Merle robbins biography
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Raised in the community of Reading and surrounding areas of southern Ohio, Robbins experienced a typical upbringing in small-town America, where the family established roots in the working-class neighborhoods.[5]On January 24, 1932, Robbins married Marie Myrtle Whitworth in Falmouth, Pendleton County, Kentucky. The hands-on approach not only bridged the gap from concept to market but also embodied the family's collaborative spirit in bringing UNO to life.[10][7]
Commercialization
Marketing efforts
Following the handmade production of initial UNO decks and the financing of a 5,000-deck printed run by mortgaging their home and contributions from son Ray, Merle Robbins and his wife Marie began grassroots marketing efforts in 1971.The original decks were designed and made on the family dining room table. As of 2025, more than 151 million decks have been sold worldwide, establishing UNO as the best-selling card game in history.[20][21][22][23]UNO evolved into a cultural phenomenon, with Mattel introducing numerous adaptations including electronic versions, such as the 2016 digital app and console editions, and themed editions featuring franchises like Star Wars, Disney, and the NFL to appeal to diverse audiences.
He was the son of Ralph Edwin Robbins, a resident of Ohio born around 1883, and Ruth Elizabeth Rhodes, in a family of modest working-class origins. He operated a barbershop in Milford, Ohio, while residing in nearby Reading, Ohio, where he served local customers over several decades.[1][4][6]Robbins' work as a barber provided a stable routine, involving typical tasks such as haircuts and shaves for community patrons in the Milford area.
This long-term commitment to the profession, spanning from at least the mid-20th century onward, underscored Robbins' dedication to a reliable craft that formed the backbone of his pre-retirement years.[3][4]
Invention of UNO
Inspiration and initial concept
In 1971, Merle Robbins, a barber from Reading, Ohio, drew inspiration for the card game UNO from a family argument with his son Ray over the inconsistent rules of Crazy Eights during a game night.[7][4] The Robbins family, including Merle, his wife Marie, and son Ray, enjoyed playing cards together, but such disputes underscored the need for a game with straightforward, dispute-proof mechanics suitable for all ages.[7][6]Robbins aimed to resolve these issues by developing a simplified variant of Crazy Eights that emphasized clarity and accessibility.The original decks were designed and ... His initial concept centered on streamlining the gameplay to essential elements, featuring numbered cards for sequential matching and special action cards to introduce controlled strategic twists without introducing ambiguity.[8][7]To bring the idea to life, Robbins created early prototypes by sketching designs and manually marking a standard deck of playing cards with custom notations during lulls in his barbershop work.[6][8] The family's shared enthusiasm fueled these efforts, with Marie providing key input by documenting rule ideas as they tested the game at home, and the name "UNO"—meaning "one" in Spanish—was selected to highlight the core rule of declaring when a player holds only one card.[6][7]
Development and rules
Merle Robbins developed UNO in 1971 as a simplified evolution of Crazy Eights, aiming to eliminate ambiguities in traditional rules that often led to family disputes during play.[8] To achieve this, he modified a standard deck of playing cards by inscribing specific instructions directly onto them using a felt-tipped pen, ensuring consistent gameplay mechanics for all participants.[3]The core rules centered on shedding cards by matching the top discard pile card in color, number, or symbol, with penalties for inability to play requiring a draw from the deck.[9] Key features included the requirement to declare "UNO" aloud when down to a single card, wild cards that allowed players to choose a new color, and action cards like Skip (bypassing the next player's turn), Reverse (altering play direction), and Draw Two (forcing the opponent to draw two cards and lose their turn).[9] These elements introduced strategic depth while maintaining accessibility for players of all ages.[7]The original deck comprised 108 cards, divided into four colors—red, blue, green, and yellow—with 19 number cards per color (one 0 and two each of 1 through 9), alongside 76 total number cards.[9] Action cards included eight each of Skip, Reverse, and Draw Two (two per color), plus four standard Wild cards and four Wild Draw Four cards, balancing luck and tactics without overwhelming complexity.[9]Robbins iterated on the prototype through extensive family testing sessions, refining balance to prioritize simplicity and enjoyment over the interpretive flexibility of Crazy Eights.[6] His wife, Marie Robbins, contributed by documenting rule ideas during testing.[6]Handmade production
Following the invention of UNO in 1971, Merle Robbins and his family undertook the initial production of the game on a small scale from their home in Reading, Ohio.The original decks were designed and made on the family dining room table. Modern accounts and biographical profiles, including those in industry publications, consistently credit Robbins as the originator, highlighting his role in transforming a family game into a global icon.[7][3]
Merle Robbins
Merle Robbins
Merle Robbins, an American toy designer and entrepreneur, is best known for creating the immensely popular card game Uno.
Born on September 12, 1911, in Reading, Ohio, Robbins spent his early life working in his family's barbershop. Merle expressed dissatisfaction with the pace, noting the difficulty in securing larger retail commitments as a one-product venture.[6][12][11]
Sale of rights
In 1972, Merle Robbins sold the rights to UNO to Robert Tezak and his partners—a funeral parlor owner and UNO enthusiast from Joliet, Illinois—for an upfront payment of $50,000 plus royalties of ten cents per deck sold.[13] This deal came after the Robbins family had successfully produced and sold approximately 5,000 decks (initially handmade and later printed) through their barbershop, regional businesses in Ohio, and interstate road trips.[13] The transaction allowed the family to step back from hands-on production while securing ongoing financial benefits, enabling Robbins to retire from barbering.[3]The sale was motivated by the family's recognition that scaling UNO beyond their small operation required professional marketing and distribution expertise, which Tezak and his group possessed as savvy promoters eager to capitalize on the game's potential.[3] Tezak, impressed by early local sales, saw an opportunity to elevate UNO nationally and formed International Games Inc.specifically to handle its commercialization, with initial production outsourced to Saltzman Printers in Maywood, Illinois.[14][15]Following the handover of designs and rules, Tezak redesigned the cards—introducing the iconic red color scheme—and packaging to enhance appeal and manufacturability.[3] Under his leadership, UNO transitioned from regional novelty to broader U.S.
distribution in the early 1970s, with innovative marketing like sponsorships of midget auto races in Joliet providing early visibility.[16]By the mid-1970s, these efforts led to national recognition, as UNO became a staple in American homes and game stores, setting the stage for explosive sales growth in the following decade.[17]
Later life and legacy
Family involvement and personal life
Merle Robbins' family was deeply involved in the early stages of UNO's development and promotion.Their daily life revolved around hobbies such as family card-playing sessions and travel, including multiple trips to Las Vegas, while they also contributed to community causes through charitable donations supported by UNO earnings.[18]In the early 1980s, Robbins experienced a health decline that culminated in his death on January 14, 1984, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati at the age of 72.[2]
Death and posthumous recognition
Merle Robbins died on January 14, 1984, at the age of 72, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.[2][19]He was buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Evendale, Hamilton County, Ohio.[19]Robbins' obituary, published in The New York Times on January 16, 1984, recognized him as the inventor of the popular card game UNO, which he developed with his wife Marie, son Ray, and daughter-in-law Kathy.[2] In his hometown of Reading, Ohio, he was remembered as a prominent community figure and longtime barber whose creation brought joy to families.[6]Following his death, Robbins' family, particularly his son Ray, continued to preserve the story of UNO's origins through personal accounts and interviews, ensuring his inventive legacy endured within local and gaming communities.[1]Impact of UNO
Following the sale of rights in 1972, UNO experienced significant commercial growth under International Games Inc., which expanded distribution and marketing efforts throughout the 1970s and 1980s, leading to strong sales performance during that decade.The couple settled in Ohio and raised two sons: Jerald R. Robbins (1932–2023) and Raymond G. (Ray) Robbins (1937–2004). In 1972, he sold the rights to UNO to International Games for $50,000 plus royalties of 10 cents per copy. His wife, Marie Robbins, contributed to the game's design by documenting the initial rules during its creation around 1971.[6] His son, Ray Robbins, assisted with marketing by distributing decks to his students at Milford High School and promoting the game through word-of-mouth efforts alongside Merle and Marie.[6]Following the 1972 sale of UNO rights, the Robbins family maintained strong bonds, continuing to collaborate as partners for both enjoyment and financial benefits from royalties.
Robbins' innovative approach to game design, which emphasized simplicity and universal appeal, revolutionized the industry and paved the way for future generations of toy designers. Assembly was primarily handled by Merle's wife, Marie, and their son, Ray, who meticulously packaged the decks after printing.[10][6]The production process relied on low-budget tools, including stencils created with the assistance of local graphic artist Bob Grove for the card designs.
Robbins' contributions to the toy and game industry have earned him a place among the most influential designers of the 20th century, and his enduring impact continues to inspire and entertain millions of players around the world.
Merle Robbins, Uno, card game, toy designer, entrepreneur, game design, barbershop
— Helen James
In 1971, he invented UNO to resolve an argument with his son about the rules of Crazy Eights.
Its global popularity is evidenced by availability in multiple languages and annual sales exceeding several million units, reinforced by high brand awareness—reported at 99% among U.S. consumers—and its status as a staple in family entertainment across generations.[3][21][24][25][26]The game's influence on the industry is notable in popularizing structured shedding-type card games with fixed rules printed on cards, inspiring subsequent titles like Mattel's Dos (2018) and a wave of matching-based variants from other publishers.