Troll doll

A troll doll (Danish: Gjøltrold) is a type of plastic doll with furry up-combed hair depicting a troll, also known as a Dam doll after their creator Danish woodcutter Thomas Dam. The inspiration came from trolls in old Scandinavian folklore.[1] The toys are also known as good luck trolls, or gonk trolls in the United Kingdom.

Troll doll
A "wizard" troll doll, manufactured by Russ Berrie in the 1990s
TypeDoll
Inventor(s)Thomas Dam
CompanyDam family (1959–2013)
DreamWorks Animation (2013–present)
CountryDenmark
Availability1959–present

The dolls were first created in the late 1950s, and introduced in 1959, before becoming one of the United States' biggest toy fads in the early 1960s. They became briefly popular again during the 1970s through the 1990s and were copied by several manufacturers under different names. During the 1990s, several video games and a video show were created based on troll dolls.

In 2003, the Dam company restored the United States copyrights for the trolls, stopping unlicensed production.

In 2005, the Dam company licensed the brand to DIC Entertainment, who attempted to modernize the brand by creating a cartoon under the name Trollz,[2] but the show only lasted one season.[3] The failed cartoon also lead into a lawsuit [4] followed by a counter-claim lawsuit.[5]

In 2013, the brand was bought by DreamWorks Animation,[6] with an animated feature film called Trolls being released in 2016, a sequel being released in 2020, and another sequel set to be released in 2023.[7][8]

Toy history

Troll dolls were created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam. Dam could not afford a Christmas gift for his young daughter Lila and carved the doll from his imagination. Other children in the Danish town of Gjøl saw the doll and wanted one.[9][10] Dam's company Dam Things began producing the dolls in plastic under the name Good Luck Trolls.[11] It became popular in several European countries during the early 1960s, shortly before they were introduced in the United States. They became one of the United States' biggest toy fads from the autumn of 1963 to 1965. The originals were of the highest quality, also called Dam dolls and featuring sheep wool hair and glass eyes. Their sudden popularity, along with an error in the copyright notice of Thomas Dam's original product, resulted in cheaper imitations.

A collection of troll dolls.

The Dam company never stopped its production of trolls in Denmark, where they were always a popular item. In the late 1980s, the Dam trolls started making another comeback in North America. E.F.S. Marketing Associates, Inc. was one of the few corporations granted permission to import and market the Thomas Dam trolls for resale in the United States. These Dam Trolls were marketed under the trade name of Norfin Trolls, with an "Adopt A Norfin Troll" logo on the tags.

During the period of popularity in the early to mid-1990s, several attempts were made to market the troll dolls to young boys. This included action figure lines such as The Original Battle Trolls from Hasbro, the Stone Protectors franchise, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Trolls. The popular Mighty Max line also had a series named Hairy Heads, also known as Dread Heads.

In 2003, the Dam copyright was restored by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. The Uneeda Doll Company, a company that made millions of US dollars by manufacturing troll dolls in the U.S., challenged the restoration. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the lower court's preliminary injunction, enjoining Uneeda from manufacturing, distributing, or selling "Wish-nik" troll dolls.[12] The Toy Industry Association named troll dolls in its Century of Toys List, a list of the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th century.[13]

In 2005, Dam licensed the trolls to DIC Entertainment as Trollz. With this, the licensing campaign saw the troll dolls being pushed towards young girls, featuring products such as fashion dolls and fashion accessories.[14] The campaign failed and eventually lead into a lawsuit.

In 2007, DIC sued the Dam company, claiming that they alleged claims of fraud in the inducement and negligent misrepresentation in connection with Dam's troll doll, and DIC's Trollz, which was created after DIC licensed the brand from Dam.[15] Dam counter-sued DIC, claiming that the company financially misrepresented its ability to create and market a modern troll doll toy campaign and destroyed the image and goodwill of the doll.[16]

In 2013, DreamWorks Animation acquired the intellectual property for the Trolls franchise from the Dam Family and Dam Things and became the exclusive worldwide licensor of the merchandise rights, except for Scandinavia, where Dam Things remains the licenser.[6]

In entertainment

Television and film

In 1991, Créativité & Développement released a cartoon special called The Magic Trolls and the Troll Warriors, the special featured Magic Trolls battling against King Nolaf and his Troll Warriors.[17]

In 1992, DIC (who would later produce Trollz in 2005) released a half hour special called Super Trolls. The special featured three heroic trolls who fight an evil troll named Craven. The special was released on VHS by Buena Vista Home Video.[18]

In that same year, a direct-to-video sing-along special was released titled The Trollies Radio Show, with puppet trolls singing somewhat dated hits such as "Kokomo", "Woolly Bully", and "Do Wah Diddy", as well as some original songs.[19]

Also in the same year, GoodTimes Entertainment released a direct-to-video sing along series Treehouse Trolls. The two videos were Treehouse Trolls Forest of Fun and Wonder and Treehouse Trolls Birthday Day.

