"Chatty Cathy" Talking Doll, circa 1963
Add to SetSummary
The Mattel Toy Company, owned by Elliott and Ruth Handler, developed some of the biggest-selling toys in American history. Chatty Cathy, with its pull string mechanism connected to a simple photograph record inside the doll, was the first successful talking doll. Introduced in 1960, the doll "spoke" eleven phrases. By 1963, eighteen phrases. Chatty Baby and Charmin' Chatty dolls followed, as well as pull-string talking puppets and soft toys.
The Mattel Toy Company, owned by Elliott and Ruth Handler, developed some of the biggest-selling toys in American history. Chatty Cathy, with its pull string mechanism connected to a simple photograph record inside the doll, was the first successful talking doll. Introduced in 1960, the doll "spoke" eleven phrases. By 1963, eighteen phrases. Chatty Baby and Charmin' Chatty dolls followed, as well as pull-string talking puppets and soft toys.
Artifact
Toy (Recreational artifact)
Date Made
circa 1963
Keywords
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2004.78.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ann S. Murray.
Material
Plastic
Wool (Textile)
Lace (Needlework)
Velveteen
Color
Multicolored
Dimensions
Height: 19.5 in
Width: 8.5 in
Inscriptions
embossed on center back: CHATTY CATHY(R) / (C)1960 / CHATTY BABY TM / (C)1961 / BY MATTEL, INC. / U.S. PAT. 3,017,187 / OTHER U.S. & FOREIGN PATS. PEND. / PAT'D IN CANADA 1962
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