Like, Hi, Fer Shurr,

I really love the old Sears Exclusive Disney "Peter Pan" dolls, but I can't seem to find out when they were released.

I know that Disney's "Peter Pan" was re-released on the following dates: 5-14-1958, 6-18-1969, 6-18-1976, 12-17-1982, and 7-14-1989.  I ALSO know that the dolls more than likely date from between 1976 and 1989, as they don't really look as though they came from the 1960s.

The following are pictures of the dolls, and the photos belong to www.thestrong.org:

http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/images/Z000/Z00069/Z0006907.jpg

http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/images/Z000/Z00069/Z0006909.jpg

http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/images/Z000/Z00069/Z0006910.jpg

http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/images/Z000/Z00069/Z0006908.jpg

The website from which the photos originated (www.thestrong.org) claims that the dolls are from the 1970s (From the 1976 re-release...?), but I've ALSO read information that claims that the dolls are from the 1980s (From 1982, or maybe from 1989?  There are even those who say that these dolls were released during 1986!)  I am not calling anybody a liar, but I feel so confused, with regards to the truth about this set of cool Disney "Peter Pan" dolls.

So, did anybody here ever have these Disney "Peter Pan" dolls?  If you ever had them, during which year did you buy/ receive them?  Was Disney's "Peter Pan" re-released during that year?  I'm also curious to know about the quality of the dolls, and if anybody who had them STILL has them.

If any of you have any information, I'll be forever grateful to you, because I've been wondering about the release year of these dolls for, like, FOREVER, I SWEAR!
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If anybody here would rather discuss the old Bikin Express, Ltd. Disney dolls, I actually have some cool information about them, some information that I received via a super cool message board years ago.  It turns out that the Bikin Disney "Snow White" dolls that arrived in white boxes were released during 1983, and that the ones that were released in forest boxes, were released during 1987.  The more plain Disney "Cinderella" boxes were from 198?, while the magical-looking, castle boxes were released during about 1988.
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I don't recall these. It's hard to tell but based on the look of the doll I wanna say its an early 80s doll

Do you have any? If the packaging doesn't have a date- if you have an open one the doll may be stamped w a year on the foot or back.

Like, Hi, Fer Shurr, Snozberries,

I don't have any of the Sears "Peter Pan" dolls.
:(

Why does Peter Pan look like a woman? ???

Why does Peter Pan look like a woman? ???


Mary Martin as Peter Pan
http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/cgbd6Sp8XIQ/hqdefault.jpg

Sandy Duncan as Peter Pan
http://www.stargatecinema.com/images/magictoolbox_cache/3bf842518f40ca6b8a10b619b8e02daf/8/7/87406/thumb400x400/22749-04.jpg

Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan
http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Cathy+Rigby+Peter+Pan+Reads+Garden+Dreams+Tan-gol_E6dl.jpg

Michael Jackson as Peter Pan
http://michipato.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/peter-mj-pan.jpg

I know that Disney's "Peter Pan" was re-released on the following dates: 5-14-1958, 6-18-1969, 6-18-1976, 12-17-1982, and 7-14-1989.  I ALSO know that the dolls more than likely date from between 1976 and 1989, as they don't really look as though they came from the 1960s.


I'm guessing, never having seen them in real life.  But I'm going to go with 1976, 1982, or 1989.  To narrow it down further, I found this little book:

http://i.imgur.com/k1N9c2d.jpg
(click for high res version that shows off the signature on the 1976 book)

If this listing is correct, "1976 Whitman Publishing Division, Tell a Tale Books", the above image is an example of what the Disney signature/logo looked like in 1976.  (I could be wrong.  The Etsy seller might not be accurate about the 1976 date, and Whitman Publishing may not have had access to a photo-ready copy of Walt's signature, so they may have just made it up.  There were no computers back then, and relatively few trademark lawyers who were picky about such things.)

Compare that with this poster from the 1982 re-release of the 1953 movie:

http://i.imgur.com/eOtmlmr.jpg
(click for high res version that shows off the signature on the 1982 movie poster)
(I could be wrong.  The Ebay seller might not be accurate about the 1982 date.)

In the images of the dolls you link, in addition to being more squat, the dot above the "i" in "Disney" and the apostrophe are different.  I think we can cross 1976 off the list.  (I could be wrong.  The book publisher might not have had an up-to-date logo.  The Etsy seller might not be accurate about the 1976 date.)

Here's the 1989 movie poster:

http://i.imgur.com/i0Rc3Ng.jpg
(click for high res version that shows off the signature on the 1989 movie poster)
(I could be wrong.  The Ebay seller might not be accurate about the 1989 date.)

In the images of the dolls you link, the apostrophe doesn't really match either 1982 or 1989, and I'm very hard pressed to tell a difference between the letters I've exampined.  I have no idea whether toy manufacturers (licensed by Disney) would be anywhere near as picky about that word as the movie studio would be when making its own poster for the movie.  (Case in point -- those packages have Wendy wearing a purple dress.  Those are the sorts of things animators always get right, and toy companies always get wrong.)  I really don't want to guess whether it's 1982 or 1989. 

But I do think the linked dolls are associated with either 1982 or 1989 based on the chage in the logo from that 1976 book (I could be wrong!).  If you can get anything about the evolution of the Disney logo over time - and I'm not sure if it changed between 1982 or 1989 - you may have your answer.  Heck, if you can find an email address, send an email to The Strong National Museum of Play and CC some Disney PR/licensing contact.  It's a 100% certainty that someone at the Mouse House will know.  We're not big enough to attract serious attention from Disney's historians, but The Strong National Museum of Play is.

Like, Hi, Fer Shurr, Foo Bar,

Thank you so much for the information!  I think that I'll try to contact that museum, etc., in order to learn more about the Sears "Peter Pan" dolls.
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Like, Hi, Fer Shurr,

Well, I didn't actually contact the museum, but I sent a message to Sears!  I'm awaiting a reply.
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Like, Hi, Fer Shurr,

Well, I didn't actually contact the museum, but I sent a message to Sears!  I'm awaiting a reply.
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Anyone alive at Sears probably won't know.  10 years ago, Kresge's / K-Mart fell apart, went bankrupt in 2002, recapitalized in 2003, bought out he smoldering ruins of the equally-doomed Sears in 2004, and promptly renamed itself from Kmart to Sears Holdings.  Furthermore, even if the person who reads the PR email was interested, they still probably can't help, because the marketing/PR division and the toy division are more likely competing against each other, rather than realizing they're supposed to be competing against other retailers.

As always, I could be wrong.  Give 'em a week or so, but if it turns out I'm right about there being nobody left at Sears who remembers/cares/can help, then try the museum or Disney itself next week.

Like, Hi, Fer Shurr,

I finally sent an e-mail message to the museum, and I'm awaiting a reply, but that's cool with me, because I just sent the message!
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Like, Hi, Fer Shurr,

I finally sent an e-mail message to the museum, and I'm awaiting a reply, but that's cool with me, because I just sent the message!
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YAY! :)