Baby Jesus Doll
A legendary flop in the toy industry. It was brought out in 1958 by the Ideal Toy Company, which was the same company that invented the teddy bear in 1903 and introduced the Rubik's Cube in the 1980s.
The story goes that the company president, Ben Michtom, got the idea for it after visiting the Pope. From the NY Post:
Even the kids in the ad for it look pretty disinterested in the thing.
The story goes that the company president, Ben Michtom, got the idea for it after visiting the Pope. From the NY Post:
Under the leadership of Morris’ son, Ben, Ideal expanded to produce the Shirley Temple Doll; the first black baby doll; Betsy Wetsy; and one major flop, a baby Jesus doll, which had the Catholic Church’s blessing.
“What a bomb,” exclaimed [Paula] Michtom. “Being Jewish, [the family] didn’t understand that no one was going to buy the toy. No one was going to have their children playing with the Christ child.”
“What a bomb,” exclaimed [Paula] Michtom. “Being Jewish, [the family] didn’t understand that no one was going to buy the toy. No one was going to have their children playing with the Christ child.”
Even the kids in the ad for it look pretty disinterested in the thing.
Comments
I don't think Barbie or GI Joe or even the teddy bear would've been popular toys if they were frozen in that one and only position.
Posted by Bill the Splut on 07/13/18 at 07:02 AM
Nice hair, for a baby.
Posted by Virtual on 07/13/18 at 09:46 AM
Notice that Ideal has a version depending on whether you are Catholic or Protestant. Does the Catholic version piss Holy Water?
Posted by KDP on 07/13/18 at 03:26 PM
KDP: AFAICT, it came with a bit of bible quotation for the background. The Roman Catholic version would use the Douay-Reims translation, the Protestant (as well as "Protestant", i.e., Cantaburgian Catholic schismatic) version would use the King James.
Posted by Richard Bos on 07/14/18 at 03:23 AM
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Category: Religion | Toys | 1950s