Etch A Sketch creator dies

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BRYAN, Ohio, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Andre Cassagnes, the French inventor who created the Etch A Sketch drawing toy in the 1950s, has died, a company official says. He was 86.

NBC News reported Saturday Cassagnes died Jan. 16 in France. Details of his passing were not reported.

"Etch A Sketch has brought much success to the Ohio Art Co., and we will be eternally grateful to Andre for that," company President Larry Killgallon said. "His invention brought joy to so many over such a long period of time."

An electrician, Cassagnes originally called the drawing tow the Telecran. Basically, it allows users to sketch images using a stylus, controlled by two knobs, that etches images on the inside of a screen coated with aluminum powder. Shaking the toy erases the image, allowing the user to start over repeatedly.

Etch A Sketch's long-running popularity landed it in the Toy Industry Association's Century of Toys list.