C. Carey Cloud » Cracker Jack » Polystyrene Acrobatic Twirlers


In 1959, C. Carey Cloud created six polystyrene acrobatic twirlers for Cracker Jack. They include a parrot, a girl, a monkey, a frog, a tarsier, and an opossum. These plastic acrobatic twirlers were probably inspired by his earlier Cracker Jack toy, paper Twirlies, which he made 10 years earlier, in 1949.




To make his plastic acrobatic twirlers, C. Carey Cloud first carved his creations in basswood. The carvings, approximately 5 1/2" high, are four times the size of the final toy which measure 1 1/4" high. A metal engraving would then be made from the basswood mold. Then dies would be produced for the polystyrene to be poured into, making the toy.



Basswood mold of Acrobatic Frog Twirler, in the hands of it's creator C. Carey Cloud.


Basswood molds of Acrobatic Opossum Twirler, carved by C. Carey Cloud.