Cabbage Patch Kids Documentary Tells Story of 1980s Phenomenon
NBCUniversal is bringing the nostalgia this weekend with a documentary about the popular 1980s dolls, the Cabbage Patch Kids, with Neil Patrick Harris narrating the special.
According to The Wrap, Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids will trace the success story of the dolls from the marketing of BabyLand General Hospital in Georgia, where children “adopted” the dolls and pledged to love and care for them, to the business deal that gave rise to utter retail pandemonium. It will also cover the ongoing dispute over who originated the idea.
Xavier Roberts, whose Little People soft-sculptured dolls inspired the Cabbage Patch Kids, will be interviewed in the documentary. Other figures appearing in the doc include Della Tolhurst, who served as president of Roberts’ company for over three decades; veteran journalist Connie Chung, who provides insight into the media frenzy; Roger Schlaifer, who sold the licensing rights to Coleco; and Al Khan, the former Coleco marketing head who helped take the business worldwide.
The documentary comes from NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and Believe Entertainment Group and will stream on the Tribeca at Home platform on June 11. In addition to narrating, Harris is also on board as an executive producer. Andrew Jenks directs.
“We’re thrilled to have partnered with Believe on this incredibly fun film that pulls the curtain back on one of the most beloved toys of all time,” said Tracie Wilson, Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal Syndication Studios and E! News (via The Wrap). “Looking to the future and expanding the breadth of content we produce is vitally important to us and this project is an entertaining and modern take on a completely unexpected retro occurrence that jolted pop culture.”
Believe producer Dan Goodman added, “We’re extremely excited to be able to document such an iconic moment in American pop culture. Cabbage Patch Kids were not only an indelible part of growing up in the ’80s, but it was also an inauspicious turning point for us that went far beyond the toy itself and would redefine holiday shopping forever.”
Billion Dollar Babies: The True Story of the Cabbage Patch Kids, Premieres, Saturday, June 11, 8 pm ET, Tribeca at Home
