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Ruth Handler Facts & Worksheets

Ruth Mosko Handler is most recognized as the creator of the iconic Barbie doll, but her most important achievement may be her breast cancer prosthetic devices.

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Ruth Mosko Handler is most recognized as the creator of the iconic Barbie doll, but her most important achievement may be her breast cancer prosthetic devices.

See the fact file below for more information on Ruth Handler, or you can download our 20-page Ruth Handler worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

PERSONAL LIFE

  • On November 4, 1916, Ruth Marianna Mosko was born in Denver, Colorado. She was the youngest of the children. Her parents were Jacob and Ida Mosko. 
  • Ruth was taken in to live with her elder sister Sarah’s family when she was six months old and remained with them till she was nineteen. 
  • Ruth originally became interested in business while working at Sarah’s drugstore and soda fountain. She favored work over play and grew up in a household where women working outside the home was not uncommon.
  • She fell in love with a poor art student called Elliot “Izzy” Handler in 1932. Her parents were scared that the adolescents might marry. 
  • After taking a vacation in Los Angeles during her second year at the University of Denver, Handler was hired by Paramount Studios. Izzy later joined Ruth in California, and the two wed in Denver in 1938, with her family’s reluctant approval.

CAREER BEGINNINGS

  • Handler returned to her job at Paramount, and her husband enrolled in the Art Center College of Design while working as a lighting fixture designer. He also began to sketch designs for Lucite accessories. 
  • Ruth soon proposed to her husband that he turned furniture manufacturing into a company when he opted to build their furniture out of two new polymers, Lucite and Plexiglas. She worked as his sales force, negotiating a large deal with Douglas Aircraft, among others.

MATTEL

  • During WWII, the Handlers founded Mattel, an enterprise that combined Elliot’s name alongside the last name of their partner, Harold Matson.
  • They manufactured picture frames made of wood after President Roosevelt announced that plastics would be restricted to military use. It was a success, and the company earned double its income. They also built Uke-A-Doodle toys and toy guns based on popular TV shows, and all were successful.

BARBIE DOLL

  • In 1956, the Handlers had a tour with their two adolescents, Barbara and Ken, to Switzerland. They spotted a German-made Bild Lilli doll that appeared like an adult lady, which was unlike the baby dolls most small girls had. An idea dawned on Ruth.
  • Three years later, Mattel’s Barbie would debut, complete with a wardrobe of separate clothes. The Ken doll, named after her son, was soon introduced.
  • Mattel was publicly traded for $10 million by the Handlers in 1960. Barbie swiftly became an icon, with an ever-changing wardrobe and professional opportunities that matched women’s evolving ambitions.
  • Barbie, according to Handler, is a symbol of freedom and promise for young girls and women:

“Barbie has always represented that a woman has choices. Even in her early years, Barbie did not have to settle for only being Ken’s girlfriend or an inveterate shopper. She had the clothes, for example, to launch a career as a nurse, a stewardess, or a nightclub singer. I believe the choices Barbie represents helped the doll catch on initially, not just with daughters—who would one day make up the first major wave of women in management and professionals—but also with mothers.”

  • Barbie employed a secretary who addressed 20,000 fan letters every week. The Barbie Fan Club had 1.5 million members in the United States by 1968 alone. A “second issue” Barbie in its original box was sold at an auction for almost $5,000 in 1993 (or $10,444.15 at 2023 value).
  • Mattel sold 351,000 units in its first year. Ruth even received an agreement, and the dolls were marketed as the exclusive advertisers of the Mickey Mouse Club. Barbie was the initial toy to be effectively promoted directly to children.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ruth Handler created a story for the very first Barbie doll. She was named Barbie Millicent Roberts, who grew up a teen fashion model from Willows, Wisconsin. Her husband, Elliott, narrated that Ken’s full name is Kenneth Sean Carson and Barbie’s boyfriend.

  • The Barbie dolls are now available in over 125 different versions, including the President of the United States.
  • Barbie was initially available with brunette or blond hair. Later, a red-headed Barbie debuted in 1961. The first African-American Barbie and Hispanic Barbie were launched in 1980.
  • Today, Barbie dolls promote the inclusivity of many cultures, and even special characters and female icons such as the Bessie Coleman doll have been designed.

LATER YEARS

  • In 1970, Handler was diagnosed with breast cancer. To fight this, she underwent a modified radical mastectomy, which was a common treatment at the time. 
  • Handler decided to construct her own breast prosthesis after having issues finding a suitable one. Handler created “Nearly Me” with the assistance of her business partner Peyton Massey and her new firm Ruthton Corp. This idea was so popular that then-First Lady Betty Ford had one made for her.

Through their play, Barbara imagined their lives as adults. They used the dolls to reflect the adult world around them. They would sit and carry on conversations, making the dolls real people. 

~ Ruth Handler about Barbie Doll ~

  • She explained to an interviewer in the 1980s:

“When I conceived Barbie, I believed it was important to a little girl’s self-esteem to play with a doll that has breasts. Now I find it even more important to return that self-esteem to women who have lost theirs.”

  • Ruth Handler garnered many honors for her business and philanthropic achievements. She was selected Woman of the Year in Business by the Los Angeles Times and was elected to the Toy Industry Hall of Fame by the Toy Manufacturers of America.
  • She was also the inaugural “Woman of Distinction” by the United Jewish Appeal and later earned the Volunteer Achievement Award from the American Cancer Society.
  • Handler resigned from Mattel in 1974, following the accomplishments of Ruthton Corp. However, many legal inquiries were made into the production of fraudulent financial reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. 
  • After her retirement, investigations continued, and Handler was indicted with fraud and false reporting to the US in 1978. She pled no contest and was sentenced to 2,500 hours of community service and a $57,000 fine.
  • On April 27, 2002, Ruth Handler, age 85, passed away in California as a result of complications following her colon cancer surgery. Nine years later, at the age of 95, her husband, Elliott, passed away.

Ruth Handler Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ruth Handler across 20 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ruth Handler, most recognized as the creator of the iconic Barbie doll, but her most important achievement may be her breast cancer prosthetic devices.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Ruth Handler Facts
  2. All About Ruth
  3. Barbie Over the Years
  4. Women’s Day Barbie
  5. A Valuable Legacy
  6. Make it Known!
  7. Barbie and Ken Diversity
  8. Creativity Test!
  9. Drawing from her Words
  10. Acrostic Success
  11. Dream Big, Work Bigger

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Ruth Handler?

Ruth Handler was an American businesswoman and inventor.

What is Ruth Handler known for?

Ruth Handler is best known for co-founding the toy company Mattel, Inc. and creating the Barbie doll.

When was Ruth Handler born, and when did she pass away?

Ruth Handler was born on November 4, 1916, and she passed away on April 27, 2002.

What was the inspiration behind creating the Barbie doll?

Ruth Handler was inspired to create the Barbie doll after observing her daughter play with paper dolls and imagining a three-dimensional adult doll that could inspire imaginative play.

What is the significance of Ruth Handler’s contribution to the toy industry?

Ruth Handler’s creation of the Barbie doll revolutionized the toy industry by introducing a fashion doll that became an iconic cultural symbol and paved the way for the development of numerous other dolls and toys.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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