HOW TO USE A DUNCAN YOYO

Year Published: 1929

Format: 16mm

Description: This short film, which apparently originally aired on Channel 4 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, takes a look at the Duncan Yoyo, a toy developed by the American toy manufacturer Duncan Toys Co. They were known best for their line of yo-yos. Duncan was founded in 1929. The show probably dates to the late 1950s, possibly 1958 when the Butterfly yoyo was introduced. The yo-yo actually originated in the Philippines. These were made popular in the US as Duncan hosted competitions throughout the country from the 1930’s through the 1950’s. Duncan was later absorbed by Flambeau. The film begins with a brief shot of WWII footage from a program that preceded this yoyo film on the air on Channel 4 (:16). The yo-yo return top appears (:26). Demonstrators sling the toy up and down (:36). Duncan Yoyo Champion Fred Fortunado (last name unclear) stands at the left (:42). He had just returned from a tour of the major cities of the far west teaching youth how to yo-yo as part of the company’s method to expand. The two yo-yo-ers are introduced by the host as Fred Fortunado and "Speedy Gonzales" (1:18). Fred demonstrates how to ‘walk the dog’ (1:46). The ‘creeper’ method follows (1:54) as well as the three leaf clover (2:05). Other tricks are called ‘skin the cat’ (2:19), ‘sleeping beauty’ (2:22) and ‘rock the baby’ (2:34). An advertisement encourages the youth to join the Duncan yo-yo contest for the chance to win big prizes (2:51). The grand prize was a trip to Disney in California (3:09). Fred demonstrates how to conduct the ‘around the corner’ trick (4:17). The ‘sleeping beauty’ is revisited in slow motion (5:29). He shows how to conduct the ‘breakaway trick’ (6:39). The advertisement returns (7:59) to showcase the Duncan Number 77 Tournament Yo-Yo (8:01). The Sonic Satellite Yo-Yo is zoomed in on (8:15). The Number 707 Butterfly (8:33) had an open wing design making it easier to catch the string. The Butterfly was first released in 1958. Viewers are encouraged to purchase their own toys at locations such as Gimbals (8:52). Young guests (9:08) do the ‘spinner’ trick together on stage. They also practice ‘walk the dog’ (9:57) and ‘sleeping beauty’ (10:31). The host reminds viewers of the upcoming contest (12:43) at Troutman’s and at the Clairton Fire Department. Fred’s regional contests are displayed (13:14) in the Olympia shopping center among other locations. The host disappears off screen as the yo-yo-ers play (14:06). Viewers are encouraged to go to Troutman Department stores -- a Pennsylvania store that had locations in Butler and other cities -- (14:21) to purchase their own. The Duncan Toys Company is an American toy manufacturer based in Middlefield, Ohio best known for its line-up of yo-yos. The company was founded in 1929 by Donald F. Duncan Sr. and purchased the Flores Yo-Yo Company from Pedro Flores, who brought the yo-yo to the United States from the Philippines. Duncan popularized the yo-yo through competitions that spread throughout the country, publicized in his publications by William Randolph Hearst in exchange for a requirement that contestants had to sell subscriptions to Hearst newspapers as a condition of entry. In 1965, a federal court ruled that Duncan did not have exclusive rights to the word "yo-yo" because the word had become a part of common speech. In 1968, Duncan Toys became a division of Flambeau.

