; 54 years ago (1970)
FounderJack Friedman
Defunct1995 (1995)
FateDissolved
Headquarters
New York City, New York
,
U.S.
Parent

LJN Toys Ltd. was a toy and video game company located in New York City, known for manufacturing toys from such licensed brands as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Back to the Future, ThunderCats, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, as well as publishing software game titles (under the Enteractive trademark) for the Nintendo Entertainment System, including games about The Karate Kid, Jaws, and Major League Baseball.[1]

The company was founded in 1970 by Jack Friedman, using funds from his former employer, Norman J. Lewis Associates.[2] Friedman served as president of the company.[3] On March 26, 1985, MCA Inc. agreed to acquire 63% of LJN in exchange for $39.8 million in stock.[4][5] The deal closed with a transaction of a total of US$67 million.[6] Following the acquisition, LJN's revenue doubled to $27 million by 1986, and continued to rise into 1987.[6] However, a faulty paint-shooting toy gun manufactured by LJN caused MCA's profits to fall by 79.5%, to $8.1 million, in 1987's second quarter.[7] The same year, Friedman left the company.[2] LJN did not recover, as a result of which MCA announced on January 22, 1990, that they intended to sell the company.[7][8] MCA agreed to sell LJN to Acclaim Entertainment, for an undisclosed sum paid in cash and stock, on March 13, 1990.[9][10] LJN was dissolved in 1995.[11]

Products

Toys

Title Produced Licensed Notes
The Rookies 1974-1975 Spelling-Goldberg Productions
Emergency! 1974-1975 Emergency Productions
Road Stars 1974-1977 Various
S.W.A.T. 1975 Spelling-Goldberg Productions
255 Computer Command Cars 1980 LJN
Brooke Shields 1982 Brooke Shields' endorsement
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial 1982 Universal Studios
Magnum, P.I. 1983 Universal Studios
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1983-1984 TSR, Inc.
Michael Jackson 1984 Michael Jackson's endorsement
Boy George 1984 Boy George's endorsement
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984 Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Oodles 1984-1987 LJN
Rough Riders/Switch Force 1984-1985 LJN
Gremlins 1984 Warner Bros.
V Alien Visitor 1984 Warner Bros.
Dune 1984 Universal Studios
Wrestling Superstars 1984-1989 Titan Sports, Inc.
Baby Blinkins 1985 LJN
Entertech 1985-1990 LJN
Thundercats 1985-1989 Rankin-Bass Productions
Photon 1986 DiC Entertainment
Voltron 1986 World Events Productions
Suckers 1987 LJN
LJN Video Art 1987 LJN Video game console
Tiny Dinos 1987 LJN
TigerSharks 1987 Rankin-Bass Productions
Bionic Six 1987-1989 Universal Studios
Roll 'n Rocker 1987-1990 LJN/Nintendo of America, Inc. Accessory for the NES
Plansters 1988 LJN
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? 1988-1989 The Walt Disney Company & Amblin Entertainment
Baseball Talk 1989 Major League Baseball In conjunction with Topps
A Nightmare on Elm Street 1989 New Line Cinema
Back to the Future Part II 1989 Universal Studios

