Mego I dream of Jeannie & Wardrobe

[schnzchx]

Hello, Everyone.

I am actually an I dream of Jeannie collector. I just noticed the Mego I dream of doll and wardrobe. Can anyone tell me if this item was ever made as a prototype? I realized they weren't produced. Obviously there was artwork, but was there ever a prototype produced?

Thanks so much!
Candy

[JediJaida]

Mego never produced the prototype.

Take a peek at megoheadtoys.com, and they will explain everything.

I just spotted a Remco IDoJ doll going for $19.99 on ebay.

From what I could see of the doll, it looked nothing like Barbara Eden, and was based more on the cartoon character, than the sitcom.

[Drain]

megoheadtoys.com doesn't work.

[JediJaida]

Go to the library section of the site. You'll find a listing on the left hand side for megoheadtoys. They have listings of all of the toys that Mego made, or were planning to make, including the ones that never saw production.

[palitoy]

John Bonavita's Megoheadtoys Archive : Mego Corp : Megomuseum.com

We took the site over a while ago.

[johnmiic]

Looking at that art for the proposed toy I have to speculate it was based on the cartoon Jeannie rather than the live action? I mention it because the art specifys some head and pony tail bobbing action and I recall in the cartoon her pony tail seemed to dispense her magic.

[schnzchx]

OK, well, I just ran in a full circle. LOL. I found the original information at the John Bonavita Megomuseum in the first place. I know it states that it was never produced. But I'm asking if anyone knows whether or not a prototype was made?. Thanks for all your help, anyway.

The Remco doll that JediJaida noticed on ebay is the same Remco line that is mentioned in the Mego museum and it was released during the Hanna Barbera Jeannie cartoon series, but modeled after the show (pink and blue costumes). I believe the jeannie and her dream bottle house's release date was in 1976.

In the cartoon version ONLY Jeannie's ponytail flicked with magic and not a blink/nod (i believe). The Mego artwork shows that her head moves up and down.....which is more like a blink and a nod. During the live series she nodded and blinked but her ponytail/wig was actually made to specifically to swish around a lot, but no magic came from it.

Also the outfit on the Mego artwork seems to be modeled more like the series (pink costume) as was the Remco doll (even though the toy coincided with the cartoon show) because the cartoon version has a purple and green costumed Jeannie with red hair.....

The live series ran from 1965-1970, so there's no telling which one the Mego drawings were modeled after. So, unless someone can date the artwork there really isn't a way to tell......

But, thanks so much for all your help! I really appreciate it.

[ctc]

Hey!

That transformation thingie and the different outfits kinda make her into Cutey Honey!

Cutie Honey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I wonder if that's coincidental.

Don C.

[kryptosmaster]

As far as I remember the Jeannie cartoon from the 70's was not the same Jeannie character as the Barbara Eden series. I remember watching both series.
I think they just swiped the name?? That would also explain the discrepancies with her look, hair color & power distribution (blinking vs ponytail).
Rich

[schnzchx]

You are correct in that the cartoon jeannie appeared different than Jeannie in the series. But all the rights were still held by Columbia Tristar Pictures/Screen Gems. And are considered the same Jeannie.

Oddly enough even the the toys came out with the cartoon; the Remco doll was dressed like Jeannie from the I dream of Jeannie series, yet on the packaging was the Jeannie from the cartoon series in the purple and green.

[kryptosmaster]

You are correct in that the cartoon jeannie appeared different than Jeannie in the series. But all the rights were still held by Columbia Tristar Pictures/Screen Gems. And are considered the same Jeannie.

Oddly enough even the the toys came out with the cartoon; the Remco doll was dressed like Jeannie from the I dream of Jeannie series, yet on the packaging was the Jeannie from the cartoon series in the purple and green.

I don't remember any of the toys.
Now you've got me curious though cuz I was pretty sure the cartoon had nothing to do with the original series. Haven't seen it since it was first-run so who knows? I gotta look that up. LOL
Rich

update:
Well one website does say it was 'based on' the Barbara Eden show but why would they go so far as to make all those changes (hair, outfit, ponytail power, Babu, different master, different age, etc etc) if they were basing it on the orig series? Doesn't make much sense. They were probably just doing a "Tim Burton Planet of the Apes" move and reimagining I Dream of Jeannie in name only if that story is true?

[schnzchx]

I don't remember any of the toys.
Now you've got me curious though cuz I was pretty sure the cartoon had nothing to do with the original series. Haven't seen it since it was first-run so who knows? I gotta look that up. LOL
Rich

Oh, believe me, I've been a life long fan of I dream of Jeannie and have most of the collectibles that have been available. The Remco doll has the Columbia Pictures Tristar copyright on the back. It is owned by Screen Gems/Sony.

But your memory serves you correctly.....The cartoon was totally different from the live show and it came out nearly years 10 after the live show premiered. Although the both were different, they were still owned by the same entity.

Feel free to stop over at I Dream of Jeannie Fans to check things out.