Production history
In 1962, Mattel licensed its proprietary voice mechanism and licensed the Chatty Cathy doll to the Dee & Cee Toy Company of Canada. Dee & Cee, known as Mattel Canada by 1964, produced several Canadian versions of the dolls.[2] Though made from the original American molds, there was a notable difference in the Canadian dolls' materials: the vinyl had a slightly glossier look, the doll's eyebrows had a higher/thinner arch on the forehead, and a different type of eye was used. These differences account for the higher prices of some Canadian Chattys among collectors. Some of the doll's phrases were different, reflecting cultural differences between Canada and the United States. These differences also made the doll suitable for export to other English-speaking countries. Dee & Cee's models had the same 11-18 phrases as the American Chatty Cathys.
Dee & Cee was rumored to have sold a French-speaking Chatty Cathy, though the doll recording gives her name as "Carola". According to Chatty Cathy reseller Kathy Scott, alterations made to original Canadian Chatty Cathys make it difficult to identify which original Canadian Chatty Cathys are original French-speaking "Carola" Chatty dolls, if any.
Chatty Cathy, as well as Chatty Baby and Tiny Chatty Baby, were redesigned and reissued by Mattel in 1970. The dolls were completely different in appearance from earlier Chatty dolls. Maureen McCormick, who had appeared in Chatty Cathy television commercials with future Brady Bunch co-star Eve Plumb in the 1960s, provided the voice of the new Chatty Cathy doll,[3] which was sold for two years. All three new dolls had painted eyes, not the go-to-sleep version.
In 1984, Mattel introduced Chatty Patty, which also had a different look from the other Chatty dolls; it too had painted eyes. Mattel Classics released special reproduction editions of Chatty Cathy from 1998 to 2001. These special reproductions were made to resemble the 1960 version of Chatty Cathy with go-to-sleep "lifelike decal eyes", along with the most memorable outfits, a cartoon box with a Chatty Cathy story book, a wrist tag, and a shoehorn. The 1998 models spoke the original eleven 1960s phrases in the original June Foray voice; the special package included a numbered certificate of authenticity, a wrist tag with a picture of Chatty Cathy creators Ruth and Elliot Handler, and a special letter from Ruth Handler.
The special reproduction editions were sold exclusively in JCPenney stores (later in specialty doll and toy stores) and priced starting at $98.99. The models came in three well-known outfits. One of the three models had brown eyes. All the original 1998 models had blonde bob hairstyles.
Mattel also sold a "Holiday" Chatty Cathy in a holiday-themed cartoon box with a tree ornament on the wrist and a newly designed holiday dress. The holiday model, the only one from 1998/99 with long curled brown hair and brown "pinwheel" type eyes, plays some original phrases as well as holiday-themed ones. All 1998/99 Chatty Cathys sold out immediately, most purchased by avid collectors, resellers, and fans of the original dolls.
In 1965, Mattel licensed its proprietary voice box/mechanism to the Rosebud Doll Company in England, which produced a British "Chatty Cathy" that spoke different phrases in a British accent (the doll does not say its name is Cathy). Sold until about 1970, the dolls were made from different molds and do not resemble any of the North American Mattel Chatty Cathys. According to Kathy Scott, the British dolls came in three models: sandy blonde with tight short curls, platinum blonde with long straight hair, or long straight brown hair on a stubbier 18-inch model.
