The SunShine Family

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I'm surprised I'm doing this update because these figures kind of gave me the creeps as a kid. The Sunshine Family were devised by Mattel as grown up hippies now starting their families in the middle of the "Me Decade". These extremely large eyed figures had a real folk art scene going on and remained popular for four years.


More Girl's Toys at Plaidstallions:

1976 Mattel Superstar Christmas Fun Book

1980 Barbie Catalog

While girls were playing with the Sunshine family in North America, kids in the UK and Europe got Havoc a female super agent with a really big head. It's a really neat look into a relatively obscure toy line.

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


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[SainthoodDenied]

They are definately freaky looking with those . I picked up several of them a few years ago in a box of old toys I got at a auction. Sold them on ebay and they did ok but the pair that went crazy and shocked me was the grandma and grandpa in thanksgiving pilgrim outfits, a few bidders fought it out to the end for them

Chad

[toys2cool]

lol! yeah i still find them a little weird myself i think I still got a few i got at the flea market for like $.50 a piece a year ago

[Marvelmania]

THE EYES! It's the EYES!

[HardyGirl]

I always liked the Sunshine Family, and played w/ my friend's Sandra's set when I went to her house. Though I didn't have any as a kid, I do now. They're a fave w/ the younger girls who have come to my house over the years.

[HardyGirl]

That Havoc stuff is pretty cool, though I think the original doll is kinda wimpy looking. The gear is way cool though! I guess the Brits were more progressive than we were on this side of the pond, b/c we never had a cool super agent chick! The closest we got were Charlie's Angels!

His modern doll looks like a revised Bratz doll.

[jwyblejr]

Forget the eyes. What's really creepy are those beards on the grandfathers.

[Bizarro Amy]

I like the Havoc doll. I've never heard of her before. I love that Villany in Venice outfit. She kind of looks like a female Zorro in it. I wonder how well the costumes would fit Mego females?

[z3zep]

but the pair that went crazy and shocked me was the grandma and grandpa in thanksgiving pilgrim outfits, a few bidders fought it out to the end for them
Chad

^^^ Cool, I still have the Grandparents in the Pilgrims outfits.

I had them when I was a little girl and loved them. I also had the house, it was rare for me to get any playsets, so that was super cool to me.

The baby was my favorite. I had the blond that came with the set and an add on red headed baby.

[EmergencyIan]

Those things really flip me out, maan!

- Ian

[Captain]

My Sister had the Sunshine family, and another hippie family that was made by Mattel. They came in a fold out van and the guy had a porn stache and wore a denim suit....Dont remember what his wife was wearing. I used to "borrow" the guys outfits to use for secret identity clothing for assorted Mego heroes....at least until my sister came looking for 'em....then it was war!

[Earth 2 Chris]

Oddly enough, even though my wife has collected Barbies for years, I'd never really seen the Sunshine Family until recently. I heard her mention them, but I though they were just an earlier version of the Barbie-like "Heart Family" from the late 80s. Boy, was I wrong!

Looking at the catalog pages, I wonder if Mattel wasn't trying to be progressive with the "unwed" aunt and cousin figure combo.

Those grandparents are truely frightening. The alien mammals that have symbiotically attached themselves to their faces must be destroyed.

Chris

[misterdroid]

Havoc is sort of amazing. So... Americans get hippies settling down and Europe gets Women kicking ***... Hmm.