Great Shape Clones & Clothing

Sears continued to sell their own boy doll called Craig during the mid-1980s. Craig (and his clothing) was also sold by Shillman as Our Boy/Sport Club (see also section Superstar Clones & Clothing). Totsy seems to have had a similar relationship with JCPenney, as outfits and dolls appear both in the JCPenney Christmas catalogues and packaged separately by Totsy.

1984 Sporty Craig Set for Sears
1984 Sporty Craig Set for Sears
From 1984 Sears Wish Book
From 1984 Sears Wish Book
1984 Shillman Bride & Groom Set
1984 Shillman Bride & Groom Set
From 1984 Sears Wish Book
From 1984 Sears Wish Book
From 1984 Sears Wish Book
From 1984 Sears Wish Book
From 1984 Canadian Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1984 Canadian Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1984 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1984 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1984 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1984 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1984 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1984 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1985 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1985 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1985 Sears Wish Book
From 1985 Sears Wish Book
From 1985 Sears Wish Book
From 1985 Sears Wish Book
From 1985 French Canadian Sears Christmas catalogue
From 1985 French Canadian Sears Christmas catalogue
From 1985 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1985 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1985 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1985 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1986 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1986 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1986 Sears Wish Book
From 1986 Sears Wish Book
From 1986 Sears Wish Book
From 1986 Sears Wish Book

Shillman even produced a slightly Brad-looking doll in this Sport Club series.

1984 Sport Club boy by Shillman
1984 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1984 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1984-85 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1984 Sport Club outfit by Shillman
1984 Sport Club outfit by Shillman
1985 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1985 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1985 Sport Club boy doll clothing by Shillman
1985 Sport Club boy doll outfits by Shillman
1986 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1986 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1986 Sport Club outfit by Shillman
1986 Sport Club outfit by Shillman
1987 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1987 Sport Club boy doll by Shillman
1987 Sport Club outfit by Shillman
1987 Sport Club outfit by Shillman

The Sonny doll below left is an obvious clone of the Shillman doll. The company which produced him, BBI Toys International Ltd, also produced the COKE Action Figure below right.

Sonny Action Figure & Outfits by BBI Toys International Ltd
Sonny by BBI Toys International Ltd
1986 Coke Action Figure
Coke Action Figure
1986 Coke Action Figure by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Action Figure reverse of packaging
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Reverse of Coke Outfit by BBI Toys International Ltd
Reverse of packaging
From 1986 Canadian Sears Christmas catalogue
From 1986 Canadian Sears Christmas catalogue
From 1987 Canadian Sears Wish Book
From 1987 Canadian Sears Christmas catalogue

The Canadian Cliff doll below is an obvious Jewel Secrets Ken type clone. Like Rob by Hasbro (further below), his packaging is dated 1987, so he probably wasn’t released until 1988.

1987 My One And Only Cliff by Irwin Toy Limited Canada
My One And Only Cliff by Irwin Toy Limited Canada
From 1987 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1987 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1987 Sears Wish Book For Kids
From 1987 Sears Wish Book For Kids

The blonde boy doll pictured in the photo on the packaging below left is shown as model in the 1987 JCPenney Christmas catalogue. This catalogue also features the red and white beach outfit with towel by Totsy below right.

1987 Flair Formal Fashion Doll by Totsy
c.1987 Flair Formal Fashion Doll by Totsy
1987 Flair Boy Doll Fashions by Totsy
c. 1987 Flair Boy Doll Fashions by Totsy

FRED BY PLASTY (GERMANY)

Despite Mattel moving on with new-look Kens, Plasty’s new Fred (like most other clones) still has the classic Mod Ken look. The two contemporary catalogues I’ve found date these first Freds to the mid-80s.

c.1984 Fred by Plasty in original packaging
Mid-1980s Fred by Plasty in original packaging
c.1984-85 Fred by Plasty in new packaging
Mid-1980s Fred by Plasty in new packaging
1984 Fred by Plasty in original packaging
Mid-1980s Fred by Plasty in original packaging
1984 German Steiner toy catalogue
1984 German Steiner toy catalogue
mid-80s Fred Modell-Kleidung by Plasty in original packaging
Mid-1980s Fred Modell-Kleidung by Plasty
mid-80s Fred Modell-Kleidung by Plasty
Mid-1980s Fred Modell-Kleidung by Plasty
mid-80s Fred clothing range by Plasty
Mid-1980s Fred clothing range by Plasty
c.1985 German Plasty Petra & Fred catalogue
c.1985-86 German Plasty Petra & Fred catalogue

Plasty’s Heart Family clone dolls are similarly packaged to the Freds below which would date them to between 1985 and 1990. These Freds resemble the boy doll sold by Totsy during this period (see further above). Below are just three examples, but I’ve seen a vast amount of differently dressed/themed Fred dolls in similar packaging. Some also came with blonde hair.

Mid-1980s Starlight and Party Fred by Plasty
Late-1980s Starlight and Party Fred (Germany)
Mid-to-late 1980s Jeans Fred (Germany)
Late-1980s Jeans Fred (Germany)

ROB BY HASBRO

Rob is dated 1987 on the packaging, so he probably wasn’t sold until 1988, which would explain why he is such an obvious Ken (Rockers) copy.

1987 #8230 Rob by Hasbro
1987 #8230 Rob by Hasbro
1987 #8230 Rob by Hasbro reverse of packaging
Reverse of packaging