All the Discontinued Dolls Featured in 'Barbie': Allan, Midge, Earring Magic Ken and More
The Barbie movie is, of course, full of Barbies and Kens, but Greta Gerwig's vibrant and detailed Barbie Land also includes plenty of Easter eggs for only the most devoted fans, including accessories, outfits and some of the lesser-known Barbie dolls that Mattel has discontinued over the years.
Margot Robbie's Stereotypical Barbie is introduced to some of the less-popular members of the Barbie doll canon when her existential crisis has her returning to Weird Barbie's (Kate McKinnon) house, lamenting the way her fellow beautiful Barbies have been brainwashed into complacency by the Kens. It's among these "weird" Barbies and Kens that she figures out how to save the day and take her world back, proving that everyone has a place in Barbie Land -- no matter how short-lived.
From "Ken's buddy," Allan, to pregnant Midge, to all-but-forgotten dolls like Video Girl Barbie and Sugar Daddy Ken, read on for a real-life look at some of the discontinued Barbie dolls that make a special appearance in the Barbie film.
Allan
He's Ken's buddy! Allan was first released in 1964 as a companion to Ken. A selling point for parents at the time was the fact that "all of Ken's clothes fit him!" which led to more than a few jokes about the possible relationships between the men of Barbie Land.
But, in the Barbie doll canon, different iterations of Allan (or Alan, as the '90s version of the doll was called) were usually romantically linked to Midge, Barbie's best friend. The couple was sold in a double date set, or as part of a "Happy Family" collection in the early 2000s. However, as the movie makes clear, Allan/Alan (played by Michael Cera) has never seen the same popularity as a Ken, and the last version of him was released in 2014 as a 50th anniversary special set.
Midge
Midge is one of Barbie's best friends -- but things got complicated when she got pregnant! Originally released in 1963 as Barbie's BFF (who could also wear all her clothes), Midge was initially a more "girl next door" version of her bestie, with a more toned-down wardrobe and look. After going out of fashion for a while she was reintroduced in the '80s and continued to be marketed as Barbie's best friend -- until 2002, when a pregnant version of Midge released, with a detachable, magnetic belly and a removable baby.
Parents were outraged at the doll for a variety of reasons. Some claimed she promoted teen pregnancy, others said the doll sent the wrong message about family values and single motherhood. (Midge's husband, Allan, and son, Ryan, were sold separately.) Whatever the case, that was the end of Midge until a comeback in 2013's Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, and Barbie's tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the character, played by Emerald Fennell.
Growing Up Skipper
One of the most jaw-dropping ideas to ever make it onto toy shelves, Growing Up Skipper was the 1975 iteration of Barbie's little sister, who was first introduced in 1964. Played by Hannah Khalique-Brown in the film, Growing Up Skipper is different from her counterparts in that she literally grows up -- in multiple directions. When her left arm was rotated, the doll grew in height and her bust also expanded. Deeply weird.
Sugar Daddy Ken
Released in 2009 and possible proof that there wasn't a single member of the LGBTQ+ community working in Mattel marketing at the time, Sugar Daddy Ken was released in 2009 as part of Barbie's "Palm Beach" line, and came with a dapper suit, floral swim trucks and a West Highland Terrier puppy. (I mean, right?)
When backlash over the name went public, Mattel pushed back, saying that the dog's name was Sugar, thus making this Ken "Sugar's Daddy." However, it wasn't quite enough to sway anyone, and the doll was ultimately discontinued -- but he makes a fun, if defensive, appearance in the Barbie movie, played by Welsh actor Rob Brydon.
Earring Magic Ken
ON second thought, maybe Mattel marketing has always known exactly what they were doing. Earring Magic Ken, released in 1993, was reportedly modeled after rave culture of the early '90s, aka queer culture, and it showed. The doll came with a lavender mesh shirt, pleather purple vest and platinum blonde hair, and the outrage started immediately, with conservative pearl-clutching over everything from his pierced left ear to his, um, uniquely shaped necklace.
The doll was discontinued and recalled just six months after its release, but Earring Magic Ken has remained a gay icon, and according to some reports, remains the best-selling Ken in Barbie history. He makes an appearance in Weird Barbie's house alongside his queer-coded counterpart from Palm Springs, and is played in the movie by English actor Tom Stourton.
Video Girl Barbie
One of the more modern discontinued Barbies, Video Girl Barbie was released in 2010, marketed towards "budding filmmakers." The doll featured a necklace with a camera, and a video screen built into her back. (As the character, played by Mette Narrative in the film, asks, "Who wants that? Nobody.")
Authorities also had some worries, and after the potential for using the doll in the production of child pornography was raised as a public concern, she was discontinued in 2012.
Tanner the Dog
When Barbie makes her return to Weird Barbie's Dreamhouse, she's greeted by yet another strange sight: a life-sized toy yellow Labrador dropping spheres of brown "poop" all over the floor. Turns out, this is another callback to the Barbie vault.
Tanner was only on the market for a year before being recalled, from 2006-07. As it turns out, the tiny plastic pieces of poop and the magnet in his pooper scooper were deemed possible choking hazards. (Also, maybe, just a little bit weird?) He was ultimately replaced in the Barbie canon by Taffy, another yellow lab.
Barbie is in theaters now.
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