Marl Davidson has been selling vintage Barbie dolls for more than 30 years, and business has always been strong — with one notable exception. Allan, released in 1964 as Ken’s best friend, was so unpopular that he was discontinued two years later before resurfacing in the 1990s. For years, Davidson had zero luck interesting buyers in Allan — that is, until Warner Bros.’ smash summer hit Barbie, featuring Michael Cera as the awkward, colorfully attired sidekick. “Allan is [usually] hard to sell,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “You can’t get rid of Allan, seriously. But now you can’t have enough Allans. Allan came out the winner.”
This forgotten doll turned success story hasn’t been the only standout surprise during this summer of toys. As Hollywood’s emphasis on established IP has led to film franchises based around characters that originated as dolls, comic book characters and action figures (like Ninja Turtles...
This forgotten doll turned success story hasn’t been the only standout surprise during this summer of toys. As Hollywood’s emphasis on established IP has led to film franchises based around characters that originated as dolls, comic book characters and action figures (like Ninja Turtles...
- 8/17/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski and Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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