World War II veteran responsible for Mattel, Barbie, Hot Wheels, He-Man, Polly Pocket and more

By Joel Searls

Published Jan 13, 2025 5:58 AM PST

Reviewed By Tessa Robinson

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Long Beach, CA - July 06: Larry Wood, a Hot Wheels toy designer for 50 years, is being inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit on July 20. His garage is practically a living history of Hot Wheels and all things automotive, from classic cars to classic gas pumps, in Long Beach on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Wood worked for Mattel Toys in El Segundo and has been a resident of Redondo Beach for over 5 decades. He still plays with cars, big and small, at the age of 81. (Photo by Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)
Long Beach, CA - July 06: Larry Wood, a Hot Wheels toy designer for 50 years, is being inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in Detroit on July 20. His garage is practically a living history of Hot Wheels and all things automotive, from classic cars to classic gas pumps, in Long Beach on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Wood worked for Mattel Toys in El Segundo and has been a resident of Redondo Beach for over 5 decades. He still plays with cars, big and small, at the age of 81. (Photo by Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images) MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images

Mattel was founded by Elliot Handler, his wife Ruth Handler and Harold Matson in 1945. Elliot Handler served in the U.S. Army during World War II. The name was created by taking “Matt” from Matson and “El” from Elliot to form Mattel. They first sold picture frames and dollhouse furniture. Matson stepped out of Mattel in 1946 because of health issues and sold his shares to the Handlers. Mattel’s first successful toy was the Uke-A-Doodle, which was a ukulele. The company today is known for its massive toy lines and media projects such as Hot Wheels, Barbie, Matchbox, Fisher Price, UNO, Masters of the Universe (He-Man), Polly Pocket and many more. Mattel also holds the licensing rights for Warner Brothers cartoons like Bugs Bunny and DC Comics figures like Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman.

Hot Wheels Main Line of cars. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and Benedict Lang.

Elliot led Mattel through the 50s and 60s with incredible success, from making the first talking doll, Chatty Cathy, to toys from cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Porky Pig and for popular shows like The Munsters and Mr. Ed. He even created the Hot Wheels product line in 1968, which now has over 10,000 different models. His wife, Ruth, created Barbie in 1959 and served as the company’s first president from 1945 to 1975. The Handlers both left Mattel under unfortunate circumstances in 1975, however their leadership, legacy and creative innovations have remained mainstays in American culture for both kids and adults.

A portrait of Ruth and Elliott Handler, the couple who introduced the Barbie doll in 1959, holding a Barbie and Ken doll. The couple will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Doll Reader magazine.
A portrait of Ruth and Elliott Handler, the couple who introduced the Barbie doll in 1959, holding a Barbie and Ken doll. The couple will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Doll Reader magazine. Getty Images. Bettmann

Ruth was portrayed by Rhea Perlman (Cheers) in the 2023 blockbuster Barbie. A feature is planned for both Hot Wheels and Masters of the Universe in the coming years. Mattel Films will continue to develop its successful toy lines into feature films. Ultra producer and writer JJ Abrams helms the Hot Wheels film, which is being written by Dalton Leeb and Nicholas Jacobsen-Larson. The film will be produced by Warner Brothers and Mattel Films and is scheduled to be ready for release likely in 2026.

The title card for the He-Man cartoon show. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Masters of the Universe is a media franchise created by Mattel. Although featuring a vast line-up of characters, the main premise revolves around the conflict between the heroic He-Man and the evil Skeletor on planet Eternia. Since its initial launch late 1981, the franchise has spawned a variety of products, including six lines of action figures, four animated television series, several comic series, and a feature film. Photo taken at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo, BMO Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Next in line for Mattel’s films is Masters of the Universe, which is about He-Man fighting his arch nemesis Skeletor in Eternia. The toy line was introduced by Mattel in 1982 and was a mainstay among kids in the 1980s. A feature film was made in 1987 with Dolph Lundgren starring, which sadly did not fare well with the critics or at the box office. The new film, slated for release in 2026, already has top-level talent attached, with Travis Knight directing, Christ Butler writing the script, and Oscar-winning actor Jared Leto portraying Skeletor. The project has a strong supporting cast as well and will look to take Mattel to further heights at the box office. All of these projects, toys and films from a military veteran husband and wife duo that started in 1945.

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Joel Searls

Senior Contributor, Marine Corps Veteran

Joel Searls is a journalist, writer, and creative who serves as a major in the Marine Corps Reserve as a civil affairs officer and COMMSTRAT officer. He works in entertainment while writing for We Are The Mighty, Military.com, and The Leatherneck. Joel has completed the Writer’s Guild Foundation Veterans Writing Project, is a produced playwright (Antioch), a commission screenwriter, and Entertainment consultant. His most recent feature film-producing project is “Running with the Devil,” a top 10 film on Netflix written and directed by Jason Cabell, a retired Navy SEAL. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University. You can check out more of his work on his blog and on The Samurai Pulse.

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