Uglydolls

Uglydoll
Product type Plush toys
Owner Pretty Ugly, LLC
Country United States
Introduced 2001
Markets World
Website http://www.uglydolls.com/

Uglydoll is a brand based upon a line of plush toys which began as a long distance letter between the creators David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim. The Uglydoll line was first launched in January 2001 and is distinguished by its definition of the word "ugly." In the "uglyverse," ugly means unique and special, that we should be celebrating that which makes us different, never hiding the twists or turns which make us who we are, inside and out.

Uglydolls were awarded the Specialty Toy of the Year award by the Toy Industry Association in 2006.[1] [2]

History

David Horvath, the creator of Uglydolls, at the 2012 Free Comic Book Day
Sun-Min Kim and David Horvath, the creators of Uglydolls, at the 2012 Free Comic Book Day

The name of the brand is actually UGLYDOLL with no "s" at the end. It started with a letter David Horvath wrote to Sun-Min Kim just after she had to move away due to a student visa expiring, long before they were married. That letter had a cartoon of his character Wage at the bottom saying: "Working hard to make our dreams come true so we can be together again soon" next to it. That dream was to tell stories through books and toys. As a surprise gift Sun-Min sewed a doll of Wage, and sent it to David in the mail. David showed Wage to his pal Eric Nakamura, owner of the Giant Robot magazine and store, who thought David was pitching him a product and immediately ordered a few more for his shop. David wrote to Sun Min asking her to sew more, while sending emails with stories about Wage, Babo and Ice-Bat's first ever adventure, soon to become Chilly Chilly Ice-Bat.

Uglydoll Characters

2000-2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2016 (upcoming)

Uglybuddies

DC Comics

Limited Editions

2003-2006

2007

2009

2010

2012

2013

Non-Produced Uglydolls

These Uglydolls were sewn by Sun Min, but they were never produced.

Evolved Uglydolls

These characters evolved into other existing characters. Here are those characters' names and who they later became.

Action Figures

2002 (Critterbox 7-8" vinyl)

2009 (3" Vinyl)

2010 (3" Vinyl)

2011 (3" Vinyl)

Appearances in popular culture

In the 2007 film Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, the Uglydolls Wage, Ice Bat, and Tray were seen in the store, and were animated to dance near the end of the film.

On her first day of school in 2009, Sasha Obama, U.S. President Barack Obama's daughter, wore a Babo's Bird keychain on her backpack.[31]

A Coldy-Holdy Ice Bat is seen in FAO Schwarz in the 2011 film "The Smurfs".

An IceBat was seen twice in the 2007 Disney film "Enchanted" sitting with other stuffed toys in the bedroom.

A Wippy Uglydoll was seen in the January 23, 2013 "Get Fuzzy" comic strip.

An IceBat is in several scenes in the film "Zathura, as is a Wedgehead t-shirt."

Uglydoll Action Figures can be seen in the background on bookshelves in the British comedy show, "The IT Crowd."

Film

In May 2011, it was announced that Illumination Entertainment had acquired rights to Uglydolls to make an animated feature film.[32] Four years later, Variety reported that an animated film based on Uglydolls will be the first project produced by STX Entertainment's new family and animation division.[33]

References

  1. "Uglydolls Win Specialty Toy of the Year" plasticandplush.com; February 18, 2006
  2. Toy Industry Association 2006 Award Winning Products and Nominees List of awards. Retrieved July 2012.
  3. uglydolls (October 10, 2011). "10th anniversary Wage. An exact replica of the very first Uglydoll, sewn by Sun-Min, coming early 2012 http://yfrog.com/mer96ejj". Twitter. Retrieved December 26, 2011. External link in |title= (help)
  4. Kipper, Natalie (July 6, 2012). "Uglydoll's Power Babo fully revealed!". Tomopop. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
  5. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4395026849/
  6. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/7014278619/
  7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4788873928
  8. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/6346273048/
  9. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/9081101600/
  10. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4788874904/
  11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/9078875355/
  12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/7305764916
  13. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/8384155189/
  14. 1 2 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/8385238640/
  15. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/12682627585/
  16. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/12682765653/
  17. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4788869074/
  18. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4788872188/
  19. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4788238449/
  20. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jcsivy/4788864646/
  21. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/6634789615/in/set-72157623617708306
  22. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4260202221/
  23. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4638217040/
  24. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4340235760/
  25. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4173109697/
  26. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4347543365/
  27. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4524996631/
  28. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4530877064/
  29. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/4825414873/
  30. http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryoneilphotography/5824987450/
  31. "Sasha Obama Gives Uglydoll Her Special Sassy Seal of Approval" brandfreak.com; January 14, 2009
  32. Fleming, Mike (May 26, 2011). "Chris Meledandri's Illumination To Turn Uglydoll Into Animated Film". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
  33. Lang, Brent (May 28, 2015). "STX Entertainment Plans Uglydoll Film, Launches Family Division (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2015.

External links

Official Links

Fan Links

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