Did you know that the American Barbie and German Bild Lilli are more than a little related? That’s right. Bild Lilli had her start as a sexy cartoon character in 1952 and was first marketed as a doll in in Germany in 1955. Aside from a few minor modifications and without obtaining copyright and patents to produce Bild Lilli, the American toy company, Mattel, began to manufacture almost identical dolls in 1959. They just named their dolls Barbie. Mattel acquired the necessary copyright and patents only after the German manufacturer sued. Therefore, Barbies were not legally produced until 1964.
Birth of Bild Lilli, the German Cartoon Character
When German caricaturist Reinhard Beuthien was asked to draw a cartoon for the 1952 inaugural issue ofWest German tabloid Bild-Zeitung, he first drew a baby. His editor didn’t care for the sketch, and Beuthien created a sexy, pony-tailed blonde instead. The first Bild issue shows Lilli sitting in a fortune-teller’s tent, asking, “Can’t you give me the name and address of this tall, handsome, rich man?” The cartoon was an immediate success and became a daily feature.
Bild Lilli Became a Sexy Call Girl
With Lilli, Beuthien portrayed a post-war sugar baby who seduced wealthy men. She was called Bild Lillie after the newspaper that popularized her and resembled a blue-eyed bombshell with arched eyebrows and large breasts. She wore red lipstick, blue eyeliner and had red finger nails. Her feet were molded into black stilettos. Lilli was sassy, coquettish and independent. At a time when women were supposed to be subservient to men, Lilli spoke her mind. That endeared her to women. But she also epitomized the male ideal of femininity, which popularized her with men. In short order, Lilli became a sensation.
Birth of Bild Lilli, the German Doll
In 1953, Bild-Zeitung decided to market Lilli as a doll in addition to a cartoon character. One hundred thirty thousend dolls sold between 1955 and 1964. Each one carried a miniature copy of the Bild-Zeitung. The doll was originally intended as a joke or gag gift and was marketed to adults. Men were the primary purchasers. Lilli was sold at kiosks, and tobacco shops and in bars. Although never designed as a children’s toy, Bild Lilli eventually became a popular children’s toy as well because she looked like an adult woman, vastly different from the dolls most little girls owned.
German Bild Lilli doll made its debut in 1955. photo courtesy of www.dar-alktab.ort and Pixabay. www.walled-in-berlin.com
Ruth Handler, a Modern American Innovator
Along came Ruth, born in 1916, married to her high school boyfriend, Elliot Handler, and residing in Los Angeles since 1938. After trying their hand in a small furniture enterprise, the Handlers started the Mattel toy company. The company’s name is a combination of a part of Elliot’s first name and part of Harold Matson’s, last name, partner in the Mattel company. In the beginning, Elliot made toy furniture for Ruth to sell.
Birth of Barbie, the American Doll
In 1956, the Handlers took their two teenagers, Barbara and Ken, on a trip to Switzerland. Fifteen-year-old Barbara fell in love with the German Lilli doll. Ruth saw a business opportunity and purchased three Lilli dolls to take back to California. Then she made very minor modifications to the design. The changes were so minimal that some say that she outright “stole” the Lilli design by retaining Lilli’s physical shape, but giving her real feet with tiny toes and removed her earrings. Ruth Handler then named her modification “Barbie” after her daughter. Barbie became an American icon and a multibillion-dollar business.
American Barbie doll made its debut in 1959 and legally in 1964. www.walled-in-berlin.com
Barbie is Produced Legally
In 1960, the Handlers took Mattel public. But having practically copied Bild Lilli’s design was not without consequences. In 1961, the manufacturer of Bild Lilli sued Mattel for infringing on its rights. Lawyers settled the suit out of court two years later, and in 1964 Mattel acquired the copyright and patents for Bild Lilli and began producing Barbie dolls legally. At the same time, production of the German Bild Lilli stopped. American Barbie and German Bild Lilli share much history. Today, Lilli is as much of a collector’s item as Barbie. Both dolls eventually became extremely popular with children and dollhouses, doll house furniture, and clothing were manufactured along with Barbie dolls.
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Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.
Tags: Barbie Doll, Bild Lilli, Bild Zeitung, Mattel company, Reinhard Beuthhien, Ruth Handler
