Who was Barbie creator Ruth Handler? When did she found Mattel, net worth - is she in the movie?

After much anticipation the Barbie movie has finally landed in cinemas, and, along with Christopher Nolan's historical biopic Oppenheimer, has reenergised the global box office.

The film follows the life of doll Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) and her friend Ken (Ryan Gosling) as they depart Barbieland for an adventure in the real world - just so we're clear that's the plot of Barbie, not Oppenheimer.

Barbie is one of the most enduring pieces of American pop culture - up there with Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, and apple pie, the plastic doll is a symbol known around the world.

But Barbie's creator, Ruth Handler is less well-known, despite the huge impact that she had on the children's toy industry. This is everything you need to know about Barbie's 'mom', Ruth Handler:

Who was Ruth Handler?

Ruth Handler was born in the US in 1916 - she began her business career just before the Second World War, working alongside her husband, Elliot, in a furniture business.

She and Elliot started the toy company Mattel, which specialised in plastic products, during the war. They later had two children, Barbara and Kenneth (can you see where this is going?)   

Mattel became a very successful business within a few years of its launch, taking in millions of dollars in revenue annually (tens of millions in today’s money). On a family trip to Europe, Ruth saw a doll shaped like an adult that was unlike the children’s dolls on the market in the US at the time, and the inspiration for the Barbie doll took root.

In 1959 Barbie, named after Ruth’s daughter, made its debut, with a wardrobe of different doll outfits to be purchased separately. Around 300,000 dolls were sold in the year of Barbie’s release and Mattel was taken public the following year with an evaluation of $10 million.

In 1961 the Ken doll, named after Ruth’s son, hit the market as Barbie’s plastic boyfriend.  

Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1970s and had a mastectomy. During her health battle she resigned as the president of Mattel, but later worked on a product line of breast prosthesis. 

A fraud investigation into Mattel took place in the mid-1970s and in 1978 Ruth was charged with fraud and false reporting to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. She was fined $57,000 and sentenced to 2,500 hours of community service.

Through her success in business, Ruth is estimated to have amassed a net worth of around $100 million by the time that she died.

Ruth died in 2002, her husband Elliot died in 2011. Their son had died of a brain tumour in 1994, whilst daughter Barbara is still alive, aged 82. Speaking of the Barbie movie, she said she thought her mother would be proud to see the doll be brought to life in a major Hollywood production.

Does Ruth Handler feature in the Barbie movie?

Ruth Handler died in 2002, aged 85, and so does not feature in the Barbie movie herself, but her character is played by Matilda star Rhea Perlman. 

After being chased through Mattel HQ, Margot Robbie’s Barbie comes face to face with Ruth, or rather her friendly ghost form. 

Ruth’s ghost acts as a surrogate mother and protector to the doll, as she helps her to adapt to life in the real world.

There had also been speculation that Ruth’s daughter, Barbara, who was the inspiration for the Barbie doll, has a cameo in the movie. There is a scene in which Barbie sits next to an old woman on a bench and tells her she is beautiful. 

However, the woman is not played by Barbara, as many fans believed, but by Oscar-winning costume designer Ann Roth.