Greg Hyman

Greg Eaton Hyman (June 25, 1947 – May 1, 2026) was an American toy inventor who was the co-creator of Tickle Me Elmo, a vibrating, giggling stuffed doll that was one of the most popular toys of 1996.

Biography Hyman was born in New Rochelle, New York, on June 25, 1947. He dropped out of Cornell University during his first year so that he could focus on crafting inventions in his basement, which included a hovering bumper car and an anti-siphoning device to protect gas tanks in cars. After Tyco Toys won the license to produce plush toys based on Sesame Street, Dubren and Hyman pivoted to developing an Elmo toy, which would vibrate three times and say, "That Tickles!" when squeezed.

A resident of Boca Raton, Florida, Hyman died at his home on May 1, 2026. He was 78.