Date of Birth: November 4, 1916
Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
Date of Death: April 27, 2002
Biography
Ruth Handler was a pioneering American businesswoman best known for inventing the Barbie doll, a toy that has become a cultural icon since its introduction in 1959. Born in Denver, Colorado, Ruth was the youngest of ten children in a Polish-Jewish immigrant family. She married Elliot Handler in 1938, and together they co-founded the toy company Mattel in 1945. Ruth served as the president of Mattel Inc. from 1945 to 1975, during which time the company grew to become one of the largest toy manufacturers in the world. Ruth got the idea for Barbie while watching her daughter, Barbara, play with paper dolls. She noticed that Barbara preferred dolls that resembled adults rather than babies. Inspired, Ruth created a three-dimensional adult-like doll, which she named Barbie after her daughter. Barbie debuted at the American International Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959, and was an instant success. Ruth Handler was also a breast cancer survivor and an advocate for women’s health. After undergoing a mastectomy in 1970, she founded Nearly Me, a company that manufactured prosthetic breasts for women who had undergone similar surgeries. She was a trailblazer not only in the toy industry but also in medical entrepreneurship. Ruth passed away in 2002, but her legacy lives on through the enduring popularity of Barbie and her contributions to both the toy and health industries.
5 Interesting Facts about Ruth Handler
1. Ruth Handler named the Barbie doll after her daughter, Barbara.
2. Barbie’s full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.
3. Ruth Handler also created the Ken doll, named after her son, Kenneth.
4. In 1970, Ruth Handler underwent a mastectomy and later founded Nearly Me, a company producing breast prostheses.
5. Ruth Handler was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame in 1997.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Ruth Handler
1. “My whole philosophy of Barbie was that through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be.”
2. “Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices.”
3. “We didn’t know how big a success Barbie would be, but we believed in it.”
4. “I wanted to make it possible for little girls to dream their dreams and imagine they could be anything.”
5. “It’s the little things about Barbie that create the magic.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Ruth Handler’s highest net worth was estimated to be around $100 million.
Children
Ruth Handler had two children: 1. Barbara Handler – The inspiration for the Barbie doll. 2. Kenneth Handler – The namesake for the Ken doll.
Relevant Links
1. [Ruth Handler Biography – Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ruth-Handler
