They still are to this day! . Barbie dolls have seriously been one of the most important parts of the toy industry for over fifty years. C. Preview: a. In my speech, will be talking about the inventor, company that helped, and full background of the beloved fashion doll, Barbie! [Transition: First, will introduce the lovely inventor, Ruth Handler. ] II. Body A. Ruth Handler, the inventor of Barbie doll a. Ruth was born in Denver, Colorado to two Polish-Jewish immigrants. B. She married her high school sweetheart Elliot Handler. C.
They moved to Los Angels, where Ruth pursued a business position in her cabana’s furniture business. This is where her career took off and she became a successful businesswoman. [Transition: With that, Ruth took her amazing business abilities and applied it to the successful company, Mantel that her husband and friend Harold developed. ] A. Matter’ a. Elliot Handler, Rut’s husband, and his good friend Harold Matson formed a business combining Herald’s first half of his last name and Elitist’s first half of first name, making Matter’. B.
Mantel started out as a picture frame manufacturing business, and then much later they started creating dollhouse urinate, since making dollhouse furniture was more profitable than making picture frames at the time. C. They then focused on toy manufacturing to further their business, and their first success toy was a toy ukulele, called “Eke-a-doodle” [Transition: Noticing that the toy business was going just the way they wanted it, Ruth decided to take a step further with it and make the most important suggestion to the business] A. The birth of Barbie a. Barbara, Ruth and Elitist’s daughter, loved to play with paper dolls b.
Ruth wanted to introduce a three dimensional doll with adult body that you could Reese up with fabric clothing c. Elliot and Harold thought it wouldn’t be a good idea at first because of the voluptuous figure that the doll had. I. Were afraid parents wouldn’t buy them d. While on a trip to Germany, Ruth bought the German doll Bill Lillo, which was what she wanted in a doll e. Ruth reworked the design of the doll and renamed her Barbie after her daughter Barbara B. The Launch of Barbie a. Barbie debuted in New York at a toy fair, but surprisingly wasn’t an immediate success. B.
Mantel then got with Disney Mackey Mouse Club children’s television show I. Started showing commercials to advertise Barbie ii. Barbie then was a success and rocketed Mantel and the Handlers to fame and fortune c. Added more dolls to Mantel to sell along with Barbie I. Ken, Barbie’s boyfriend, named after the Handlers’ son and many other friends and family to Barbie’s world C. More of Barbie’s Friends a. Once Barbie took off and became a success, some more friends were contributed to her. Skipper (younger sister) Kelly (baby sister) iii. Tutu and Todd (twin sister and brother) iv.
