Share this on

Hairspray Doll Line

By Tina Benitez -- Gifts and Dec, 2/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Nearly 19 years after the release of the original film, Los Angeles-based New Line Cinema is bringing a feature adaptation of John Waters's 1988 movie and the subsequently Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray back to theaters—and has authorized a doll line to go with it. Play Along, Deerfield, Fla., has signed on to produce a series of dolls 10½ to 12 inches tall based on characters from the summer 2007 movie that stars John Travolta, Amanda Bynes, Christopher Walken and Michelle Pfeiffer.

The first wave of dolls will be out this spring with a second wave in the fall. Jay Foreman, CEO of Play Along, says that one "hook" for the line will be that the Tracy doll, inspired by the lead character, will have the first-ever "plus-sized" fashion doll body.

The line's potential is palpable for Foreman. "I was too young to be in the toy industry when John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John starred in Grease, and I missed the boat on Titanic dolls," says Foreman. "Those were all-time classic films that would have produced a memorable line of collectable fashion dolls. I feel very strongly that this new Hairspray film is going to be a classic along the same line as both of those previous two great movies. I don't want to miss this one!"

David Imhoff, New Line's senior executive vice president of worldwide licensing and merchandising, tells Playthings that the partnership with Play Along was a natural because of the success of their previous partnership on The Lord of the Rings.

The toymaker, though, won't be alone in selling Hairspray merchandise onto store shelves. Several other licensing partners will be announced this spring, Imhoff says. "There's a broad line of apparel and accessories; strong retail partnerships with specialty as well as mass," he explains. "It's going to be a big film for us in the first half of 2007 as well as this summer."

Share this on

Talkback

» Submit Feedback

How,Who,Where, can a company, eh-hem...or myself, contact the necessary office, to obtain a licsense to sell "Hairspray" retail products?

Is anyone able to help?

James Gallucci - 2007-11-21 14:37:00 EST

» More

Disney's Hair Play

Feb 1, 2010

Let There Be Highlights!

Feb 1, 2010

Jazwares signs up for 'A Team' toys

Dec 18, 2009

The Toy Business 2.0

Feb 1, 2009

Game to film

Feb 1, 2006

Also by this author

»MORE

Featured Company

FurnitureCore.com

FurnitureCore.com is a dynamic web application aimed at the furniture industry. Retailers and manufacturers alike will find our deep reserve of tools to be exactly what their furniture business needs.www.furniturecore.com... more