366. I'm A-Coming For You!!!: TALKING BEANY MATTEL DOLL,1961

Remember Beany and the sea-sick sea serpent, Cecil?  The unlikely duo was an animated cartoon series created by Bob Clampett for the ABC Television, based on the TV puppet show Time for Beany, produced for Paramount Pictures in 1949. The cartoon series first appeared in Matty's Funday Funnies in 1959, and peaked in popularity in the 60s as The Beany and Cecil Show.

Many toys were inspired by this hit cartoon--including the best-selling Beany and Cecil puppets. This Mattel-made talking doll of Beany is another fine example, showing minimal wear and nice intact seams. Made in 1961, Beany still talks, although he says his name in jibberish. His trademark beanycopter propeller is there, although broken. This awesome doll was purchased on ebay--with 2 bonus plastic tumblers of Beany and Cecil thrown in!!

363. Ghost of our Childhood Past: TALKING CASPER

 "Casper, the friendly ghost...the friendliest ghost you know.."
Remember the Harvey Famous Cartoon's friendliest ghost, Casper? He was one of my favorite TV cartoon characters and Saturday mornings aren't just complete without him. To think he was a dead person!! Conceived in the 1930s, by cartoonist Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo, he was designed to become one of the most famous properties from Famous Studios.  Soon, comics of him were being published by Alfred Harvey, founder and publisher of Harvey Comics who eventually purchased the rights to the character. New cartoons were created for The New Casper Cartoon Show in 1963,  These cartoons remain important today because of the messages they imparted: the values of friendship, compassion, and acceptance of others.

The popularity of Casper generated many collectible merchandise---from toys, coloring books, gameboards to this adorable 15" Casper Doll,  a 1963 Original by Mattel. It's a pull-string talking Casper who says 10 different things: "My Name is Casper". "Ooooooh. Let's play ghost." "I like you." "I'm a friendly ghost. Don't be afraid of me". "I'm not afraid. I'm cold. Can I stay with you?" "Will you play with". me?. 

Casper was resurrected as a movie in 1995, with live action and voice characters, starring Devon Sawa as Casper in human form. I have seen the movie of course, but it's the Harvey 'toon that I miss. Thank God, Casper  has come back to haunt me in the form of this talking doll--found in a local thrift shop. The voice is a bit garbled, the body shoddy and worn, but he is still loveable after all these years. Unlike grownups, old ghosts never die, they just become friendlier with age!!! !!

322. When The World Went Mod: TWIGGY DOLL

The first Mattel doll made after a real person was "Twiggy", first created in 1967, based on the looks of the top British model, the skinny-reed-thin Twiggy, Lesley Lawson in real life. Twiggy shared the same body size as Francie and Casey, so they could swap clothes. Twiggy's trademark big wide eyes were captured in the doll made from the same head mold as Casey. She was blonde, had heavier eye make up, rooted lashes, a Twist 'n Turn waist and bendable legs. She lasted a year in production, but the real Twiggy's career was much longer--she dabbled in theater, TV, film, singing and hosting--but never losing in touch with the fashion world in which she remains an icon.

208. HEY THERE, BARBIE DOLL!

An early Barbie doll from the collection of a 65++ year old mother who had this as a teen in 1961. A friend who works for an airline bought her this brunette Barbie, already a worldwide hit in the 60s, in France, of all places. After years of play, the daughter of the original owner decided to put it up for sale online--so that's how it got to my toy chest!

Barbie (Barbie Millicent Roberts) is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration.

Contrary to the seller who advertised this as the first Afro-American Barbie, this is actually Barbie Ponytail #5. It is different from the Barbies released in the previous years in that it has a new, hard hollow torso, and a flesh-like, tanned complexion (earliest Barbies had a pale, ghostly skin color). Her brunette hair has a firmer texture, and she comes dressed in her traditional striped swimsuit, earrings, high heels and shades (now missing). She has also lost her wire stand.

Ken, Barbie's boyfriend, would be introduced the same year this doll came out (1961), and there has never been an idle moment since their first meeting. Yes, I do have a Ken doll from that era as well, a perfect match to my vintage Barbie acquisition. In the meanwhile, the two stand side-by-side in a glass encased cabinet in my toy room, playful reminders of an era when girls' idea of leisure was dressing up Barbie and pretending to go to shindigs with their Kens in tow.

86. Where the Boys Are: KEN & ALLAN DOLL

Ken, Barbie's boyfriend, was introduced in 1961 with flocked hair. These two you see here with painted brunette hair were produced in 1962, 1/4 inch shorter than the earliest Ken, but with heftier arms and more defined knees. Mattel felt that Ken needed a male buddy after giving Barbie a bosom friend in the name of Midge. So, Allan Sherwood was born in 1964, introduced together with Skipper, Barbie's younger sis. Allan was meant to be Midge's boyfriend but apparently, since he and Ken shared the same body type and clothing, they spent a lot more time together. The trio reside ina plastic carrying case made especially for Ken and bought in a U.S. collectible shop. Oops, do I hear Barbie having a fit again?