The View-Master is a toy which people of all ages remember
vividly from their childhood. It's one of those rare high-tech
inventions that has maintained massive appeal across multiple
generations and this month it is celebrating its 65th
anniversary. Despite numerous new media devices entering its
domain since it first hit the market in 1939, its appeal remains
strong and the View-Master has now sold more than a billion
units. With just a glimpse through a View-Master viewer, people
have been able to see 3-D images of some of the world's most
popular people, places and events, both real and imaginary, past
and present. "View-Master has secured itself as a classic toy
that continues to fuel the imaginations of children around the
world," says Chuck Scothon, senior vice president of marketing,
Fisher-Price. "It is truly a phenomenon that has transcended the
toy box to achieve pop culture status." It all began in 1938
when William Gruber, a piano tuner by trade and a stereo
photographer by hobby, invented the Vi