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Elliot Handler

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (April 9, 1916-July 21, 2011)
    Born in Chicago, Illinois
    Cofounded Mattel with his wife Ruth and Harold Matson (1945)
    Creator of the Chatty Cathy doll and Hot Wheels

Why he might be annoying:

    The first successful toy he and Matson designed was a miniature piano that received 300,000 orders; unfortunately, they had mispriced it, so they lost a dime on each one sold.
    He opposed marketing the Barbie doll, telling his wife, 'No mother is ever going to buy her daughter a doll with breasts.'
    He and Ruth were ousted from Mattel over allegations of financial mismanagement (1975).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He met Ruth at a B'nai B'rith dance for teens.
    He and Ruth were married for 64 years.
    The company he cofounded became the largest toymaker in the US.
    He and Ruth were the first living inductees into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame (1989).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 7 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying