KEN & FRIENDS: MALE FASHION DOLLS & CLOTHING FROM 1961-1987
1977-1978 Donny & Jimmy Osmond
Donny and Jimmy Osmond are included here, even though they’re not really part of the Ken family. They are however original Mattel, and Donny was designed to fit Ken’s clothing.
DONNY OSMOND #9767
Donny was also available together with a Marie doll as deluxe set #9769.
There are two versions of Donny’s original outfit. The most common has a V neckline, and the other has a U. The deep blue variation seems genuine, but the various ‘silver’ outfits found nowadays, are almost certainly just faded versions of the original purple one. Notice how the outfit my Donny above is wearing has faded compared to the NRFB version below left, which was kept out of the sunlight.
The double set Donny is given his own wrist tag. This is possibly purely to distinguish him (as Hong Kong-made) from his Korean-made sister Marie. Notice that the variation outfit Donny also has a variation wrist tag.
Mattel produced several outfits especially for him, but they really are the worst of 1970’s tack! Mostly all garish colours and artificial fibres. The TV Fashions are from 1977 and the Deluxe TV Fashions from 1978. As well as the regular outfits, there are Sears exclusives by Mattel, and both Montgomery Ward and Aldens also produced their own outfits for Donny. I have photographed Donny with the original microphone which came with the doll. Extra microphones were only added to the Deluxe TV Fashions.
DONNY & MARIE OSMOND TV FASHIONS #9813 DEEPEST PURPLE
DONNY & MARIE OSMOND TV FASHIONS #9814 SOUTH O’ THE BORDER
DONNY & MARIE OSMOND TV FASHIONS #9815 SILVER SHIMMER
The original Silver Shimmer seems to have been turquoise. All other colours are probably just faded versions of the original, rather than genuine variations.
DONNY & MARIE OSMOND TV FASHIONS #9816
This outfit is very similar to Ken’s Get Ups ‘N Go #9596 Classy tux for handsome groom! from 1976 (see section 1976 The Outfits).
SEARS EXCLUSIVE DONNY & MARIE OSMOND TV FASHIONS
DONNY & MARIE OSMOND DELUXE TV FASHIONS
BOOKLETS & CATALOGUES
The Aldens and Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogues offered unique outfit sets for Donny. These were their own brand, not produced by Mattel.
These (hideous and hideously-made) Aldens Christmas catalogue Donny outfits were also available by Totsy as ‘Flashy Fashions For Him’. All three outfits were also sold by Aldens as part of a larger set for Ken in their Christmas catalogue for 1979.
The Donny clone outfit below is from Peggy-Ann.
JIMMY OSMOND
Jimmy was released in 1978. As far as I know there were no extra outfits for him. Jimmy’s body-mold was reused for Scott the boyfriend of Skipper (see 1980 boys section).