Video games

Game Developer Platform Year Notes
The Karate Kid Atlus NES 1987
Gotcha! The Sport Sanritsu NES 1987
Jaws Westone NES 1987
Town & Country Surf Designs: Wood & Water Rage Atlus NES 1988
Major League Baseball Atlus NES 1988
Friday the 13th Atlus NES 1989
NFL Atlus NES 1989
Back to the Future Beam Software NES 1989
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Rare NES 1989
The Uncanny X-Men N/A NES 1989
The Amazing Spider-Man Rare Game Boy 1990
Pictionary Software Creations NES 1990
Back to the Future II & III Beam Software NES 1990
A Nightmare on Elm Street Rare NES 1990
The Punisher Beam Software NES 1990
WWF WrestleMania Challenge Rare NES 1990
NBA All-Star Challenge Beam Software Game Boy, SNES 1991 SNES version released in 1992
WWF Superstars Rare Game Boy 1991
Beetlejuice Rare NES 1991
The Punisher: The Ultimate Payback Beam Software Game Boy 1991 The logo was only used in-game. All others had the normal Acclaim logo.
Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure Rocket Science Productions NES 1991
Bill & Ted's Excellent Game Boy Adventure Beam Software Game Boy 1991 Game Boy counterpart to Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure
Roger Clemens' MVP Baseball Sculptured Software NES, Game Boy, SNES 1991 Game Boy and SNES versions released in 1992.
Wolverine Software Creations NES 1991
Terminator 2: Judgement Day B.I.T.S. Game Boy 1992
Beetlejuice Rare Game Boy 1992
Terminator 2: Judgement Day Software Creations NES 1992 Different to the Game Boy counterpart.
Town & Country II: Thrilla's Surfari Sculptured Software NES 1992
WWF Super WrestleMania Sculptured Software SNES 1992
NBA All-Star Challenge 2 Beam Software Game Boy 1992
WWF Superstars 2 Sculptured Software Game Boy 1992
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 B.I.T.S. Game Boy 1992
WWF WrestleMania: Steel Cage Challenge Sculptured Software NES 1992
T2: The Arcade Game Beam Software (GB)
Probe Software (SNES) 		Game Boy, SNES 1992 SNES version released in 1993
Spider-Man & X-Men in Arcade's Revenge Software Creations (SNES)
Unexpected Development (GB) 		SNES, Game Boy 1992 Game Boy version released in 1993
The Incredible Crash Dummies Software Creations (GB, NES)
Gray Matter Studios (SNES) 		Game Boy, NES, SNES 1992 SNES version released in 1993 and NES version released in 1994.
Alien 3 B.I.T.S. (GB)
Probe Software (NES, SNES) 		Game Boy, NES, SNES 1993 SNES version had the logo only appearing on covers, manuals and cartridges while in-game had the normal Acclaim logo.
WWF Royal Rumble Sculptured Software SNES 1993
NFL Quarterback Club Beam Software Game Boy 1993
Spider-Man 3: Invasion of the Spider-Slayers B.I.T.S. Game Boy 1993
Terminator 2: Judgement Day B.I.T.S. SNES 1993 Different to the 8-bit counterparts.
Spider-Man & Venom: Maximum Carnage Software Creations SNES 1994
Wolverine: Adamantium Rage Bits Corporation SNES 1994
WWF Raw Sculptured Software (SNES)
Realtime Associates (GB) 		SNES, Game Boy 1994
NFL Quarterback Club Iguana Entertainment (SNES)
Condor, Inc. (GB) 		SNES, Game Boy 1994 Different to the Game Boy counterpart. Released on Game Boy as NFL Quarterback Club II in 1995.
Warlock Realtime Associates SNES 1994
True Lies Beam Software SNES, Game Boy 1995
Spider-Man: The Animated Series Western Technologies Incorporated SNES 1995
Revolution X Rage Software SNES 1995 Was supposed to be released under the label as listed on the copyright screen, but it ended up being released on the normal Acclaim label.
Cutthroat Island Software Creations SNES 1996 Was supposed to be released under the label as listed on the copyright screen, but it ended up being released on the normal Acclaim label.
Spirit of Speed 1937 Broadsword Interactive Sega Dreamcast 2000 Last game released under the LJN label; was released five years after the label was retired.

References

  1. ^ "s-l1600". Ebay. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Nelson, Valerie J. (May 6, 2010). "Jack Friedman dies at 70; toy maker". Retrieved August 26, 2018 – via LA Times.
  3. ^ "BUSINESS PEOPLE; HEAD OF LNJ TOYS SEES SUCCESS THROUGH 'E.T.'". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  4. ^ HARRIS, KATHRYN (March 27, 1985). "MCA Agrees to Acquire L.J.N. Toys : Entertainment Firm to Exchange Up to $39.8 Million in Stock". Retrieved August 26, 2018 – via LA Times.
  5. ^ "MCA Acquisition". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Fabrikant, Geraldine. "MCA TURNS HAND TO ACQUISITIONS". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Jr, JUBE SHIVER (January 23, 1990). "MCA to Sell LJN Toys Unit After Losses". Retrieved August 26, 2018 – via LA Times.
  8. ^ "COMPANY NEWS; MCA Taking Loss In Sale of Toy Unit". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  9. ^ Writer, From a Times Staff (March 13, 1990). "MCA Agrees to Sell Ailing Toy Unit". Retrieved August 26, 2018 – via LA Times.
  10. ^ "MCA in Pact With Acclaim". nytimes.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  11. ^ "Wow, LJN really hated kids". Destructoid.
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