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Chatty Cathy
by Mattel
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Read memories from others. |
This memory was added on: December 31,2005
I must have been about 8 or 9 when riding on a bus to school and a seat mate had a brunette Chatty Cathy in a red dress. It was the prettiest doll I'd ever seen! It must have been about the same time my father had left us and there were 5 of us kids for my mom to raise alone, but I asked for this doll for Christmas. She got me the blond with blue eyes and blue dress and I LOVED that doll! I had been born with blond hair and blue eyes myself, but was brunett at the time I received the doll. I still remember her phrases well. Especially "I love you." The inventors of that doll did a wonderful thing for little girls! Well, for some odd reason I thought that when I was a teenager I should give my dolls to my little sister (big mistake!) I wish I had kept the two or three dolls that I had! I feel like one of the other writers here who whishes for a time machine to go back there just for a few of those simple, sweet memories. My mom has been gone since 1986 and I want to get one of these dolls to remind me of what I think was possibly the BEST thing she ever did for me! I'm looking on e-Bay! I want one JUST like that one she gave me.
Barbara King
1951
kayakings2@alltel.net
This memory was added on: December 17,2005
In 1960, there were two chatties being born,one in a hospital and one in a factory! My mom left my dad soon after this and when he would visit he would always call me chattycathy.I thought it was funny,and being a chatterbox it fit me perfectly! Well, my mom never called me that,(probably because my daddy made it his pet-name for me.) So,that's probably why I never recv'd her as a gift. I always thought that my daddy made that name up,then a few years ago,I found out that there was a doll. I was blown away,I had to have one!Now,at age 45.I finally have 1..ahem...a few,I think chatties are like potato chips you can't just have one! ChattyKathy
kathy plante-hunt
1960
kplantehun@hotmail.com
This memory was added on: November 23,2005
I am writing about my daughter's Chatty Cathy. I was getting tired hearing everyone say, "look at that little girl she looks exactly like Chatty Chathy!!! We had to buy one for her. I don't recall when it was, but I do know they had just come on the market, can't recall the exact year. I do know that we had to buy it for it was a minatue JAN, our daughter. Our Jan is now 54, Chatty has to be close the same age. Her Chatty no longer talks, but Our Chatty is still a blue eyed blonde and never stops talking, just as pretty as she ever was, just like Chatty. She had me make a lot of clothes for Chatty and I also made clothes for Jan. I think I will get Chatty out and enjoy my little Jan Chatty once again. Friends and strangers all insisted Jan had to have posed for the original Cathy. You had to see them together to believe it.
Jan's Mom
Jan -- 1951
Helengreider@webtb.com
This memory was added on: October 15,2005
alas when I was little I never got to have a Chatty Mom said it cost too much and there was five of us. But please don't fret I now own over 20 of them and I love sewing for them I made hawaiian outfits mexican ,Indian Russian besides halloween party princess and now I'm trying my hand at designing some of my own ideas. well see how that goes. My favorite chatties are my first ones and the one my hubby bought me on christmas and my birthday. the special christmas chatty Suz
Suz
12-31-54
sewnnut45@yahoo.com
This memory was added on: October 10,2005
Does anybody know what the brunette Chatty Cathy said? I got one in '64 that I loved but can't remember.....sigh.
charley
1958
cbwilson@strato.net
This memory was added on: October 9,2005
I remember that I inherited a Chatty Cathy from my godmother's daughter in the mid 1960s. She was sooo cute. She had straight, shouder length auburn hair and she had a light dusting of freckles on her cheeks. She wore a navy blue and white sailor dress. I thought she was so neat because you could put little white records in her side, pull a string, and then she would talk. I think my favorite line was when she shrieked that she had an alligator in her bathtub(I think thats what she said...) perhaps that is why so many previous owners of Chatty Cathy brought her into the bathtub only to find out she probably would never talk the same way again if at all. I don't remember whatever happened to CC but I am pretty sure my mother found a home for her in the garbage along with my other childhood dolls. I will always have fond memories of CC.
