Late Mod to The Now Look Clones & Clothing

By the mid-1970s only Montgomery Ward and Sears were still selling genuine Mattel Ken clothing through the Christmas catalogues. The other stores sold their own cheaper ‘clone’ clothing, sometimes in combination with a genuine Ken, but mostly independently. There were several different-looking male clone dolls produced in this period, but the classic Mod era Ken was now being widely copied and would continue to appear right into the 1980s.

1974 JCPenney Christmas catalogue tennis set
1974 JCPenney Christmas catalogue tennis set
1974 JCPenney Christmas catalogue tennis set
1974 JCPenney Christmas catalogue tennis set
From 1974 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1974 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Eaton's Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Canadian Eaton’s Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Spiegel Christmas catalogue

BOB SCOUT BY KENNER

Kenner were clearly inspired by Mattel’s Brad (see the 1970 Boys section) when they produced the head for their Bob Scout doll.

1974 Bob Scout by Kenner
1974 Bob Scout by Kenner
From 1975 Best Products Buyer's Book
From 1975 Best Products Buyer’s Book

From 1974 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
1974-5 Montgomery Ward swimsuits
1974-5 Montgomery Ward beachwear
From 1974 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1974 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Spiegel Christmas catalogue

The Spiegel catalogue pictures a classic clone with red hair and a beard, apparently their new Don. I’ve not yet found this doll packaged as Don, but the pictures below  show the same doll packaged for the Italian market as Marco. Note that in the box illustration he’s wearing the outfit referred to as Campus Casual on the Gary packaging shown in the section Mod Clones & Clothing.

Italian packaged Marco doll
Italian packaged Marco doll (E. Perez Collection)
From 1974 Italian Gioca Gioca catalogue
From 1974 Italian Gioca Gioca catalogue
From 1975 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1975 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Eaton's Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Eaton’s Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1975 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue

FRANK, UDO & TONI (US & EUROPE)

Frank & Toni were sold in the US and Europe during the 1970s, though as the packaging is not dated it is impossible to give exact dates. Udo seems to have been sold only in Germany. Frank can vary quite a lot, with different hair and skin colour, body parts, even different heads, but all these dolls were almost certainly produced by the same factory in Hong Kong. I have also seen Frank clothing packaged with French writing. For earlier Toni and Frank outfits, see section Mod Clones & Clothing.

German-market Frank dolls (shorts) in original packaging
German & US Frank dolls (shorts) in original packaging
German-market Frank dolls (fully-dressed) in original packaging
German-market Frank dolls (fully-dressed) in original packaging
German Frank Modische Kleidung
German-market Frank clothing in original packaging
German Frank Modische Kleidung (presumably Wenco)
German-market Frank clothing in original packaging

This Kent doll is packaged identically to Frank, but the writing is in English, so he was obviously sold in English-speaking countries.

1970s Kent doll
1970s Kent doll
1970s German Udo dolls by Wenco
1970s German-market Udo dolls by Wenco
German Udo modische Kleidung by Wenco
Udo modische Kleidung by Wenco
German Toni Kleider für 29cm (probably by Alme)
German-market Toni clothing in original packaging
1970s Toni doll in original packaging
1970s Toni doll in original packaging
1970s Toni doll in original packaging
1970s Toni doll in original packaging

The blonde Toni below is especially interesting as he is wearing Mattel’s beach outfit from the 1970-71 Talking Ken. The doll next to him is bizarrely called Tomy – presumably a Hong Kong spelling mistake for Tony

1970s Toni doll in original packaging
1970s Toni doll in original packaging
1970s Tomy doll
1970s Tomy doll in original packaging

BOBBY ORR BY REGAL TOY LIMITED

Regal Toy Limited in Canada packaged two different dolls as Bobby Orr in 1975, though neither of them look anything like the blonde Ice Hockey champion. Like Joe Namath (see section Mod Clones & Clothing), Bobby Orr is one of the few celebrity/sports dolls to be given several separate fashion outfits. Note how the doll on the reverse of packaging is a generic brown-haired doll.

1975 Bobby Orr by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr Tuxedo by Regal Toys Ltd.
1975 Bobby Orr Tuxedo by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr outfits by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr outfits by Regal Toy Limited
1975 Bobby Orr clothing reverse of packaging
Reverse of clothing packaging showing Bobby Orr outfits
From 1975 Canadian Simpsons Sears Christmas Wish Book
From 1975 Canadian Sears Christmas Wish Book
1976 Canadian Sears Christmas Wish Book
1976 Canadian Sears Christmas Wish Book
1976 Canadian Sears Cadeaux de Noel catalogue
1976 Canadian Sears Cadeaux de Noel catalogue

Some of the extra Bobby Orr outfits were obviously sold in Italy too, for the male doll Charly.

