​​​​​​​Behold The Valley of the Dolls

by David James Mansour 

The wide success of Buffy's Mrs. Beasley doll inspired other TV tots to have their own doll, most notably Dodie Douglas' Myrtle on My Three Sons and Cindy Brady's Kitty Karry-All on The Brady Bunch. 

A few more "Action Dolls" in my collection: Talking Baby First Step (1967 Mattel), Baby Small Walk, with Tiny Swingy (1967 Mattel), Baby Go Bye-Bye (1969 Mattel), Crumpet (1970 Kenner), Tippy Tumbles (1969 Remco), and Baby This 'n That (1970 Remco).

All dolls are from the collection of David Mansour. 
Photos are the copyright of ©David James Mansour and ©Behold the Valley of the Dolls. 

100 Little Dolls (circa 1971 The 100 Doll Co.) 

     Although Barbie is my only focus of collecting these days, I actually have a lot of other dolls in my collection. My favorites are those my sister and I played with as kids in the late-1960s and early-1970s. Here I share photos of favorite childhood dolls in no particular order, except Liddle Kiddles. These dolls might be diminutive, but in my heart they come a BIG second to Barbie and are the second largest I collect (or "kollect" in Kiddle talk). 

     Dolls in the above photo include the 1968 Talking Barbie (she was my sister's very first Barbie) and 1969 Talking Ken (I got him under the Christmas tree as a present from Santa), along with Liddle Kiddles, Crissy & Velvet, Buffy & Mrs. Beasley, Flatsy, Rock Flowers, and Dawn Dolls. The tiny plastic dolls in the forefront are some of the 100 Little Dolls I actually ordered from an Archie comic book ad in the summer of 1971. I was obsessed with these as a kid! All photographs are original to my doll collection. 

Flatsy (1968 Ideal) 

As you can see I do have a lot of other dolls in my collection alongside Barbie. I end this by showcasing a dozen more favorites from a 1960s and 1970s childhood. 

"Spin my record! Watch me spin!" ~ Rock Flowers 

Who you calling a doll? Other favorite action figures include Captain Action (1966 Ideal); Best of the West (1965 Marx); Doctor Dolittle (1967 Mattel); Steve Scout (1974 Kenner); The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman (1974 & 1976 Kenner); The Archies (1975 Marx); Star Trek (1974 Mego), and Charlie's Angels (1977 Hasbro)

Chatty Cathy left her mark in toy history as the best-selling non-Barbie doll ever, and will always be known for leading the way for seemingly hundreds of pull-string "Chatty Ring" talkers by Mattel, including Sister Belle (1961), Beany & Cecil (1962), Scooba-Doo (1965), Drowsy (1965), Baby Small Talk (1968), and even Barbie (1968). 

Tiffany/Tuesday Taylor (1974 Ideal) 

Along with PeePul Pals, the Kiddles-influenced tiny doll rage of the late-1960s included PeeWees (1966 Uneeda), Petal People (1968 Uneeda), Finger Dings (1969 Remco), and Dolly Darlings, which had a cute Flying Nun doll (1967 Hasbro). 

Buffy & Mrs. Beasley  (1967 Mattel) 

Liddle Kiddles (1966 Mattel) 

"Love is today's American teenager... The Love scene is your scene. Wherever you're going, Love is already there." ~ The World of Love 

The Sunshine Family (1973 Mattel) 

"Big Eyes"

Little Miss No Name (1965 Hasbro)

Susie Sad Eyes (circa 1969 Fun-World)

Blythe (1971 Kenner) 

"Introducing a whole new world of sunshine!" ~ The Sunshine Family

Crissy & Velvet (1969 Ideal) 

Trolls (circa 1966 Uneeda) 

"She's a blonde! She's a brunette! Nineteen inches of what you want her to be!" - Tiffany Taylor

The World of Love (1971 Hasbro) 

I'm a huge fan of 1960s Big Eyes art work, led by San Francisco-based artist Margaret Keane. Over the years I've collected quite a few pieces as you can see among the featured Big Eyes dolls. Below are a few more favorites I have in my collection. Some people think they're creepy, especially how their eyes follow you around the room, but I think they're kitschy fun! 

"Action Heroes"

G.I. Joe (1964 Hasbro)

Evel Knievel (1972 Ideal)

Big Jim (1973 Mattel)​

Dawn (1970 Topper) 

Myrtle (1970 Mattel)​

Kitty Karry-All (1969 Remco)​

Misc. Dolls 

"They're flat--and that's that!" ~ Flatsy

"Action Dolls"

Giggles (1967 Ideal)

Dancerina (1968 Mattel)
Swingy (1967 Mattel)​

PeePul Pals (1967 Whitman) 

"Wear me and be lucky!" ~ Lucky Locket Kiddles

Hello, Dolly! 

Heidi (1966 Remco) 

Dolls: Storybook Small Talk (1967 Mattel); The Go-Go's (1965 Deluxe Reading); Dollikin (1970 Uneeda); Emerald the Enchanting Witch (1972 Girls World); Elly May Clampett (1964 Unique); Laurie Partridge (1973 Remco); Farrah Fawcett (1977 Mego); Valerie (1967 Mattel); Baby Tender Love (1972 Mattel); Shirley Temple (1973 Ideal); Dusty (1974 Kenner); and Honey Hill Bunch (1975 Mattel).

"The same doll played with on The Brady Bunch." - Kitty Karry-All 

Chatty Cathy (1960 Mattel) 

"Doing a wheelie up in the air - She's over the top with the wind in her hair!" - Derry Daring 

"Rub my hair for good fortune!" ~ Trolls

Tammy (1962 Ideal) 

Rock Flowers (1970 Mattel) 

... And the action doll our parents would absolutely not buy for us, the Go Go Girl Drink Mixer (Poynter 1969). Place your cocktail in her holder, push the button and she stirs it up by dancing!