Ken is a fashion doll introduced by Mattel in 1961 as the fictional
counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier. Similar
to his female counterpart, Ken has a fashionable line of clothing and
accessories. In the Barbie mythos, Ken met Barbie on the set of a TV
commercial. He is Barbie’s boyfriend, as it is written on every box
produced since 1961. Since his debut, Ken has held at least 40
occupations. He was invented by Elliot Handler.From 1961 to the debut
of Superstar Ken in 1977, Ken had straight, nonbendable arms and a
head that could only turn left and right. Ken's hair was made of felt
in his first year (known to collectors as the "flocked" hair Ken), but
this was replaced with a plastic, molded hairstyle when the felt hair
was found to fall off when wet. Superstar Ken featured a dimpled
smile, a head that could swivel, bent arms, a more muscular physique,
jewelry, and underwear permanently molded to his body. The woman who
made the Ken doll made it to resemble her husband.Ken's best friend,
Allan Sherwood (Midge's boyfriend, later husband), was introduced in
1964. The first African-American male doll, Brad, was introduced in
1968, as the boyfriend of Barbie's African-American friend, Christie,
who was introduced in 1967. Brad was voiced by actor Terry Carter.The
unrealistic physiques of Barbie and Ken caused comment. Although Ken
is thought to stand 6-feet tall in accordance with Barbie's 1:6 scale,
Yale University psychologist, Kelly Brownell, stated that to size up
to what Barbie looks for in a mate, "a man would have to grow 20
inches taller and add nearly eight inches to his neck circumference,
11 inches to his chest and 10 inches to his waist to resemble the
muscular Ken."
counterpart of Barbie, who was introduced two years earlier. Similar
to his female counterpart, Ken has a fashionable line of clothing and
accessories. In the Barbie mythos, Ken met Barbie on the set of a TV
commercial. He is Barbie’s boyfriend, as it is written on every box
produced since 1961. Since his debut, Ken has held at least 40
occupations. He was invented by Elliot Handler.From 1961 to the debut
of Superstar Ken in 1977, Ken had straight, nonbendable arms and a
head that could only turn left and right. Ken's hair was made of felt
in his first year (known to collectors as the "flocked" hair Ken), but
this was replaced with a plastic, molded hairstyle when the felt hair
was found to fall off when wet. Superstar Ken featured a dimpled
smile, a head that could swivel, bent arms, a more muscular physique,
jewelry, and underwear permanently molded to his body. The woman who
made the Ken doll made it to resemble her husband.Ken's best friend,
Allan Sherwood (Midge's boyfriend, later husband), was introduced in
1964. The first African-American male doll, Brad, was introduced in
1968, as the boyfriend of Barbie's African-American friend, Christie,
who was introduced in 1967. Brad was voiced by actor Terry Carter.The
unrealistic physiques of Barbie and Ken caused comment. Although Ken
is thought to stand 6-feet tall in accordance with Barbie's 1:6 scale,
Yale University psychologist, Kelly Brownell, stated that to size up
to what Barbie looks for in a mate, "a man would have to grow 20
inches taller and add nearly eight inches to his neck circumference,
11 inches to his chest and 10 inches to his waist to resemble the
muscular Ken."
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