Television of the 50's tried to shield us from many ugly facts. For example, the very idea that married couples would sleep in the same bed! The horror! And we never, ever saw the Beave or Wally heading for the can.
But thanks to a man named Abraham Katz, the female members of the Boomer generation were a bit more informed. The reason was that way back in 1934, he released to the world the Betsy-Wetsy doll.
Betsy-Wetsy, named after Mr. Katz's daughter, would take water into her mouth from the included baby bottle. And physics being what it is, as well as biology, the water would eventually be expelled from the southern end of said doll.
Thus were our female brethren more educated about the facts of life than we males who watched hour after hour of 50's era sitcoms which carefully hid the fact that people have to occasionally relieve themselves.
Betsy-Wetsy was available in a number of sizes, depending on how much our parents and grandparents wanted to spend. But they all had in common the need to drink and urinate. And thus, they effectively taught our feminine members that if you're gonna have kids, there's work involved.
Betsy-Wetsy was also one of the first dolls that was made available as a doll of color, aka black. Here's a raised Guinness to that!
And Betsy-Wetsy introduced another feature that would later be ubiquitous: eyes that shut when she was laid down.
None of these features were patented, either. A prior company sued Ideal because they had produced a doll that did the same thing. The judge ruled that drinking and urinating weren't concepts that could be patented. May I add "duh!"
Ideal isn't around any more, and neither is the original Betsy-Wetsy. But how many of you female Boomers have fond memories of "raising" a baby that required real hands-on action? Enquiring minds want to know!
Comments (9)
I laughed one I saw this article. My aunt was 6 years older than me. She had one of these kinds of dolls that urinated. She had the bottle to feed it as well. I was about 6 so she would have been about 12. She showed my and my brother, nearer to 4 than 3, the baby at work. We thought that was a riot. She also had a teapot that when in the poured position, would seem to loose the tea till you tipped it back. I was thinking there more stuff, too. Its also funny how marketers were very careful to avoid that unspeakable male member for many years. I think they were afraid it would instantly turn girls into, well, wild adventurous and uncontrollably promiscuous. I am not so sure about that conclusion. BUt I'm sure it would have been a hit with girls.
Yes, 50s TV was very "careful" about ruffling anyone's feathers . . . or enlightening anyone, either. Everything was sanitized and neutered. But . . . there are also dangers in letting that ole pendulum go out of control as well and I think that is what happened over the years since.
Its always nice to look back our past and reevaluate it from time to time. And whenever you come across a piece of the "old days," the 50s, 60s, 70s, you can't help but smile and laugh. It was a silly time and yet a very kind and humane time. My father and I was just discussing this today, after seeing the Beatles documentary this morning. In the span of 3 years, they went from their first to Revolver. From simple to very sophisticated. To me, an awful lot happened in a very short time in music and many other things as well. It really did seem to kick off with the obviously conspiratorial assassination of JFK.
The doll that pees was already fading away in the 60s. Barbies was only getting more popular. It is interesting that because things came and went so fast in this time that it can stand out distinctly among the other periods. What a fascinating and wonderful time it was for baby boomers.
Posted by Scott Irv | December 14, 2009 12:41 AM
Posted on December 14, 2009 00:41
I wasn't the typical girl in that I didn't like dolls. Except for dolls that DID something. Like go to the bathroom, or have hair that grew!!
Posted by Rhea | December 14, 2009 8:08 AM
Posted on December 14, 2009 08:08
Kudos for a good girlie memory! Unfortunately, I never had that doll. The one doll that really stands out in my mind is this one that had yellow yarn for hair in a ponytail and you pulled a string on her neck and she talked. But my cousin threw her down the steps and she never spoke again. The doll, not my cousin. Sigh. memories.
Posted by Deborah | December 21, 2009 5:22 PM
Posted on December 21, 2009 17:22
Deborah,
Might that have been chatty Kathy? I remember the commercial for it.
Posted by Scott Irv | December 27, 2009 10:38 PM
Posted on December 27, 2009 22:38
no, never had a Chatty Kathy. this one was stuffed except for the face/head. She had yellow yarn for hair. Sigh but never spoke again!
Posted by Deborah | December 30, 2009 6:52 PM
Posted on December 30, 2009 18:52
I had a Betsy Wetsy! She had curly red hair and eyes that closed. She came dressed in a light green flannel gown with dark pink roses on it (I think). She may still be upstairs in the attic at my mom's - I'll have to remember to look.
Posted by Becky | January 5, 2010 7:26 PM
Posted on January 5, 2010 19:26
Hmmm - what a lucky little girl I must have been . . . I had them all-- Betsy Wetsy, Patty Playpal, Chatty Cathy, Barbie (with the bubble cut hair-- and TONS of clothes) . . . and then my interest in dolls died-- and all I wanted (and finally got) was a turquoise transister radio (so I could listen to "Ferry Cross the Mersey" and more) . . . all of these treat arrived at Xmas or birthdays-- and they were all so special . . . Boomers have much to be nostalgic about :-)
Posted by beatrix | January 19, 2010 12:11 PM
Posted on January 19, 2010 12:11
Shocking! You mean to tell me Baby dolls actually urinated? Lol! Yes, little sis had one of these dolls! Yes! It really works! I think our beagle may have chewed up her leg! The dog was a terror! I would imagine baby dolls now adays do everything, right?
Posted by Rivers End | January 31, 2010 7:41 PM
Posted on January 31, 2010 19:41
@beartix. that is one of my favorite songs by gerry and the pacemakers, but my fave is DONT LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING. anyway does anyone remember barbie's black friend. i bought my daughter one, but forgot her name. i had a tressy doll,libby little chap. my sister had chatty baby and thumbelina. there werent too many african american dolls back then, but my father bought my sister and me black dolls that walked. you held their hands and the was supposed to walk.
Posted by vera | February 1, 2010 8:10 AM
Posted on February 1, 2010 08:10