Randotti
aka. Randy & Dotti Smith – Stanton, California, United States
Randotti Products (coming from the first names of Randy and Dotti Smith) was a family owned business that had its roots as a hobby for the daughter of Randy and the children of his wife Dotti. With the birth of a son and another on the way Randy moved his family to Anaheim, California where the supplemental income hobby turned to Disneyland as a customer in 1956. The orders increased so much that Randy quit his job as an engineer and went into business for himself. During this time the company was known only as "rj," the small case initials of Randy J. Smith. The name of Randotti was formed in 1967-68.
Randy built a back building in their backyard and began pumping out about 175 different types of souvenir skulls, tikis, tombstones and statuary. Many glowed in the dark. At the request of buyers at Disneyland Randy began to design products specific to certain rides in the magic kingdom such as the Pirates of the Carribean and the Haunted Mansion. Soon numerous Disneyland shops carried the Randotti line, which were often displayed in the street windows, the most prestigious location possible for a souvenir. Orders kept increasing until Randy and Dotti moved their backyard business into shop in Stanton, California in 1967. When Walt Disney World opened in 1971 the buyers there screamed for Randotti merchandise as well.
Their business thrived into the 80s until Disney ceased buying their merchandise.
Today, the Randotti name and their line of souvenirs (tikis, skulls, tombstones, and much more) has a collector following and the items sell for many times their original price.
There are also a wide number of recent reproductions out there, some of which are created by fans with good intent who are transparent about their creations, but some of which are represented as vintage, when in fact they are not.