The Hugga Bunch
| The Hugga Bunch | |
|---|---|
| Type | Action figures |
| Company | Kenner |
| Country | United States |
| Availability | 1985– |
The Hugga Bunch was a 1980s toy line from the Kenner company and Hallmark Cards.
Toy Line
Starting in early 1985, the Kenner company and Hallmark Cards[1][2] manufactured the Hugga Bunch dolls, each of which held a smaller doll called a "huglet" in their arms.[3] During that year, the line generated over US$40 million in sales.[4]
The title characters in the franchise lived in a place called "Huggaland".
Film
| The Hugga Bunch | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Gus Jekel |
| Written by | David Swift |
| Budget | US$1.4 million[5] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Release date | 1985 |
The toys inspired The Hugga Bunch, a 1985 television film produced by Filmfair Communications.
Written by David Swift and directed by Gus Jekel, it earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Visual Effects. Produced for US$1.4 million, it was the most expensive TV special ever produced at the time.[5] Along with a making-of special, it was released on VHS, LaserDisc and Beta by Vestron Video's Children's Video Library.[6] Whether it will be released on DVD and/or Blu-ray remains to be seen.
Plot
In the film, a girl travels through her mirror into HuggaLand to find a way to keep her grandmother—the only one who knows how to hug—young.
Cast
- Gennie James - Bridget Severson
- Natalie Masters - Grams Severson
- Terry Castillo - Huggins
- Tony Urbano - Hugsy
- Aarika Wells - Queen Admira
- Carl Steven - Andrew Severson
- Susan Mullen - Janet Severson
- Mark Withers - Parker Severson
- Kelly Britt - Aunt Ruth
References
- ↑ Haynes, Kevin (1985-06-18). "Licensing show spurs vendors, but retail turnout disappoints". Women's Wear Daily (WWD) (Fairchild Publications) (149): 15.
- ↑ Haynes, Kevin (1985-03-11). "A matter of character". Women's Wear Daily (WWD) (Fairchild Publications) (149): Y50.
- ↑ "Pound Puppies, Hugga Bunch to seek plush stardom". Discount Store News (Lebhar-Friedman Inc.) (24): 41. 1985-02-18.
- ↑ Forbes 140 (10–14): 192. 1987.
In 1985 Kenner Parker sold about $40 million worth of its Hugga Bunch doll, good for a new toy. Sad to say, Kenner Parker manufactured dolls valued at $60 million.
Missing or empty|title=(help); - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Television/Radio Age (Television Editorial Corp.) 33: 49. 1985 http://books.google.com/books?id=Bli4AAAAIAAJ&q=Hugga+Bunch&dq=Hugga+Bunch&hl=en. Retrieved 2010-09-03. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "These Hugs Are Worth Millions!" (ADVERTISEMENT). Billboard (VNU/Nielsen Business Media) 97 (51): 35. 1985-12-21. Retrieved 2010-09-03.