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Betsy Wetsy

Toy doll

Field	Value
name	Betsy Wetsy
type	Drink-and-wet doll
country	United States
company	Ideal Toy Company
from	1934
to	1980s
features	"Wetting"
Sleep eyes
Jointed limbs

Sleep eyes Jointed limbs Betsy Wetsy was a "drink-and-wet" doll originally issued by the Ideal Toy Company of New York in 1937. It was one of the most popular dolls of its kind in the Post–World War II baby boom era.

Named for the daughter of Abraham Katz, the head of the company, the doll's special feature was simulating urination after a fluid was poured into her open mouth. Betsy Wetsy was also one of the first major dolls to be produced in African American versions.

Description

Betsy Wetsy was produced with either molded plastic hair, karakul wigs, or brown, blonde, or red plugged hair. It had blue sleep eyes with eyelashes and its arms and legs were jointed. A layette, baby bottles, a plastic bath tub, and other accessories were available.

History

Effanbee had previously manufactured a similar doll, "Dy-dee," and a patent infringement lawsuit resulted. The judge ruled that drinking and urinating are natural movements and cannot be patented.

The doll was made in several sizes in the 1940s. It saw a spike in popularity in the 1950s.

A made-in-China version was issued in the late 1980s by Ideal to boost sales, but the doll never reached the success of the original.

Other media

Film

Plans for a live-action film adaptation produced by Mattel Films and Aggregate Films was announced in January 2022.

Legacy

In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Betsy Wetsy to its Century of Toys List, a compilation commemorating the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th century.

References

Waggoner, Susan. ''Under the Tree: the Toys and Treats That Made Christmas Special, 1930-1970.'' Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007.
(2017-11-30). "This "Magic Potty Baby" Commercial From 1991 Is 29 Straight Seconds Of "What On Earth Is Happening Here"".
Izen, Judith. (2005). "Ideal Dolls: Identification and Values". Collector Books.
Eash, Barbara J.. (n.d.). "What's it Worth: 1960s Betsy Wetsy Doll". Reiman Media Group.
Donnelly, Matt. (2022-01-28). "Barbie and Beyond: How Mattel Studios Executive Robbie Brenner Brings Beloved Toys to Screen".
Nugent, Annabel. (2023-07-31). "Mattel plans for 17 more films after Barbie's success". The Independent.
(21 January 2003). "Toy Industry Association Announces Its Century of Toys List". Business Wire.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

products-introduced-in-1934 doll-brands ideal-toy-company 1930s-toys

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