Annie
1961
This memory was added on: October 1,2005
I got my Chatty Cathy for XMas in 1964. He is a #5 and says 18 phrases. She is a blonde pig-tail style. My little sis got a blonde Chatty Baby. The same year I also got the Chatty stroller. We had so much fun(!),until we went to our cousins for Easter. These 2 girls were mean and spoiled "rich" kids, they ran my doll and her stroller up and down the sidewalk at break-neck speed...finally crashing into the curb and smashing the wheels on the stroller. I was devistated. I still have both the dolls since my sis gave the CB to me last summer. I repaired my CC to speak and plan to fix CB too. I was shocked to be the high bidder on eBay a few days ago and won a stroller !!! I am in Chatty Heaven. I think it's cute how many of us Chatty doll "girls" are named K(C)athy too!!
Kathryn Smith AKA Kathy
1957
himmelsmit@aol.com
This memory was added on: August 28,2005
I didn't have a chatty Cathy, but I thought she was very cool because she had teeth! Lyn orig.1957
Lyn
1957
This memory was added on: August 19,2005
I was a little girl in the 50's.... Tiny Tears era. I graduated high school in 1964. So I never had a Chatty Cathy. About six months ago a friend gave me her CC doll because she knows I collect a few dolls and toys of the baby boomer era.. I put her Cathy in my doll cabinet to join the others like Chrissy dolls, Cheerfull Tearfull and Tiny Tears. Today I decided to Google Chatty Cathy pictures on the net. See if I could learn more about her or identufy her clothing. That's how I found this site. I undress the doll to see if there were tags on the clothes. Found none. The clothing looks factory made and fits just right so it could be original. After O removed her bright red romper (sunsuit) and pinsfore type dress I discovered she's had major surgery! Her entire chest was wrapped with masking tape. I thought maybe there had been a removable door (like a battery door) that was lost. Maybe I could find a replacement on eBay. So I began to peel off the tape and discovered that the plastic which covered the voice box is completely cut away. Her body cavity was stuffed with cloth and she's totally empty. I will list her on eBay. I'll take pictures showing the damage and more photos of her dressed. She's still cute because the damage doesn't show when she's dressed. Hair and face are really nice and she makes a good display. I enjoyed reading all the Chatty Cathy memories. I feel sorry for the little girls whose brother's and sisters ruined there dolls.
cj
1946
renwal7777@hotmail.com
This memory was added on: August 10,2005
I have lovingly bestowed the nickname "Chatty Cathy" upon my 7-year-old daughter, who always looks cheerful and never shuts up! :-)
Wasn't there a red-haired CC wearing a sailor dress? I swear, that's the one I had!
Melanie
1960
melodrama60@aol.com
This memory was added on: July 30,2005
I was too old for Chatty Cathys when she came on the market. But I finally got one on Ebay. When she arrived, I found that the seller (who has a bad reputation) had pulled her head off and sent her to me, decapitated. So, I ended up at an antique doll shop and bought another one to have while I try to find someone who can fix my Chatty a la Washington Irving. Caveat Emptor.
Jo
no way
OneMercilessMing@aol.com
This memory was added on: July 8,2005
My 2 sisters and I shared a Chatty Cathy doll in the mid 60s when we were 3, 4 and 5 years old. At some point we decided to bathe her in the bath tub, and we used Comet cleanser for soap. Needless to say, forever after when her cord was pulled she sounded like Regan from the Exorcist rather than Chatty Cathy: RRRRRRR RRRRRRR RRRRRRR.
Deanna
1961
deannajayne@yahoo.com
This memory was added on: June 12,2005
I was reading this site since I found an article about Jimmy Jet. I noticed the Chatty Cathy section and had to post a memory, or maybe it should be a confession. My sister had a Chatty Cathy and for whatever reason I really hated it. She had the doll for about a year and one day we had an argument. When she left to play with friends, I took Chatty Cathy and snipped the ring off the pull string. That made it virtually impossible to pull the string out and make it talk. She didn't realize it for quite a while and by that time there was no way she could have blamed me. I didn't ever tell her and the doll ended up getting pitched when we moved. Now, reading some of your memories about this doll, I feel kinda bad. Oh well. I was 7 - what can I say.
Larry
1954
This memory was added on: May 28,2005
Hello, I never really had a chatty, but I started colecting them long time ago.... lol, I have alot of them. who ever wrote that memorey about how your mom got you the spanish speaking chatty, i would like to talk to you! (youreallyinsane2003)... lol my email is flot853@hotmail.com thanks!
