The Mrs. Beasley Doll -
A Treasured Companion of the Late 1960’s

Author: Anika Logan

I don’t know what my childhood years would have been like without my much-loved Mrs. Beasley doll at my side and I wouldn’t wanted to have known. I am certain that many other young girls shared this sentiment as well. Mrs. Beasley was a faithful companion who had the unique ability of speech. Talking dolls in the sixties were not commonplace at all.

Mrs. Beasley had a very cheerful and interesting appearance to say the least. She had bright yellow short hair, stood approximately twenty-one inches high and had a soft, huggable body. Her dress and tights were a bright blue in color and had white polka dots all over them. She also sported a small blue collar with yellow rick-rack ties around her neck, and her feet were clothed in yellow socks or booties (it’s hard to tell what the manufacturer intended). Mrs. Beasley had a big smile and big happy eyes and she wore a pair of plastic square-rimmed black glasses. The glasses were kind of her trademark, I always thought.

On her back there was a pull string and by pulling on it one got to listen to eleven different phrases, which (in no specific order) were: Do you want to play?, Gracious me, you’re getting to be such a big girl!, If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?, I do think you’re the nicest friend I ever had!, Would you like to try on my glasses? You may if you wish, It would be such fun to play jump rope, don’t you think?, If you were a little smaller, I could rock you to sleep, Do you want to hear a secret? I know one!, Speak a little louder dear, so Mrs. Beasley can hear you, You may call me Mrs. Beasley, would you like to play?, Long ago, I was a little girl, just like you!

The Mattel Company created the Mrs. Beasley doll in 1967. Mrs. Beasley herself got her start as the cherished doll and friend of a character named Buffy on the CBS comedy “Family Affair” which stayed on the air from September 12, 1966 until March 4, 1971. Buffy was played by actress Anissa Jones.

For those of us with fond childhood memories of our loyal companion who was always there to listen to our woes, Mrs. Beasley can still be found, only now it’s via cyberspace. Doll collectors searching for Mrs. Beasley collectibles need look no further than the Internet auctioneer, better known as eBay. If you do your homework, your next bid might bring Mrs. Beasley in all her glory back into your heart and your home.