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When illustrator and cartoonist Johnny Gruelle’s terminally ill daughter, Marcella, found a faded rag doll in her grandmother’s attic, he painted a new, smiling face on the toy. Naming it Raggedy Ann after two poems by his friend James Whitcomb Riley, “The Raggedy Man” and “Orphan Annie,” he made up a series of stories around this character to entertain his only child, who loved to spend hours playing dolls.

After her death in 1916, Gruelle wrote and illustrated 25 storybooks based on those tales...

Soon after the dolls were sold, Gruelle received a package from a childhood playmate of his mother, who explained that their mothers had made a pair of boy-and-girl companion dolls for their two children. In the package, she had sent him Raggedy Ann’s “twin brother,” Andy, and soon the family started to license dolls of Raggedy Andy and other characters from the books, including Beloved Belindy and the Camel with the Wrinkled Knees, as well as coloring books, puzzles, and games. All are hot collectors’ items today.

It is rumored that the original P.F. Volland dolls had a real candy heart, but after parents complained the candy was switched out with a cardboard heart. Mollye Goldman was the first, in 1935, to produce the dolls with an “I Love You” heart imprinted on the chest.

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Recent News: Raggedy Ann and Andy Dolls

Source: Google News

Kingsport Ballet rounds out season with spring concert
Kingsport Times News, May 22nd

Other performances of note will include students as young as 5 years old performing with their ballet class, young tap dancers, an all-boys cowboy dance, several levels of modern dances choreographed by Erika Ballard, including a charming “Raggedy Ann”...Read more

Encouraging Parents To Read To Their Children
North American Press Syndicate, May 22nd

Pinocchio, Madeline, Humpty Dumpty, Curious George, Raggedy Ann and Andy star in the PSA, encouraging parents to “Read to a child today and spark a lifetime of ambition.” The original song in the television PSA was produced by Grammy Award-winning band...Read more

Spirit Dolls, Fact or Fiction?
UFODigest, May 22nd

Another interesting story of a possessed doll is Annabelle, a Raggedy Ann It seems harmless enough right, who hasn't thought about getting a little girl a Raggedy Ann? Well, here is a reason you may thing twice. She is said to have been purchased from...Read more

Nearby attractions give students options
Daily Eastern News, May 21st

There is also the Raggedy Ann and Andy Museum in Arcola, which is a free, not-for-profit museum that preserves and celebrates the artistic and social contributions to American popular culture by Raggedy Ann and Andy and their creator, Johnny Gruelle,...Read more

TV Fashion: 'The Voice,' 'Vampire Diaries,' 'Mad Men' & More Best And Worst ...
Huffington Post, May 11th

who rocked an unfortunately ill-fitting cheerleading uniform for the big "Vampire Diaries" season finale, and hot, brooding Jack Porter (Nick Wechsler), who was hiding under a stringy black Raggedy Ann wig in "Revenge" flashbacks...Read more

Celebrity Apprentice Power Rankings: And Then There Were Three
Cinema Blend, May 7th

The challenge seemed to start off great for the Teresa-led team after Farouk played to Aubrey's ego and complimented her Raggedy Ann mop of hair. Of course, Aubrey then pushed Theresa to let her model in the photos, giving Aubrey a shot at a spread in...Read more

Local doll collectors share memories, stories
Midland Daily News, May 7th

Raggedy Ann and Andy. Kewpie. Barbie. To some, these doll names just evoke fond memories of childhood playtime. To members of the Timbertown Dollogy Club, they provide those memories but many are also collectibles populating the “doll rooms” in...Read more

Last weekend at Wenham Museum: 'Picture This: 90 Years of Storybook Art'
Daily News Transcript, May 4th

Discover nearly a century of cherished stories including “Alexander and the Wind-up Mouse” by Leo Lionni, “Raggedy Ann in the Golden Meadow” by Johnny Gruelle and “The Dolls' House” by Tasha Tudor and more. Children will have fun playing with replicas...Read more

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