Sergio
flot853@hotmail.com
This memory was added on: May 22,2005
Hi, I would love to share my simple, yet sweetly vivid memory from my childhood of Chatty Cathy...she was going to be a special birthday present. My Mother, Father and myself were in the toy department, I showed them the one I wanted, the blonde with pjs, Chatty Cathy was up on a high shelf and all I could see was her cute face, peeking out of the aqua box Chatty was in! I was so happy, its almost as if I were right there now. Well, for whatever reason of my parents, I got the brunette one with the Nursery dress...probably because I was a brunette and that was their logic! I think that this is funny, since brunettes are more sought after nowadays, at least thats what I am told. I'm still new at collecting Chattys. If anyone wants to talk Chattys, please email me!! Years later, I gave all my toys to my younger neice and who knows where that doll is today! How I wish there was such a thing as a "Personal Time Machine"!!!! Everyone could go back and buy as many as we wanted! LOL!! God Bless! Sue
Sue Marinello
1955
Deers7@hotmail.com
This memory was added on: May 6,2005
Wow! I recieved my Chatty Cathy for Christmas when I was 2 in 1963 or was it 64? Oh well any hoo at the time my mom(AKA SANTA)failed to read the packaging and unknowingly bought the spanish speaking Cathy lol.....well to make it short, I learned to speak a little spanish( thank you Chatty Cathy)and drive mom up the wall with Cathy lol....Later on Cathy was given to my grandmother who collected dolls.
Teri
1961
reallyinsane2003
This memory was added on: April 21,2005
My older sister had received a Chatty Cathy doll for Christmas one year. She was never really into playing with dolls, but she LOVED that one. But she kept her in the original box up high on a shelf in the closet, and only occasionally took her down out of the box to comb her hair and talk to her and play with her. I of course LOVED dolls, and would on occasion sneak up w/a friend and we'd take her out of the box to look at her and admire her and make her talk. I don't know whatever happened to Chatty Cathy. Mom didn't save any of our old toys. That one, in it's mint condition, would've been worth a couple hundred bucks now! But last year, I bought one on ebay and wrapped it up to give to my sister for Christmas. She just laughed and cried at the same time. It was priceless for me! For any of you who want a Chatty Cathy doll, or any other vintage toy, I suggest looking on ebay. They're there!!! Now an original Chatty in good shape will fetch a small fortune, and often the voice no longer works. But I bought a repro. Chatty for about $40.00 that's perfect, w/great hair and talks. Then I found the outfit my sister's doll had on another ebay auction. So they are available if any of you want one for nostalgia sake.
Paulette
This memory was added on: February 17,2005
I got my Chatty Cathy for Christmas when I was in first grade in 1964. I thought she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I was lucky, my doll talked for a year or so until I took her swimming. Not a good thing to do. Since I was an only child, she became my best friend and younger sister. When I had to have my hair cut to start kindergarten, she did too. Of course I did it myself. She was still beautiful. I still have her and we no longer both have blonde hair. But she is still a good old friend I will always treasure.
Kim
1957
kwhithor@topeka.k12.ks.us
This memory was added on: February 6,2005
I got my Chatty Cathy Doll mid 1970's and as far as I know she is still in the attic somewhere ...I really should let my little girl meet her (she is five) like others here she had to go to dollys' hospital but it was to fix her body I can still remember her phrases...night night mommy, I don't want to go to bed, read me a story mommy, will you play with me... awwwwwwww what great memories, I got a special pram the next year and Cathy went everywhere with me!!
Just off to the attic ....see ya!
Moo
1968
This memory was added on: January 7,2005
Chatty Cathy and I are still old friends. I have her in a trunk (with the rest of my childhood dolls). My Chatty was unique because her "voice box" died soon after I got her. My Mom sent her to be fixed, and she came back with a "Chatty Baby" voice. Poor thing, babbled instead of talked. I think she was so embarrased she just stopped talking all together.
Carroll
1962
This memory was added on: December 22,2004
When I was little, my dad managed a toy store. My two sisters and I all wanted a Chatty Cathy. There were 3 left, one would not talk, so my dad said if one of us would take the one that didn't talk we could have a high chair too. So I agreed and when we got our dolls and my high chair, Dad had fixed it, so I got the best deal that year... good memories
Janet
1956
wadkinsrj@rtcol.com
This memory was added on: December 17,2004
I still find Chatty Cathy's clothes mixed in with my daughters' doll clothes. I remember getting this doll when I was about 5. My parents got us up in the dark to open our presents and then make the long trip from southern Virginia to Western Pennsylvania. I must have fallen asleep in the car while chewing gum and holding my doll because when I awoke her hair was a big bubblegum mess. Of course I tried to fix it by cutting the gum out and always remembering feeling guilty that I had disfigured Chatty Cathy so early on. I liked having a doll with the same name as mine; I don't remember what she said but I think I still have her somewhere in the attic.
