Barbie Doll Trivia Questions
Who or what is “Barbie”?
A: Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the
American toy-company Mattel, Inc.
How many Barbie dolls has Mattel sold?
A: Over a billion.
When was the first Barbie doll introduced that
came in both brunette, and in blonde?
A: March, 1959.
American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited
with what?
A: The creation of the doll.
What did she use as her inspiration?
A: A German doll called Bild Lilli.
Barbie is the figurehead of a brand of what?
A: Mattel dolls and accessories.
For how long has the Barbie doll been part of
the toy fashion doll market?
A: Over fifty years.
Sales of Barbie dolls have declined sharply
since what year?
A: 2014.
What did Ruth Handler notice when she watched
her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls?
A: Ruth noticed that her daughter often enjoyed
giving the dolls adult roles.
At that time, most children's dolls were what?
A: Infants.
During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her
children Barbara and Kenneth, what did Ruth come
across?
A: A German doll named Bild Lilli that was
exactly what Ruth had in mind.
How many of the German dolls did she buy?
A: 3.
Ruth gave one to her daughter and took the other
two where?
A: To Mattel. (Ruth’s husband was a co-founder
of Mattel)
Who did Ruth name the doll after?
A: Her daughter Barbara.
Where did Barbie make its debut?
A: At the American International Toy Fair in New
York.
March 9, 1959 is also what significant date in
Barbie’s life?
A: It’s her official birthday.
Mattel acquired the rights to what in 1964?
A: The Bild Lilli doll.
What did Mattel do with the Lilli doll?
A: It stopped production.
What did the first Barbie doll wear?
A: A black and white zebra striped swimsuit and
signature topknot ponytail.
The doll was marketed as a “what”?
A: "Teen-age Fashion Model".
Who created her clothes?
A: Her clothes were created by Mattel fashion
designer Charlotte Johnson.
Where were the first Barbie dolls manufactured?
A: In Japan.
How were their clothes stitched?
A: They were hand-stitched by Japanese home
workers.
How many Barbie dolls were sold during the first
year of production?
A: Around 350,000.