The Busy Biddy Chicken: An EGG-citing Novelty and the Start of a Fruitful Relationship

The legendary Eddy Goldfarb (Yakity Yak Teeth, KerPlunk, Battling Tops) would create a total of ten items that hit market for Marvin Glass & Associates during the years they worked together from 1948 and 1952. The first of the ten he invented was the Busy Biddy Chicken that laid five eggs (marbles) one at a time and flapped her wings when you push her down.  Eddy had pitched his prototype just when Marvin was closing down one studio and opening a new one at the Alexandria Hotel in 1948. Eddy explained what he originally showed, “I made a complete working beautiful model of the chicken, but not artistic. I just made a body, I had the wings flapping and the eggs falling and everything. Marvin always said that he wanted the chicken to look like a girl’s ass.” It was an instant fad in the novelty market that Marvin said sold over 14 million units. Marvin once explained why he believed the chicken was so successful, “You know why they paid attention to the chicken? Everybody wanted to know where the marbles came from, that’s what. They were like circus clowns tumbling out of a jalopy!”

Eventually there were some siblings made for Busy Biddy that included Goosy Lucy and Lazy Daisy. Eddy had some fun when referring to Goosy Lucy’s success when he said, “We had the golden goose!” They are still copied to this day, in one form or another, usually around Eastertime with chickens, bunnies or cows pooping jelly beans. The utility patent was filed in July 1948 (#2,479,488) with a design patent soon following (Des. #155,086).

 

5 Comments

  1. Richard Hyppa on November 7, 2022 at 12:20 am

    I’m watching The Toys That Built America-The Idea Man on the Historychannel, this toy was mentioned. Very interesting.

  2. Richard Hyppa on November 7, 2022 at 12:31 am

    I’m watching The Toys That Built America-The Idea Man. You are on the show!

    • Jay on November 7, 2022 at 9:25 pm

      I just watched the show to I was surprised because I have that toy I got it at an antique store anyone know what it’s worth?

      • Jane on November 13, 2022 at 8:22 pm

        I’m also watching the Toys That Built America and I now know about my marble laying hen in my china closet.😄 This was my aunt’s as a child.

  3. Bill on November 8, 2022 at 9:00 am

    Thanks for the posts! It was a fun show to do. As for the price of a Busy Biddy Chicken, completed listings on Ebay show they recently sold for between $6-$20. There is a Goosy Lucy with an asking price for $60, but no takers. Hope this helps.

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