Celebrity dolls have been in production for a very long time. In the 1840s, several famous ballerinas were featured as paper dolls. Also in the 19th century, various military heroes were portrayed as dolls/figures. With the advent of silent films, dolls of film stars were created. The John Bunny doll (a silent film star) was one of the first produced in 1914 by Louis Amberg & Sons. The first Charlie Chaplin doll was produced in 1915. The composition Baby Peggy doll was a huge success in 1923, also produced by the Amberg company. The Shirley Temple doll by Ideal was a phenomenon in the 1930s, and would go on to be one of the most successful celebrity dolls. First produced in 1934, millions of the composition Shirley dolls were produced (and, variations of the Shirley doll are being produced to this day, generally in porcelain or vinyl). After Shirley, companies like Madame Alexander and Ideal produced many different celebrity dolls, including Sonja Henie, Jane Withers and Deanna Durbin. Celebrity dolls still remain popular today, especially given the cult of celebrity that has developed in the 1980s-first decade of the 21st century. Because of the wide collecting audience for these dolls and their appeal as a cross-over collectible in many instances, some collectors also believe that the dolls have the possibility of appreciating in value in the future.
From Audreye Hpebrun through Diana Ross to Twiggy, below you can see all iconic celebrities that were imortilizied by Mattel as barbie.
Audrey Hepburn
The barbie doll of Audrey Hepburn in her role as Holly Golightly in Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” was released back in 1998.
Cyndi Lauper
A barbie of Cyndi Lauper in typical Cyndi Lauper outfit was released in 2010.
Diana Ross
An amazing Diana Ross Barbie was released by Mattel in 2003.
Elvis
Babrie of “The King” dressed in the iconic outfit was realesed in 2001.
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett rose to international fame when she posed for her iconic red swimsuit poster – which became the best-selling pin-up poster in history – and starred as private investigator Jill Munroe in the first season of the television series Charlie’s Angels (1976–77). The barbie doll of Fawcett was released in 2011.
Frank Sinatra
The Frank Sinatra Barbie was released in 2000.
Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly barbie from the iconic Hitchock’s Rear Window.
Marilyn Monroe
The barbie doll of Marylin Monroe dressed in the iconic white “flying dress” from 1955 film The Seven Year Itch was released in 1997.
Rosie O’Donnell
The 70’s Cher
Cher became a television personality in the 1970s with her shows The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, watched by over 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run and Cher. She emerged as a fashion trendsetter by wearing elaborate outfits on her television shows. The 70s Cher doll was released in 2007.
Elizabteh Taylor
The Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds Barbie was released in 2012.
James Dean
James Dean barbie dressed in the iconic red jacket from “The Rebel Without Cause ” was released by Mattel in 2001.
Twiggy
Photos Mattel