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1963-1967 American Character Dolls: Tressy, Mary Make-Up & Cricket |
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She's 11 1/2" tall teenage fashion doll with growing hair, painted facial features. She's jointed at the neck, arms and legs. All Tressy's were marked on the back of her head "American Char./1963" in a circle.
Her clothing line was called "Budget Fashions" and some of the names are; Pink Champagne, Campus Casual, Shaking the Night Away, Soda Pop Cutie, Car Coat, Chic Shift, Hootenanny, Evening Date on the Beach.
Others in her family are sister Cricket, called Toots in the European market and Tressy's friend Mary Make-up.
Palitoy Company of England marketed the Tressy doll line in the European market and Regal Toy Limited of Toronto, Canada - in the Canadian market.
American Character made a settlement with their creditors in 1967 and went out of business in 1968. Several molds were sold to various doll companies including Ideal & Mattel. In the 1970's Ideal used the grow hair patent for their Crissy and friends, grow hair dolls. |
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Tressy 1963-1967 Shown in her original box with red knit sleeveless dress a white
soutache band around the
arm holes and
1964 Tressy head shot close up - Later Issue First issue Tressy dolls have heavier eye makeup in green eyeliner, later dolls have gray eyeliner.
1965 Tressy Make Up Doll - This doll has the grow hair feature along with a waxy unshiny "make-up" face that you can use cosmetic's to color the dolls face and change the hair color. These products could only be used on these particular dolls. A very coveted doll is the Black Magic Make Up Tressy doll that is an African American - Hi Fashion Cosmetic doll. |
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70211 Tressy - Hi Fashion - 1964-1965
This doll was sold by Regal Toy Limited of Toronto, Canada, - Patent 693746. The box text is in both English and French, you can see the key that was used to insert into the dolls back, then push the button on her tummy to make the hair grow. |
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Mary Make Up 1964-1967
The dolls in this time period all seem to have to do something, Mary's feature was that her face is waxy, so a child could apply make up that later could be easily removed. She's the same size as Tressy and can share her wardrobe. She originally came wearing the same red knit dress as Tressy. She does not have the grow hair feature though.
Photo courtesy Laney Cummings. Offsite link opens in new window visit Laney's - Tressy & family site with lots of dolls and fashions. |
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Cricket 1965-1967 Cricket was introduced as Tressy's little sister, she's about 9 1/2" tall, the first issued doll had long straight hair and bangs. Later dolls have the grow hair feature. She was called Toots in the European market and was produced by Palitoy Company of England. |
Her hair
grows; short, long or in between. Tressy's hair makes her a Queen! 
