The History of the Barbie Doll

Background

• Handler suggested an adult fashion doll to one of the co-founders of Mattel--her husband, Elliot. The suggestion received a lukewarm reception from the all-male directors, who saw no market for such a doll. During a 1956 trip to Europe, Handler found further inspiration in a popular German doll called Bild Lilli. After returning to the United States, she worked with an engineer to create a new doll based on Lilli. Mattel agreed to produce the doll, christened "Barbie" after Handler's daughter, Barbara. Barbie debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York on March 9, 1959.

The Original

• The first Barbie was marketed as a teenage fashion model. She was created at 1/6 scale, or what is known as playscale, although her dimensions have become a point of controversy over the years. The doll was available as either a blond or brunette with the signature ponytail, and wore a black-and-white striped swimsuit. According to Mattel, the original dolls were manufactured in Japan and their clothes were hand-stitched. Barbie originally retailed for $3; approximately 350,000 dolls were sold the first year.

Biography

• Barbie has acquired an extensive biography, featured in two book series. Random House published a series of books in the 1960s that gave her full name, Barbara Millicent Roberts, the daughter of George and Margaret Roberts from Willows, Wisconsin. The later "Generation Girls" series transplanted Barbie to Manhattan International High School in New York City. A boyfriend, Ken Carson, was introduced in 1961, named after Handler's son. It made international news in 2004 when Mattel announced that Barbie and Ken had split, but they have since reconciled. Barbie also has a large family. Her siblings are Skipper, Tutti, Todd, Stacie, Kelly and Krissy, and there are her cousins Francie, Jazzie and P.J.

Friends and Careers

• It's possible Barbie simply didn't have time for a boyfriend. Since her introduction, Barbie has had over 40 pets, everything from dogs and cats to lion cubs and zebras. She's driven a number of cars, including her trademark pink Corvette, but also trailers and jeeps. Barbie has a pilot's license and flies airliners, but is also a flight attendant. She's been a fashion model, fashioner designer, a Registered Nurse and an astronaut, as well as a surgeon, an Olympic gold medalist, and Miss America. If her careers weren't enough to keep her busy, there are also her friends, including Teresa, Midge, Christie and her boyfriend Steven.

Controversies

• It may seem odd for a doll, but Barbie has also drawn her share of criticism over the years. One common complaint is that Barbie promotes an unhealthy body image to young girls. The original Barbie, done at 1/6 scale, would be 5-foot-nine-inches tall with an 18-inch waist. The American Association of University Women protested when Teen Talk Barbie was released in 1992 and said "Math class is tough!"

  Even Mattel's efforts to be more inclusive sometimes drew criticism. "Colored Francie" was introduced in 1967, but used the existing molds for the head of the white Francie doll, simply substituting darker plastic for the skin. They stumbled again in 1997 with the release of "Oreo Barbie," a cross-promotion with Nabisco. It was released in both a white and a black version, apparently without considering the negative connotation of comparing an African-American doll to an Oreo. That same year, Mattel introduced "Share a Smile Becky," a doll in a pink wheelchair, only to have it pointed out that the chair would not fit in the elevator of the Barbie Dream House.