Cathy W.
1961
kcweldon@comcast.net
This memory was added on: December 2,2004
I liked this doll it was nice but it stopped talking think it got wet my little sister took it in the bath with her it was a shame as mum threw it out after a while much against my approval
katie
1965
This memory was added on: November 21,2004
I remember on one Christmas morning the whole family was getting ready to pass out Christmas gifts. I seen behind the tree a doll. Course I went and picked up the doll cause I thought is was for me. My mom then told me that the doll was for my brother. I thought she was teasing me. But she wasn't. I was crushed!
Cathy
Cathy
1958
csmith3202@aol.com
This memory was added on: November 10,2004
I had to laugh reading the articles about Chatty Cathy, I had one that I was very atttached to... I received my blonde haired Chatty for Christmas and instantly loved her. I also was a middle child of 7 children. My younger brother and I shared a room, and we fought like most brothers and sisters, one day he was mad at me and grabbed Chatty by the feet and smashed her head up against the wall and Chatty Cathy chatted no more. Since then that has been a humourous part of our lives that we talk about, the day that my little brother stopped her from talking.
Nyla
1956
nyla_h56@yahoo.com
This memory was added on: October 15,2004
I received my Chatty Cathy doll around 1967. She was blond and blue eyed like me. I had such an attachment to her, one I have never experienced with another doll. She seemed like a real friend. I had a precious buggy for her, with white wheels. I would take her down the sidewalk so proudly. I took her to my dad when her voice stopped working (he could fix anything). He said he would look at it. I never saw her again. I don't even remember asking for her, I just figured he would give her back when she was all better. Then I outgrew dolls. For all I know, she is packed in one of those army trunks that line his garage wall. He is no longer living. I wish I had bugged him about it after I grew up. Secretly I beleived he did not have her anymore. One day I plan to find one from that era. My parents divorced two years after I got her, and she is my link to those happy innocent days before life got sad.
Len Strebeck
1960
lstrebeck@yahoo.com
This memory was added on: September 6,2004
I remember my Chatty Cathy doll vividly and could just drop-kick my brother and sister for what they did to her. There were 6 girls and 2 boys in my family and I am the middle child. I was always a girly-girl and even though I am African American and didn't distinguish between what was considered politically correct, I still loved that doll. Christmas vacation was over and I had to return to school that Monday following our Christmas break and my brother and sister said they were "sick" and stayed home. I was so excited in class, telling everyone about my new toys, especially about Chatty Cathy and couldn't wait to get home to play with her, brush her blonde hair, and give her a bath, and pull her string. I had always kept my toys in pristine condition and my plan was well thought out once I got home. As soon as I changed out of my uniform (Catholic school), I sat with her and pulled her string, but she sounded funny; almost drunk. Turns out, while I was in class, my "sick" brother and sister played "surgeon for the cause" on Chatty Cathy and took out her voice box or stuck bobby pins in it to see how it worked. I cried hysterically and secretly never forgave them it.
Linda Love
1956
Etherial_2000@msn.com
This memory was added on: August 31,2004
I was four years old when I got my first two dolls, Chatty Cathy and Pepper (who was Tammy's little sister). I too remember that episode of the Twilight Zone, but probably at that time it was a repeat as I was turning five that next month after Christmas. I remember getting into trouble for punishing poor Cathy by giving her a talk to by bending her head back. I may have been frustrated because my brother used to play with my Pepper doll by using her as Superman.
