History of the Ideal Bewitched Doll

[tcr1701]

The full history of the 1965 Samantha doll by Ideal is sadly lost to time. Ideal eventually released an 11.5 inch Barbie-sized doll in a red dress. There were always rumors that Ideal planned to release the doll in a black dress with witch's hat, but parents thought it too "evil." There is an Ideal trade ad with a photo of the 11.5 inch doll in a black version of the red dress.

But interestingly an Etsy seller found an original trade ad that shows a 15 inch prototype Samantha doll in a black dress with an accessory nightgown. In the ad the doll does appear to be an Ideal Carol Brent doll from 1961 restyled into Samantha. The seller has reproduced a version for sale. I won't list the link since I am not sure if that's allowed here.

But I wonder if this is a genuine Ideal prototype? The trade ad sure looks like it...the witch's hat is also flat on top like all the Bewitched toy art of the time had. This seller had done many customs and reproductions in the past so I am not sure how genuine this is.

[Arfies]

Fascinating find!!

[Arfies]

I found the seller's Etsy listing. The "repro box" looks nothing like the ad, especially not for that price (!)

[tcr1701]

Originally Posted by Arfies

I found the seller's Etsy listing. The "repro box" looks nothing like the ad, especially not for that price (!)

Yes - the custom box is way off, which leads me to believe the ad is genuine (because the box there looks like something Ideal would do). The vintage Carol Brent dolls are not that expensive to find either. Anyone could make a version of this prototype too quite easily (if you can sew). So this custom is way overpriced.

That ad is mostly likely (if genuine) a dealer catalog page that sales reps used to take to stores to get them to order products. It is interesting that Libby Majorette made the big 15 inch I Dream of Jeannie in 1965 too - were they copying the size of the original Samantha doll?

It's a shame he's they are not selling copies of the trade ad separately.

[Hazel Anyday]

Speaking of a Bewitched doll has anyone here ever noticed a Bewitched doll in Gidget's room in the Gidget series? I watch Gidget every summer and I always see that doll dressed in the witch's outfit with a hat and blonde hair and I think that must have been a Bewitched doll.

If I remember correct Gidget even mentions Elizabeth Montgomery by name in one episode. I think she was supposed to deliver flowers to her. It's all not very surprising though seeing as how Gidget, Hazel, Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie were all made at Columbia studios at the same time and all seemed to share various sets with each other.

[Hazel Anyday]

Oh, and that etsy doll, what a bargain. I think I'll order 10.

[Arfies]

Yes, that’s a Samantha doll for Gidget!

[tcr1701]

The dealer catalog ads for the 11.5 inch doll that was released. The original outfit here is close (sort of) to that one in the 15 inch doll ad. The final doll release did not have the exposed stomach area. It's also interesting that in the first as Ideal mentions is "Now a beautiful posing doll" as if to differentiate from the previous 15 inch version. Retail for the 11.5 inch doll was $3.99.

[Arfies]

Did the 15" doll not pose?

[tcr1701]

Originally Posted by Arfies

Did the 15" doll not pose?

Yes - the 15 inch doll would have been a plastic hollow body that the arms, head and legs moved. Ideal's "Posin'" body was a plastic body with rubber arms and legs in Barbie doll size. Inside the arms and legs were wires that "posed" them in different ways. In the ad you can see they posed her left arm waving and her knees bent to sit on the broom.

They used the Posin' body on Samantha, four "Super Queens" (Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Supergirl and Mera), and on some "Misty" dolls. One of the Misty doll head sculpts (the one with eyes looking straight ahead) was used for Samantha as well. Ideal made no new head sculpts of Elizabeth Montgomery.