A listener note,

note, this episode contains adult content and is not suitable for everyone.

Please be advised. In 1955, Theo Koster moved to Israel,

in 1995 Theo Koster moved to Israel

after having survived the Holocaust and subsequently serving in the

Dutch army.

There he met his future wife, Ora, and together they began designing toys, promotional materials, and games,

with their whole family eventually following them into the business.

Their first successful product was called the Elsie Stick. These were bright colored

popsicle sticks that, after the ice cream was eaten, became building toys for kids. Think thinner Lincoln logs.

The toys were such a hit in the United States that General Mills began including a package of LC sticks in their

cereals to help with their brand's sales. The Koster's company, Theora

Concepts, went on to produce over 200 games and toys.

Among them the popular children's game, Guess Who?

In 1979, the game was licensed to the hugely successful gaming giant now known as

Hasbro, and today it is a staple for young children all over the United States. In the game, each opponent is

given matching game boards that have paper tabs with cartoon drawings of different

faces on it, all slightly different from each other, but some still

sharing similarities.

For example, some might have brown hair, others might have a hat, but each has one characteristic

that makes them different. After one player chooses a specific face, the other asks questions to help eliminate faces off the board

until they can guess the chosen character. It is the character's one unique feature that eventually gives the answer away and wins the game.

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