From 1976 Italian Upim catalogue
From 1976 Italian Upim catalogue

FRED BY PLASTY (GERMANY)

The first rooted hair version, called Fred Star, appeared in 1974, and was obviously inspired by Mattel’s Mod Hair Ken. According to the Petra catalogues both the painted hair and the rooted hair versions were available until 1977 at least. Around 1976 a third doll, Super-Fred, was introduced. He had flocked hair, was more action figure-like and clearly based on GI Joe/Action Man.

1974 #5794 Fred Star by Plasty
1974 #5794 Fred Star by Plasty
c.1974 Fred Star identification markings
c.1974 Fred Star identification markings
c.1974-5 #5793 Fred by Plasty
c.1974-75 #5793 Fred by Plasty
1976 #5793 Fred by Plasty
c.1975-6 #5793 Fred by Plasty
From 1975 Petra & Fred Mode catalogue
From 1975 Petra & Fred Mode catalogue by Plasty
1976 5794 Fred Star in original packaging
1975-76 #5794 Fred Star in original packaging
From 1976 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty
From 1976 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty
1976 #5796 Super Fred by Plasty
1976 #5796 Super Fred by Plasty
From 1977 Plasty/Airfix Petra & Fred catalogue
From 1977 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty/Airfix
1977 #5793 Fred by Plasty
1977 #5793 Fred by Plasty/Airfix
1975-77 Fred Star #5794 with original packaging
1977 #5794 Fred Star by Plasty/Airfix

Below is just a very small sample of the outfits available for Fred from 1974-1977. The numbering of the outfits is quite bizarre, as each year similar or identical numbers were allotted to totally different outfits. Most years had a single clothing line, but from 1975-77 Fred had two clothing lines, the regular one plus a ‘Men’s Shop’ line.

From 1975 Plasty Petra & Fred Mode catalogue
From 1975 Petra & Fred Mode catalogue by Plasty
1976 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty
1976 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty
1976 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty/Airfix
1977 Petra & Fred catalogue by Plasty/Airfix
1974 Fred by Plasty Herrenmode #5878
1974 Fred Herrenmode #5878 by Plasty
1975 Fred by Plasty Herrenmode #5886
1975 Fred Herrenmode #5886 by Plasty
1975 Men's Shop für Fred #5904 (Special Offer) by Plasty
1975 Men’s Shop #5904 (Special Offer) by Plasty
1976 Fred by Plasty Herrenmode #5873
1976 Fred Herrenmode #5873 by Plasty
1976 Men's Shop für Fred #5902 by Plasty
1976 Men’s Shop #5902 by Plasty
1977 Fred by Plasty/Airfix Modellkleidung #5873
1977 Fred Modellkleidung #5873 by Plasty/Airfix

(YOUNG SWEETHEARTS) MICHAEL BY MATTEL

In 1976 Mattel released this Michael doll, who looks like a younger version of The Now Look Ken. Four matching his ‘n hers outfits were released in conjunction with these dolls though, as Michael is much skinnier, his clothes do not really fit Ken.

1976 #9271 Young Sweethearts Michael and Melinda
1976 #9271 Young Sweethearts by Mattel
1976 #9587 Sunny Sunday by Mattel
1976 #9587 Sunny Sunday by Mattel
From 1976 Movin' with Mattel catalogue
From 1976 Movin’ with Mattel catalogue
From 1976 Aldens Christmas Book of Values
From 1976 Aldens Christmas Book of Values
From 1976 German Barbie booklet
From 1976 German Barbie booklet
From 1976 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1976 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1976 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1976 Spiegel Christmas catalogue

1976 Montgomery Ward clothing set
1976 Montgomery Ward clothing set
From 1976 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1976 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1976 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1976 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1976 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1976 Aldens Christmas catalogue

(SUNTAN) ERIC BY IDEAL

Eric is the boyfriend of Tuesday Taylor, and the first male doll to come complete with a terrific personality! He was only produced for two years, and I don’t believe he had his own clothing range. The first two Erics are both dated 1976 on the reverse of card. Suntan Eric is from 1977.

1976 Eric and 1977 Suntan Eric
1976 Eric and 1977 Suntan Eric. Tuesday’s Boyfriend.
1976 Eric by Ideal markings
1976 Eric identification markings
From 1977 Ideal buyer catalogue
From 1977 Ideal buyer catalogue

From 1977 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Aldens Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Spiegel Christmas catalogue
From 1977 JCPenny Christmas catalogue
From 1977 JCPenny Christmas catalogue
From 1977 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
Clone clothing sold through 1977 JCPenney Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
From 1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue
1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue clothing set
1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue clothing set
1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue clothing set
1977 Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue clothing set