The Toy Man

Richard Levy's house may look like any other on a quiet street, but looks can be deceiving. Lurking inside, hidden from outside view, are hundreds of creatures waiting to play.

The toy creatures are Furbys. You may be wondering why a grown man has a wall full of the fuzzy toys. Well, Levy is the face behind Furby. He helped develop the creature and his friends.

More than 43 million were sold in 52 countries. But, there's more to Levy's career than the Furby phenomenon.

"One day, I'm working on a doll, the next day, I'm working on a game, Family Reunion or Route 66; the next day, I'm working on a new type of phaser," said Levy.

The inventor tinkered with toys for decades and has a special workshop to prove it. He calls it his "never-never land."

The 52-year-old has invented, developed, designed and licensed hundreds of ideas.

"I took the concept of the popular Duncan Yo-Yo and made it into a keychain," said Levy.

Toy companies get thousands of ideas every year, but most rely on a small crop of inventors like Levy. The Hot Lixx Guitar was one of his greatest hits. But, for every toy that sells, there are dozens that don't. Levy has a cabinet filled with products that have never gone anywhere. He said rejection doesn't hurt his confidence.

"To me, it's all about the hunt. I love the challenge," said Levy. "It's all about the game, it's all about the fun of doing it. It's not about the money you make or anything else."

Levy had always owned toys. His first was a little truck.

"He will never, ever, ever retire, he has the passion and the love and it's his dream," said Sheryl Levy, Richard's wife.

The love of toys has rubbed off on his family. Sheryl runs the financial side of the business and their daughter Bettie briefly followed in her father's footsteps.

There's no age limit when it comes to fun. Even Washington's power elite appreciates a good time.

Levy received a letter from Secretary Defense Donald Rumsefeld. "I sent him a copy of my game 'Spirit of America,'" recalled Levy. "What a great guy, he sent me back a wonderful letter with a personal check because he couldn't accept the gift, but he wanted to keep the game."

And a special patriotic Furby landed on a former president's desk.

The letter reads: "Thank you for my wonderful Furby. Now I can finally see what all the fuss is about. It's a lot of fun. Sincerely, Bill Clinton."

It should come as no surprise that Levy has written a book on toy-making, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Inventions." He says his secret to longevity is marketing.

"People don't buy ideas; they buy products," said Levy.

As for what gives a toy staying power, Levy says, it couldn't be more basic.

"If you watch a maple seed come off a tree, it comes down like a helicopter," said Levy. "I think today, with all our technology, with everything we see, I think a kid today at the right age is probably as attracted by that maple seed as by anything. The simplicity of the maple seed, I think, that's the essence of a great toy."

Levy says the essence of a great toy inventor is, "Never give up, never grow up and that's what it's all about."