In 1971
Mattel released #1152 Live Action Barbie, as well as the much harder to find
#1155 Live Action Barbie on Stage. Both
were the same doll, but Live Action Barbie on Stage included some extras.
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| Live Action Barbie |
With the
1970’s underway, Barbie and her fashions stayed in step with the contemporary
fashions of the decade. Instead of the
typical swim-suit that many of the earlier dolls were packaged in, we saw more dolls
dressed in trendy hip outfits in the 70’s.
Live action
Barbie wore a pink and purple tie-dyed one piece jumpsuit, trimmed with a wide leather
fringed sash with a leather headband that
she wore across her forehead. To complete her outfit she had two leather fringed
wrist sashes. She had blonde hair, real
eye lashes, and blue eyes.
There were
four different Live Action dolls released in 1971 and 1972: Live Action Barbie,
Ken, P.J., and Christie. They all came
in cool, totally 70’s fashions with some type of fringe included in their
ensemble.
All the Live
Action dolls that were sold separately from the Live Action on Stage package
came with a Touch‘n Go posin’ stand. All
their bodies could dance to a beat when they were positioned on their stand. All little girls had to do was move the stand
to make them dance! The female dolls had a more active body than Ken. Barbie, P.J., and Christie had bendable
knees, elbows, and ankles. Their waist
could swivel, as well as their legs, arms, and neck. Ken only had bendable legs and a looser
waist.
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| Touch 'n Go Stand |
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| Touch 'n Go Stand Instructions |
The Live Action
Barbie on Stage included Barbie, Ken, and P.J. They were only sold in 1971, which makes them
much harder to find on the secondary market (Christy never came with a stage.) The
stage was motorized and included a remote control (batteries not included) which
allowed the doll to dance to a fast or slow beat. Included in the set was a 45 rpm two-sided
record for each doll, and each had their own select set of songs on their
record. Live action P.J. came with a
guitar as well.
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| Live Action Barbie on Stage |
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| Live Action Barbie on Stage (back of box) |
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| Live Action on Stage P.J. and Ken |
“I’m happy I’m Barbie” was the record that was included with Live Action Barbie.
If you look
closely at Live Action Barbie’s eyes, you will notice that they are very similar
to the eyes of Walk Lively Barbie (1972).
You will see that Walk Lively has lighter eye makeup, shorter eyelashes,
and her eye brows are a little further apart.
She also has a lighter shade of blonde hair.
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| Live Action Barbie (left) and Walk Lively Barbie (right) |
If you compare
the waist of Live Action Barbie to Dramatic Living Barbie (1970), one would
think they were exactly the same. But
there is a difference in them as well. Both have twist-n-turn waists, but Live Action’s is more
flexible.
In 1973-1974
Mattel released a Live Action Baggie Version (#8588).
The company most likely had an excess of these dolls, so they sold them
at a reduced rate in a baggie rather than a box. The Baggie version did not include the
stand. There was a mail order version too,
which did include the Touch and Go stand.
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| #8588 Live Action Baggie Version and Mail Order Version |
In 1971 and
1972 Sears released an exclusive gift set; Live Action P.J. Fashion ‘n Motion gift set, which retailed
for $8.99. It included the doll dressed
in her original outfit as well as an additional ensemble, Touch and Go stand,
and two sided record that played the song “Hey Little P.J. Gal”
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| Live Action P.J. Fashion 'N Motion Gift Set |
Here’s the song
“Little P.J. Gal” for Live Action P.J.:
Here are two commercials from 1971:
1971 Live Action Barbie on Stage Commercial
1971 Barbie and P.J. on their Touch and Go Stands Commercial
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| Live Action Barbie on Stage |
Live Action Barbie, P.J., and Christie are marked ©1968 Mattel, Inc./U.S. & Foreign Patented/Patented in Canada 1967/Other Patents Pending/Taiwan.
To find the
Live Action Barbie on Stage still in her box would be considered a great find! It’s easier to track down P.J. and Ken in
their “on Stage” box than it is Barbie. But
I did find her, and I hope you do too!
Happy
Hunting!
