Ruth Handler: The "Gambling" Woman Who Created Barbie and Launched a Marketing Revolution
Jan 29, 2025
27:27
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On this episode of Our American Stories, her parents were poor Jewish immigrants and she was raised by her sister—spending her most developmental years behind a deli counter. Eventually, she'd marry a toy designer, change his name, and bet all of her company's money on an idea: that little girls just wanted to play with big girls. Robin Gerber, author of Barbie and Ruth tells the story of Ruth Handler—the creator of the Barbie Doll.