Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has taken audiences on a nostalgic journey. But amidst the fascination with the movie’s portrayal, let’s get into the real-life inspiration behind Barbie. Ruth Handler is Barbie’s visionary creator and former president of Mattel.
Ruth and Elliot Handler
Born in Denver as Ruth Mosko in 1916, she married her high-school sweetheart, Elliot Handler. The two met in Denver where Ruth was working at her sister’s store. Ruth hated playing with dolls. Five years into their relationship, the two got married and moved to California.
Together they ventured into a business partnership, creating and selling items from their California garage. Between the years 1941 to 1944, the two got children, a girl and a boy named Barbara and Ken. In 1945, alongside industrial designer Harold Mattson, they co-founded Mattel. Although Ruth’s name wasn’t part of the company’s title, she became its first president.
Being a mother and a successful business woman was something Ruth Handler wasn’t cut out for. Unlike other women during her time, Ruth liked her children but never liked staying at home with them. The doll creator further stretched the family gap in 1959, when she named her doll “Barbie” after her daughter Barbara. Barbara didn’t take well to her new sister doll and “namesake.”
Barbara Handler. Her mother Ruth Handler created the Barbie and Ken dolls, which she named after Barbara and her later brother Ken.
The idea for Barbie was sparked by Ruth’s observation of her daughter. Barbara and her friends often played with paper dolls, imagining their future selves. Ruth believed that every little girl needed a doll that allowed them to project themselves into their dreams.
Initially, the doll faced resistance from male creators and buyers alike. Mattel was a male dominated industry and a majority of the men did not like the idea of a toy with breasts.
“The whole idea was that a little girl could dream dreams of growing up and every grown up that she saw has breasts.”
Ruth Handler, Former CEO Mattel Toys and creator of Barbie and Ken dolls.
A 1994 live interview of Ruth Handler
However, Ruth’s instincts proved correct, and Barbie went on to become a sensational success. With over 350,000 units sold in its first year, Barbie became the driving force behind Mattel’s profits. Consequently, this birthed another idea in Ruth’s head. The Ken doll. Shortly after the Barbie doll release, Mattel introduced the Ken doll. This one however, had no balls.
Barbie evolved with feminism and that’s when the attacks began. The main controversy surrounding this iconic doll was it’s physique. Most people argued that women could never look like Barbie in real life.
“The whole concept of Barbie was that her clothing would permit the child to pretend they were in a certain kind of activity.”
Ruth Handler.
Moreover, according to Ruth, she never wanted to change the world. This iconic trendsetter wanted to show the world as it is. That nothing is impossible under the sun. Eventually, her doll house became a global success that was worth billions.
Despite her remarkable achievements, Ruth’s life took a downturn in the 1970s. Mattel faced financial troubles, and Ruth resigned as president in 1973. Eventually, she and her husband severed ties with the company they co-founded by 1975. Ruth’s troubles escalated in 1978 when she faced allegations of tax fraud. She and four others were indicted by a grand jury for allegedly falsifying earnings and sales records. She pleaded no contest and was sentenced to five years of community service.
Real life Barbie, Barbara Handler giving her mother, Ruth Handler, the creator and mother of Barbie, a peck.
A few years later, she lost her son Ken to brain disease at the age of 50. This also happened at a time when Ruth was fighting breast cancer. A demon she battled for over 30 years. Ruth underwent her first mastectomy in 1970 and that launched her into the breast business. Together with her doctor and two other former Mattel designers, they created another million dollar enterprise. Ruthton Corporation, was where they created and marketed silicone breasts to mastectomy patients. She eventually lost her other breast to cancer in 1989.
Literally Barbie’s mother, Ruth’s vision will forever be etched in every soul that treasures its Barbie doll. Although Ruth Handler is no longer with us, her impact on popular culture and the lives of generations of girls lives on. On the bright side, Barbara long got over the sibling rivalry she felt for her namesake, Barbie. Barbara is still alive and kicking hopefully expecting to get into her 83rd year.
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