Richard Levy, co-inventor of the Furby doll, delivers the ninth annual Irma S. Mann Distinguished Lecturer at Emerson College. The Irma S. Mann Distinguished Lecture Series is endowed by Irma S. Mann '67 ('92 Hon.), member and chairman emeritus of the Emerson College Board of Trustees. Mann is founder and current chair of Irma S. Mann, Strategic Marketing Inc., a 15-year-old company that is one of the largest woman-owned businesses in New England.
Richard C. Levy entered Emerson College in Boston in 1964. He majored in television and cinematography. After earning his BA, he joined Paramount Pictures International as intern to the President; this led to a career promoting feature films internationally. For Paramount, Levy did campaigns for over 30 films, including The Odd Couple and Barbarella . In 1971, Levy became a producer himself, co-founding a company and producing the first of over two dozen film and TV documentaries. In 1980, Levy was appointed to the Senior Executive Service of the Federal government, where he later became a principal architect of WORLDNET, U.S.I.A.'s interactive satellite network. In the meantime, Levy had begun to apply his creativity to inventing. Levy's invention specialty was, and remains, toys and games. Levy developed a line of Duncan yo-yo key chains in 1998. In the same year came the crowning achievement to date of Levy's career in toys and games: his licensing and co-development of Furby.In the past twenty years, Richard C. Levy has co-developed over 200 toys and games. Levy has worked extensively with major toy companies like Hasbro and Mattel. Yet he remains independent, with over 200 products and over 30 design and utility patents to his credit. In fact, Richard C. Levy has become a recognized supporter and advisor of aspiring independent inventors, through his frequent public appearances, interviews and the 12 books he has written.