1972 Walk Lively Ken, & (Talking) Busy Ken

WALK LIVELY KEN #1184

Walk Lively Ken’s arms and head turn if you move his legs. In Germany he was also known as Geh-mit-Ken, in the Netherlands as Loop-met-Ken, and in France as Ken qui Marche. He came with his own unique ‘walking’ stand. The original TV commercial for Walk Lively Ken can be seen on Youtube.

1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken shoes
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken wrist tag
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken wrist tag
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken wrist tag
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken wrist tag
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken stand
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken stand
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken
Identification: © 1968 Mattel Inc. U.S. Pat. Pend. Taiwan

From this year the boxes were given age recommendations. The initial “Recommended for children 5 and over” was later altered to “Not recommended for children under 3”. Barbie and friends had originally been conceived as more grown-up toys for the 8-16 age range. Now it seems they were to be marketed at any child physically able to hold one without potentially killing itself.

1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken (Slight variation packaging)
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken in (earlier) packaging
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken in original packaging
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken in (later) packaging
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken (Slight variation packaging)
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken original (earlier) packaging
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken original packaging (Detail)
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken original (later) packaging
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken (Canadian version)
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken in Canadian packaging
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken (Canadian version)
Reverse of Canadian packaging

The Australian version was packaged in a clear plastic tube, with the walking stand as base. The slogan on the tube says “PUSH ME FAST OR SLOW IN MY WALK ‘N’ TURN STAND. I TURN FROM HEAD TO TOE!”

1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken (Australian version)
1972 #1184 Walk Lively Ken in Australian packaging

There were two Busy Kens, a talking and a regular version, both with gripping hands. Both came with the same accessories: TV, suitcase, telephone, record player with record, a tray with two glasses, and stickers, plus a white or clear plastic stand. The belts came in either dark- or mid-brown.

TALKING BUSY KEN #1196

1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken accessories
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken accessories
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken wrist tag
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken wrist tag
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken wrist tag
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken wrist tag
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken identification
1972 Ken stands
1972 (Talking) Busy Ken stands
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken in original packaging
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken in original packaging
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken original packaging
Reverse of packaging
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken in original packaging
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken (slight variation) in original packaging
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken original packaging
Reverse of packaging
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken mail order packaging for JCPenney
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken mail order packaging for Spiegel and JCPenney
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken in Canadian packaging
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken in Canadian packaging
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken Reverse
Reverse of Canadian packaging

Talking Busy Ken says:
I’ll bring my guitar to the party.
Help me pack for my vacation.
Heard Barbie’s new record?
Come on, let’s dance.
Hi, this is Ken.
Barbie’s a great cook.


BUSY KEN #3314

In Germany Busy Ken was known as Spiel-mit-Ken, in the Netherlands as Speel-mee-Ken, in Sweden as Ken med griphänder or Ken Holding Hands, and in Italy as Ken mani vere.

1972 #3314 Busy Ken
1972 #3314 Busy Ken
1972 #3314 Busy Ken
1972 #3314 Busy Ken
1972 #3314 Busy Ken accessories
1972 #3314 Busy Ken accessories
1972 #3314 Busy Ken identification
Identification: © 1968 Mattel, Inc. U.S. & For. Pat’d. Other Pats. Pending Hong Kong.
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in original packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in original (earlier) packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken original packaging
Reverse of (earlier) packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in variation packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in original (later) packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken variation packaging
Reverse of (later) packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken (with variation top and stand)
1972 #3314 Busy Ken (with variation top and stand) in original packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken variation tank top
1972 #3314 Busy Ken with variation fabric tank top

The Canadian packaging states that Ken comes with a ‘Twist n Turn waist’, presumably copied from the Barbie packaging. Later versions have a sticker covering this error.

1972 #3314 Busy Ken (Canadian packaging)
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in Canadian packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in Canadian packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken in Canadian packaging
1972 #3314 Busy Ken Canadian packaging
Reverse of Canadian packaging

The accessories below, which are likely to have come from a European version of a (Talking) Busy Ken, are made of black plastic, rather than the usual brown.

1972 (Talking) Busy Ken variation black accessories
1972 (Talking) Busy Ken variation black accessories

BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES

From 1972 Dolls & Preschool January Introductions catalogue
From 1972 Dolls and Preschool January Introductions catalogue
From 1972 Mattel Dolls and Preschool catalogue
From 1972 Mattel Dolls and Preschool catalogue

Notice that a picture of Talking Brad is used to advertise the non-talking #1142 version (below right).

From 1972 Mattel Dolls and Preschool catalogue
From 1972 Mattel Dolls and Preschool catalogue
From 1972 Mattel Dolls and Preschool catalogue
From 1972 Mattel Dolls and Preschool catalogue
From 1972 Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1972 Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1972 Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1972 Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1972 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1972 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Canadian Eaton's Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Canadian Eaton’s Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Canadian (French) Eaton Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Canadian (French) Eaton Christmas catalogue
From 1972 Canadian Simpsons Sears Wish Book
From 1972 Canadian Simpsons Sears Wish Book
From 1972 Canadian Simpsons Sears Wish Book
From 1972 Canadian Simpsons Sears Wish Book
From 1972 Dutch Barbie booklet
From 1972 Dutch Barbie booklet
From 1972 French Mattel Jouets catalogue
From 1972 French Mattel Jouets catalogue
From 1972 German Barbie booklet
From 1972 German Barbie booklet
From 1972 German Barbie booklet
From 1972 German Barbie booklet
From 1972 German Barbie booklet
From 1972 German Barbie booklet
From 1972 Swedish Barbies Värld booklet
From 1972 Swedish Barbies Värld booklet
From 1972 Swedish Barbies Värld booklet
From 1972 Swedish Barbies Värld booklet
From 1972 Swedish Barbies Värld booklet
From 1972 Swedish Barbies Värld booklet

ARTICULATION

As well as their unique gripping hands and jointed wrists, the Busy Kens were the first to have arms that bend at the elbow. This feature wasn’t seen again until Sport & Shave Ken in 1980.

1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken
1972 #1196 Busy Talking Ken
1972 #1196 Talking Busy Ken