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GINNY AFTER THE 1950's: 
Rough Times, Eventual Renewal

America changed during the late 1950's - early 1960's.

Mass culture began to play a dominant role in people's lives. TV - and Saturday morning cartoons in particular - became an important influence in children's lives. 

Ginny wasn't advertised on TV, as Mrs. Graves felt it conveyed non-wholesome values. Barbie, on the other hand, felt no such restraints, and soon Ginny went from Queen of the Small Dolls to Also-ran.

Mrs. Graves attempted to meet the new teen-aged fad with Jill, introduced in the late 1950's, but Jill was not a match for the heavily-promoted and inexpensive Barbie, and Jill was discontinued in 1961.

1962 was the end of the 1950's-style hard plastic Ginny toddler dolls.
Photo: Ebay
The 1963 Ginny came out with a vinyl head with rooted hair, but still had the old 1950's hard plastic body. 

Vogue Dolls was having more success with their baby doll lines, and Ginny was being phased out.

In the mid-1960's, Mrs. Jennie Adler Graves' health began to fail, and her daughter, Ginny Graves Carlson, who had spearheaded much of Ginny's success in the mid-to-late 1950's, retired to take care of her. Mrs. Graves officially retired in 1970, and died in 1971.

In 1965 Ginny became all vinyl, with just a few "little girl" styles. The "Faraway Lands" line became the Ginny mainstay.
Photo: Ebay

The culture of childhood changed in the 1960's. Little girls were encouraged to play with grown-up "role model" dolls like Barbie rather than childhood companion dolls like Ginny. 

Fewer girls played with dolls at all any more, and those that did, gave them up sooner, due partly to expanding opportunities for athletics and other pursuits, and partly out of societal pressure to grow up quickly. 

Playing with dolls wasn't so "Cool" anymore.

In 1969 the last Ginny was made in USA - production moved to Hong Kong. 

Photos: Ebay

1973- Vogue Dolls, Inc. was sold to Tonka.

In 1973 Tonka bought Ginny and the Vogue label. But Tonka only wanted the Vogue label, and they downsized Ginny and sent her on a road to oblivion. 

   
Photo: Ebay

By 1976, all "little Girl" Ginnies were gone and the "Faraway Lands Series" was all that remained of the Ginny empire.

1977 - Tonka sold Vogue Dolls, Inc. to the Lesney Corporation.

Photo: My collection
The "Lesney" Ginny of the 1977-1983: skinny, "Mod"

Lesney Products moved Vogue Dolls back to the USA - to New Jersey. Lesney continued the "Faraway Lands" series and added an American Pioneer to the series.  

Lesney is best-known for its new, updated "Mod" Ginny design. This doll was skinny, looking not at all like the original, but highly-touted with the slogan "Ginny is back!" to appeal to young mothers who had played with the original Ginny back in the 1950's. The new Ginny was an "updated" highly-divergent "Mod look" doll with fashions by Sasson. 

Lesney's last attempt at Ginny dolls was a series of International Brides:

  
Photo: Ebay
They had the skinny Mod Ginny body, with fancy costumes

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