Transcription

[Music] foreign [Music] Duncan School of yo-yo this is Fred Fortunato the Dunkin yo-yo champion who has just returned from a tour of the major cities of the Far West performing and teaching the boys and girls the art of yo-yo playing he's here now and we'll be here each Saturday morning at this time to show you how much fun you can have for the Duncan yo-yo huge friend okay and here to my left is Speedy Gonzalez and here's a let's see this red and Speedy right right I see so many yoyos this morning it's kind of hard to see who who's at the other end of saying red Fortunato it's very difficult and Speedy Gonzalez hi sweetie and whenever I'm carrying a yo-yo or shaking hands with any of these guys is a big big click shall we have a little demonstration by both of you this morning uh yeah I'll tell you what we do we're going to run down to 10 basic fits suppose you guys clouded a little closer to you as truly here and we start off by demonstrating ladies and gentlemen and boys and girls this Saturday morning on the Duncan School of yo-yo a spinner which is a very simple basic number one trick and of course they're spread with a spinner we have walked the dog and next we have the creeper and next we have the three leaf flavor trailer and sometimes uh some mornings we even have a five leaf clover of course that's the kind I I demonstrate with happened three before we head around the corner Beauty red around the corner let's skin the cat real fast huh Sleeping Beauty man on the flying trapeze and Rock the Baby and let's close off by looping the loop we'll be right back with Speedy Gonzalez first Fortunato in the dungeon School of yo-yo after this very important message okay okay boys and girls here's terrific news you can learn all the interesting tricks from The Duncan yo-yo champ and have your opportunity to win some of these Sensational prizes there are boys and girls bicycles portable record players portable TV sets Championship emblems and the grand prize is a trip for two to Disney's Island in California an entry in the National contest for a five thousand dollar scholarship here's how just watch for this window sign at your store for toys it will announce the appearance date and time for the Duncan Champion make sure you meet him there have your Duncan yo-yo with you and join in the fun now is the time to buy your Duncan yo-yos and begin by practicing the pitch you see Fred explaining on the Duncan School of Yoyo Duncan yo-yos are available at toy counters everywhere including GC Murphy SS Kresge and GT grants and remember if it isn't a Duncan it isn't a yo-yo just like the man says it isn't a dungeon or listen to yo-yo and if it isn't a Speedy Gonzales and he's been pretty Fortunato this morning while we're in trouble the element school was about to begin Fred Speedy suppose we had to do a two-teacher class this morning for all the boys and uh Fred let you break down that little thing called around the corner now watch spread very very closely because he's going to break down that particular demonstration for you all right boys and girls the uh the way you should do it is around the corner it's the trailers yo-yo down put on a fasting and Lefty spring touch your elbow like this either that word stories of doing it you can touch it this way so you will come right up yeah I guess that if you have the benefit of slow motion television you'll be able to see that I quite I got it Fred but I'm not going to be able to do it because I uh I'm holding a microphone this morning I gave up the yo-yo by the way shall we skim the cat now give him the cats give the cat very slowly you can also pull down a fast pin boys and girls let's just join us here speed either and pick up your string like this come closer together as close as possible then throw your hand forwards just like as if you was doing a little trick watch it again 2015. you've got two great guys doing it this morning for you and let's go all right you know that's what we call skinning the cat right getting that cat so then we can break down and uh I hesitate to say this but in slow motion uh the Sleeping Beauty now looking good good night only do it like this at an angle voice well twin sideways watch it what uh this thing happens to be very tight now now also it's the opposite side Mr Sleeping Beauty you think you'll be able to do that now boys and girls watch it again once again it takes practice and it takes the right kind of Yoyo and it takes the right kind of fortitude and the right kind of Fortunato and the right kind of Gonzales I'll tell you how about the man on the flying trapeze closing off our little session here this morning are the year boys uh and girls remember the breakaways hold your hand like this in this position towards your left like this extend your finger right on the way so it'll go over it slide that thing he gives us closer to you as possible just like going to break away now don't forget watch it I thought but I don't believe it I think this is the most dangerous job in the world standing between pretty Fortunato and Speedy Gonzalez with the dunking areas this morning a man can uh through the shoelaces real fast right so there we have the four basic tricks this morning for our Duncan School of Yoyo by our able instructor this morning Freddy fortunately demonstrated of course too by Judy Gonzalez we had around the corner skin the cat and now the flying trapeze and Sleeping Beauty now we're gonna meet some guests we're gonna find out where Fred and Speedy will be throughout the area in just a few seconds okay saying bye there is real excitement and fun built into the 1962 Duncan yo-yos this is the number 77 tournament yo-yo it's a regular spinning yoyo of one piece construction that is the yoyo most suitable for all-around yo-yo playing and is an exceptionally fast spinning yo-yo the Sonic satellite yoyo is the newest Star in the Duncan yo-yo Galaxy it loops and spins in perfect balance and its round design permits easier handling you can throw and catch the satellite with real accuracy every time and it's built to sound like a whirling satellite here's the number 707 butterfly this is the yoyo that has a special wide open ring design that catches the string every time it makes those fancy string tricks easy to do of course it spins and does all the other tricks equally well get your Duncan yo-yos now at all leading toy and variety stores everywhere including gimbals North Hills and melon Square remember if it isn't Duncan it isn't a yo-yo okay troops let's line up and let's see what we can do this morning once again Brett Fortunato and Stevia brought down some guests this morning very quickly now should we meet them tell you what we're going to do call off your name is loud and clear and have it swiftly so we can get to talk to you okay Mark Miller John Gray seriously Robert Davis Robert Robert and I've forgotten every one of you too many names this morning okay Fred class is yours all right boys uh and girls the ones that are watching this too I would like to show you what you have to do in a yo-yo contest uh at the same time all of your boys will have to do the same trick now the spinner all right the second one is walk the dog next creeper closing now the next one didn't look that sorry good next Sleeping Beauty all at the same time all right man are applying for peace let's go boys this is exactly how afraid throughout the area uh has this election exactly how is the elimination cost there's an exhibition Frank uh the next one did you do it all right very good all right three little clover all right rock that baby and look for Loop this is the last pick of all the 10 basic tricks boys and girls and there you have it that's exactly how Fred well I should say uh stages the exhibitions and uh this man stops lubing the loop we can get closer and around and around and around he goes let's all skip over here and uh we're talking about where Fred and Speedy are going to be throughout the area doing contests just like this in just about 60 seconds okay okay don't forget boys and girls buy your Duncan yo-yos now and swing into the fun practice now and enter the regional contests this afternoon at all Troutman department stores Duncan yo-yos are available at toys you get that this uh well here we go uh we're going to tell all the boys and girls right now where Fred and Speedy are going to be throughout the area staging these Regional contests and exhibition for example next Saturday even species Speedy of this particular area at troutman's in Latrobe I can't read upside down very well but you can see very well at trappings and in Latrobe at 11 A.M and trogmans in Greensburg at 2PM he's gonna have a busy Saturday next Saturday and then Monday October 8th in Claritin for the Clairton fire department that's where Speedy's going to be and don't forget Fred Fortunato he's got a busy busy schedule these are Regional contests October 6th 1 p.m at Cassie Village and 4 P.M Olympia shopping center another 13th of October one two and four pm he's gonna be another very very busy boy he's going to be at the Norwin shopping center he's going to be the Northway Mall at 2PM and Natrona Heights bright shopping center at 4 P.M that little definition right here is shopping center incidentally so Speedy is going to be busy and Fred's going very busy and I'm going to be very delighted to watch you guys work and work and work and that's where they're going to be next Saturday too we'll have our Duncan School of yo-yo Fred suppose we just want to close off with music and Fanfare and let you two guys stand real close together and give us a four yo-yo conclusion until next week for Fred thanks though and Speedy Gonzalez bye bye and go Duncan yo-yos are available at toy counters everywhere including all Troutman department stores remember if it isn't a Duncan it isn't a yo-yo oh


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