In 1982, someone at Knickerbocker Toy Co. had what seemed like a perfect idea: let children imitate E.T.’s famous glowing finger. 👽
That’s how the “E.T. Finger Light”, model 4111, was born, designed for kids aged 4 and up.
It was a skin-colored rubber sleeve that fit over the finger and, when pressed against something, lit up a tiny light at the tip thanks to an internal battery.
It sounded cute on paper. In real life, with its elongated shape and wrinkled texture, it ended up looking far too much like something else that had nothing to do with Spielberg’s movies.
Parents started to notice, the jokes soon followed, and toy stores began pulling the product from their shelves almost as quickly as it had arrived.
Knickerbocker shut down that same year, and the finger light became one of those pieces of merchandise that collectors now seek out just to have a laugh. 🛸