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Allan Grayson Stone '45

Jan. 5, 1926-Apr. 23, 2020

Starting with The Howdy Doody Show in 1949, licensing pioneer Allan Grayson Stone ’45 set a high standard for innovation in his field and maintained it across four decades.

Howdy Doody, an early children’s TV show, eventually had more than 100 licenses for a range of products: toys, clothing, school supplies, and clothing, according to the trade journal Total Licensing’s obituary about Stone. The resident of Port Washington, N.Y., died on April 23, 2020, at age 96.

Over his long career he applied licensing in many ways that were novel at the time, for instance: licensing an early “retail exclusive” for the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association (now the U.S. Tennis Association) to Macy’s and licensing The Smithsonian Museum, which is believed to be the first museum licensing program.

Stone, a member of The Greatest Generation, was born on Jan. 5, 1926, in New York City, the son of Frank and Bertha Lenner Stone. World War II forced him to leave Hamilton early to serve for three years in the U.S. Maritime Service, and he never completed his degree. Still, Stone spoke fondly of his College years in his 50th reunion yearbook, writing, “‘Hamilton, thy sons (like me!) will ne’er forget thee’ has run very true for me and my family — my two sons and daughter-in-law, the former Deborah Forte K ’74, are living proof!”

At Hamilton he participated in the Charlatans, was part of Squires and Doers & Thinkers, and played football. Among his reflections of those days he recalled: “Playing center on the football team against Hobart in the deep mud” and “Failing the Navy Air Corps test held at the Hill (stomach couldn’t take it).”

But he found a way to serve all the same, and when the war ended, according to a 1985 story in The New York Times, Stone went to work with his brother, Martin, an attorney who was involved with radio production. Their work together evolved into Stone Associates, which represented the Jackie Gleason Show, among others. Stone’s licensing career was in motion.

The Times reporter quoted him as saying, “Licensing was my bag. I loved it. There was a kind of creativity. You got into every possible kind of item. It was fun.”

In 1960, he and several partners founded Licensing Corp. of America, one of the earliest independent licensing agencies and which for years was a leading licensing agency, according to obituaries in trade magazines. The agency represented the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman, MGM’s James Bond, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association.

In 1972, Stone launched Hamilton Projects, whose clients included Charlie Chaplin and the Smithsonian. Stone moved into corporate logos, an emerging field, and represented entities as diverse as Hershey Foods and Harley-Davidson. Selling Hamilton Projects in the late 1980s, he consulted for a few years after that. 

Two of his sons went into the licensing field, including Michael Stone ’72, co-founder and chairman of Beanstalk and an inductee to the Licensing International Hall of Fame. Stone’s Hamilton legacy also includes son Peter Stone ’74, grandson Christopher Stone ’07, and daughter-in-law Deborah Forte K’75, who served as a Hamilton alumni trustee. Other survivors include his wife, Barbara Stone, another son, and grandchildren. 

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Note: Memorial biographies published prior to 2004 will not appear on this list.



Necrology Writer and Contact:
Christopher Wilkinson '68
Email: Chris.Wilkinson@mail.wvu.edu

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