Debbie
1960
dju4him@cox.net
This memory was added on: July 24,2004
I remember how much I wanted a Chatty Cathy doll.My mom and I were in the store one day before Christmas. I spotted the Chatty Cathy and had to pull the string, The doll was broken and sounded like something out of the Exorcist I was terrifiied. My mother had already bought the doll for me. When I opened the present at ChristmaS I WAS TERRIFIED i RAN INTO THE kITCHEN AND SCREAMED.My mom had to put a band aid over the pull string until I got over my fear of her. I wish I had kept her,
Lisa Hall
1955
lisabug55@yahoo.com
This memory was added on: July 16,2004
I got my Chatty-Cathy doll for Christmas in 1962, from my Aunt. I loved my "Chatty Cathy" doll - it had brown hair like mine. It was my favorite doll until the TV show "The Twilight Zone", (which I always watched), came out with the episode where this talking doll, who looked just like my "Chatty-Cathy" killed a man ( on "The Twilight Zone",the man who was killed was a father who had given the doll to his daughter, but then he tried to get rid of the doll because it was bad, but the doll lay on the stairs and tripped him on purpose)after that "Twilight Zone" episode, I never played with my "Chatty-Cathy" doll anymore, and neither did any of my friends with "Chatty-Cathy" dolls who saw that "Twilight Zone" episode (that "Twilight Zone" episode was really popular - just about every kid I knew saw it!) after that "Twilight Zone" episode, I "retired" my "Chatty-Cathy" to the basement somewhere, I think! :) :)
Kay
2/13/56
This memory was added on: July 5,2004
I was 8 years old and very wary about the existence of dear old Santa. I so much wanted a Chatty Cathy for Christmas that year. While visiting my grandparents my younger brother and I opened the linen closet only to find a brown bag with a "Kiddie City" logo. I, in my attempt to find proof of my already waning thoughts of Santa, decided to make a tear in the bag. When I did, I saw the red Mattel sign on a blue box. I quickly took my brother into another room and confided to him that if I received my Chatty Cathy on Christmes and that she was in a blue box with the Mattel logo, then we were absolutely certain that there was no Santa. On Christmas day there was no surprise regarding my favorite doll......Freddie and I really knew.
Patti Cullen
1953
funone3668@comcast.net
This memory was added on: July 2,2004
I use to love to torture my sisters chatty cathy by letting the dog fetch it as if it were a frisbee
GIjoe
1966
This memory was added on: June 10,2004
I was always a tomboy ... but mom insisted she'd try one last time and buy me this great doll for christmas. Just a few days later, Mom and Dad pulled up to the house from work to see me running after my older brother pointing the new "chatty Cathy" doll at him. We had taken her apart to see how she could talk ... when we (tried) to put her back together all you got when you pulled the string was the sound of a machine gun. NOW it was just what I wanted.
L
1960
shttygrin@yahoo.com
This memory was added on: February 1,2004
Chatty Cathy was the nick-name my Daddy gave me. I talked all of the time and so did she. I still to this day have my Chatty Cathy doll. She doesn't talk anymore and she is worse for wear but, she is still mine and loved. Cathy
Cathy Fisher
1959
luv4yorkies@aol.com
This memory was added on: July 10,2003
For all those girls out there who are named Cathy or Kathy,,do you remember the stupid jokes we had to listen to??? I was not fond of Chatty Cathy, and my mom had the sense not to buy her for me! She waited until another similiar doll came out! Signed "Kathy"
Kathy Recicar
1954
precicar@gogbn.com
This memory was added on: May 30,2003
We didn't have very much money when I was growing and I was the only girl out of four kids. One Christmas I was shocked and thrilled when I got a Chatty Cathy from santa. She had long blonde braids just like mine and I was the happiest girl in the world that day. I was a tomboy most of the time but every once in a while it was fun to go up to my bedroom and play with some girl stuff. Well, as usual my brothers got bored with what they were doing and came looking to tease or bother me. I didn't have to let them into my room. They all had to share a bedroom and were mad that I had my own private room and that I didn't have to share stuff with them when I was in there. One day the next summer my dad was at work and my mom had gone into town to grocery shop and I saw my upstairs bedroom window open up and a board slid out. My oldest brother hollered down and said "let's see if Chatty Cathy can walk the plank. He pulled her cord and then set her near the end of the board and rocked it back and forth so that she seemed to be walking the plank. I tried to get in the house but he had locked the door. I ran over to see if I could catch her, but she crashed onto the sidewalk right in front of me and was totally smashed and then her voice slowly died away. I can't tell you how sad I was, (I'm actually starting to cry as I type this). He got punished, but he didn't care and for years he laughed about it and told everybody the story and pretty much everybody laughed and said, "what a shame". Well, I just won a very expensive Chatty Cathy doll on ebay. She has long blonde hair that used to be braided and she looks so beautiful in her picture that I can't wait to get her. I'm sure there will be tears that day too. I just wanted to share my story. Thanks
Ginger
1957
gmlshops@aol.com
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