![]() The family made a dozen prototype dolls, although accounts differ as to whether the impetus for Raggedy Ann's manufacture came from Gruelle or the P.F. In 1915, Gruelle applied for a patent on Raggedy Ann. Raggedy Ann's initial adventures were stories Johnny told to amuse and divert his bedridden daughter. Resurrected from the attic, and with a new painted face and a new name, this first Raggedy Ann was Marcella's companion through an illness that ended in her death in 1916. The Gruelles had a daughter, Marcella, who was devoted to an old rag doll that had belonged to Johnny's mother. Gruelle wrote and illustrated children's stories for popular magazines as well, and in 1914 he produced his first book commission, an illustrated Grimm's fairy tales. His full-color cartoon was syndicated as a full-page feature. He won first prize in 1910 in a comic drawing contest sponsored by the New York Herald with the adventures of an elf named Mr. ![]() He first worked as a newspaper cartoonist for several papers, illustrating stories as well as drawing cartoons. John Barton ("Johnny") Gruelle (1880-1938), the son of a painter, grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gruelle produced a series of 40 books, as well as using Raggedy Ann in cartoons, but the dolls themselves remain the most popular collectibles. Raggedy Ann's image, with her black shoe-button eyes, red yarn hair, her white pinafore, and scalloped pantaloons over red-and-white striped legs remained surprisingly intact over the years, and was featured on a vast array of children's toys, clothing, furnishings, and other objects. Raggedy Andy, the little rag-brother of Raggedy Ann, was introduced in 1920 with The Raggedy Andy Stories. She was first a real rag doll for a real little girl, then was mass-produced to accompany the nearly 1,000 stories written by Gruelle before his death in 1938. Raggedy Ann, and later her younger brother Raggedy Andy, continued to be popular toys for children for decades and are still commonly recognizable even over one hundred years later.Raggedy Ann, the central character in a series of children's books about dolls that come alive when their people are away, made her official debut in 1918 with the Raggedy Ann Stories by author and illustrator Johnny Gruelle. Eventually, a sewing pattern was even approved so that people could make their own dolls at home. They were quite popular, because unlike porcelain dolls, the rag dolls were quite inexpensive. The stories and dolls were released simultaneously. He then took these stories and published them as books which he later sold along with the dolls.Īround the time of his daughter’s death, Gruelle’s patent for the Raggedy Ann doll was approved, and the family began working on prototypes. As she lay sick, Gruelle told her stories about her rag doll to divert her attention from her illness. In 1915, Marcella died tragically from an illness. Gruelle was often inspired in his writing by watching his daughter play. Gruelle himself, who loved a good story, confirmed many differing accounts of Raggedy Ann’s history, and it is difficult to tell which events really happened. This is the most common story of the conception of Raggedy Ann, but there are many others. He called the doll “Raggedy Ann,” and handed it back to his daughter. John grabbed one of his cartoon pens and drew a smiling cartoon face onto the fabric. As with most rag dolls, the doll did not have a face. One day his young daughter, Marcella, came running into his office with an old rag doll of his mother’s which she had found in their attic. John Gruelle was a cartoonist who drew comics for the New York Herald as well as illustrations for various other publishers.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |