Editing LJN (section)

===Early history (1967–1985)===
[[Jack Friedman]] founded LJN in 1967<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 28, 1990 |title=Kirk: LJN |page=E2 |work=[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record/155071337/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913083122/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-record/155071337/ |archive-date=September 13, 2024 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> using funds from his employer Norman J. Lewis Associates (from which the company name "LJN" is derived, being a reversal of Lewis' initials)<ref name="norman">{{Cite magazine |last=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=June 2010 |title=A Recap of Industry Headlines, Jack Friedman: July 9, 1939-May 3, 2010 |url=https://issuu.com/anbmedia/docs/tfejune10/12 |access-date=March 30, 2022 |magazine=Toys and Family Entertainment, Vol.5, No. 7, June 2010 |publisher=aNb Media, Inc.}}</ref> after seeing the sale figures of [[Mattel]] and [[Milton Bradley Company]] increase.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 15, 1982 |title=Business People; Head of LJN Toys Sees Succss Through 'E.T.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/15/business/business-people-head-of-lnj-toys-sees-success-through-et.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320041219/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/09/15/business/business-people-head-of-lnj-toys-sees-success-through-et.html |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |access-date=March 20, 2022 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Friedman later founded [[THQ]] and [[Jakks Pacific]] after leaving LJN.<ref>{{Cite news |date=May 6, 2010 |title=Jack Friedman Dies at 70; Toy Maker |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-06-la-me-jack-friedman-20100506-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929092848/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-06-la-me-jack-friedman-20100506-story.html |archive-date=September 29, 2021 |access-date=March 20, 2022 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> LJN shifted money used for television advertising to instead purchase licenses to make toys based on television shows.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 1, 1976 |title=Toy Companies Using TV Shows As Advertising |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725192/corpus-christi-caller-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316070419/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725192/corpus-christi-caller-times/ |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[Corpus Christi Caller-Times]] |page=32 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The first toyline by LJN based on a television show was for ''[[Emergency!]]''<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 19, 1985 |title=Toy Industry Game: Licensing |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97921155/the-boston-globe/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319063335/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97921155/the-boston-globe/ |archive-date=March 19, 2022 |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |page=64 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The highest amount the company paid for a license by 1982 was $250,000.<ref name="sales" />

LJN purchased the license to make toys based on ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' for $25,000 due to other companies declining the option, including [[Kenner Products]] and [[Ideal Toy Company]], and sold over $16–25 million worth of merchandise without the need of an advertising campaign. A doll based on [[Brooke Shields]] was released with a $2 million advertising budget and made over $12 million in 1982. LJN's revenue rose from $5 million in 1971 to $70 million in 1982 due to the E.T. and Brooke Shields toys.<ref name="bananas">{{Cite news |date=December 7, 1982 |title=Buyers Are Going Bananas over Licensed Toys This Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97724972/palladium-item/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316065900/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97724972/palladium-item/ |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[Palladium-Item]] |page=9 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name="sales">{{Cite news |date=December 8, 1982 |title=Millions to Toymakers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725035/lansing-state-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316065505/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725035/lansing-state-journal/ |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[Lansing State Journal]] |page=41 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 7, 1981 |title=Are You Ready for Doll Wars? |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725159/press-and-sun-bulletin/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316070157/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725159/press-and-sun-bulletin/ |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[Press & Sun-Bulletin]] |page=4 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 12, 1982 |title=E.T., Phone Your Broker |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725226/the-miami-herald/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316070835/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97725226/the-miami-herald/ |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[The Pantagraph]] |page=433 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=November 2, 2000 |title=Small Business Plays Well in Market |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97724885/the-pantagraph/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316064502/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97724885/the-pantagraph/ |archive-date=March 16, 2022 |work=[[The Pantagraph]] |page=24 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In 1984 LJN became the toy licensee of the [[World Wrestling Federation]]. The [[Wrestling Superstars]] line, which featured action figures based on WWF's roster of wrestlers, was produced from 1984 to 1989.<ref>{{Citation |title=The Toys That Made Us: "Wrestling" |date=Nov 15, 2019 |url=https://www.netflix.com/watch/80994013?source=35 |author=Brian Volk-Weiss}}</ref> LJN competed with [[Mattel]] in the toy market.<ref name="bananas" /> The company produced the ''[[ThunderCats]]'' toyline in competition with Mattel's ''[[Masters of the Universe]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 31, 1986 |title=Rambo and Robots Top Toy Lists for 1986 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97921332/sioux-city-journal/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220319064008/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97921332/sioux-city-journal/ |archive-date=March 19, 2022 |work=[[Sioux City Journal]] |page=6 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>