My Friend dolls

My Friend dolls

Synopsis of Toy

Let’s face it. Sometimes buttoning up your Barbie’s tiny outfits was an all-day, sweat-on-the-brow affair. Throughout the 70’s and early 80’s, if you wanted a good, all-purpose doll you could actually bedeck and get outside before the sun went down, you wanted the Fisher-Price line of My Friend dolls.

These clean-cut youngsters stood at about sixteen inches tall—infinitely more cradle-able than Barbie. And (whew!) they avoided any nudity issues with a floral cloth torso, which was surrounded by a vinyl head, arms and legs. The first My Friend on the scene was Mandy, all rosy cheeks and golden tresses. Her pals Jenny and Becky followed, a brunette and a redhead respectively. But diversity in hair color wasn’t the only goal here—gender diversity was important as well. And in keeping with those progressive objectives, handsome Mikey, with his spiffy blue jacket and copious freckles, eventually joined the gals.

Each doll came with a pamphlet that suggested cleaning techniques and tips for styling hair, as well as sewing patterns for a homemade clothing line. But if the needle and thread were no friends of yours, additional wardrobe selections were sold separately—the “Winter Wear” outfit and special Valentine’s Day dress among the options. The dolls were wholesome, but they weren’t any deadbeats. Many of the Jennys came out of the box decked out in her very own exercise outfit—ready for the gym or the track or the latest abs video. That tea party circuit didn’t make for low calorie dining, you know.

Release History of Toy

1970 - Mandy
1970's - Jenny, Becky
early 1980's - Mikey

Sub Categories of Toys

dolls

Toy and Game Manufacturer

Fisher-Price

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