In 1993, Graz Entertainment and Sachs TV Entertainment released an action cartoon based on the troll dolls called Stone Protectors. The show featured a kingdom built out of crystals that came under attack by the reptilian troll-like Saurians their leader, Zok, desired the powerful crystals protected by the Empress. Zok broke into the castle and reached for the crystals only to see them explode into pieces and fly to the Earth.

In 2005, DIC as part of a licensing campaign with Dam, they produced Trollz. A cartoon that featured five teenage girl trolls named after the gems on their belly buttons, their names are Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, and Onyx. The trolls call themselves the “Best Friends for Life.”. They live in a city called Trollzopolis. A city within a magical world. They use magic to help them with their everyday life. They also save the world from an evil green gremlin named Simon and his red monster dog friend named Snarf.

In 2016, following DreamWorks’ purchase of the troll property, they produced Trolls. A 3D computer-animated musical comedy film based on the Troll dolls. The film was released on November 4, 2016.[20] It was directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Walt Dohrn, with Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake providing the voices of Poppy and Branch.[21] A sequel, Trolls World Tour, was scheduled for theatrical release on April 10, 2020, in North America. The film was originally planned to be released theatrically in the United States on this day, but the film was released simultaneously in drive-in theaters, as regular movie theaters closed due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and through Premium VOD in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, South Korea and Italy.[22][23] This affected the number of projections and the box office performance of the film. As the pandemic receded, the film was released back in regular movie theaters. Another sequel, Trolls Band Together is scheduled for a theatrical-exclusive release on November 17, 2023.[24]

Video games

A platform video game simply titled Trolls was released in 1993 for Amiga, DOS, and Commodore 64.[25] Other games released were Trolls on Treasure Island, a modified re-release of Dudes with Attitude and The Trolls in Crazyland, a localized version of Doki! Doki! Yūenchi: Crazy Land Daisakusen for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and Super Troll Islands for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Pop culture references in other shows and films

In Disney/Pixar's Toy Story, 1, 2, and 3. Andy had a troll doll with a blue bikini with white flowers. Toy Story 3 also featured trolls in a toy train coach when Andy was playing with his toys and using his imagination, and featured trolls in Sunnyside Daycare.

In the Fox show The Simpsons, Bart Simpson was playing with a troll doll in church.

In another Fox show, King of the Hill, Bobby Hill had a collection of troll dolls in his bedroom.

In yet another Fox show, Family Guy, Peter Griffin transformed into a wishing troll.

In the Adult Swim show Robot Chicken, there featured a treasure troll that went on a date and found out he had troll AIDS.

In the web series Annoying Orange, there featured three trolls who told troll jokes to Orange, Pear, Midget Apple, and Marshmallow.

See also

References
  1. Jacob Osborn, Peter Richman (5 December 2022). "Top holiday toys from the year you were born". Top holiday toys from the year you were born. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  2. Sheff, David (4 January 2005). "New Babes in Toyland: Trollz". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  3. Trollz (Animation, Adventure, Comedy), DIC Entertainment, Dam, Mélusine Productions, 3 October 2005, retrieved 26 December 2022
  4. "DIC Entertainment slaps Troll Company with US$20 million lawsuit".
  5. "Lawsuit Charges Fraud In Deals for Iconic Troll Doll; DIC Entertainment Cynically Concealed Financial Woes - 31/10/07 - 305539". elEconomista.es. 31 October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  6. "DreamWorks Animation Acquires IP For Trolls With Plans To Take Iconic Dolls' Brand (And Hair) To New Heights". DreamWorks Animation. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
  7. "DreamWorks Animation to Bring Trolls Out of Hiding". DreamWorks Animation. 23 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  8. Chitwood, Adam (16 May 2013). "DreamWorks Animation Moves B.O.O. Release Up to June 5, 2015 and TROLLS to November 4, 2016; Fox Dates ANUBIS and FERDINAND". Collider.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  9. "www.goodlucktrolls.com". Good Luck Trolls. www.goodlucktrolls.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009.
  10. "Learn About Troll Dolls Including History and Collecting Information". The Spruce Crafts. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  11. "Timeline". Good Luck Troll. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  12. "FindLaw's United States Second Circuit case and opinions". Findlaw. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  13. "Toy Industry Association Announces Its Century of Toys List". IndexArticles. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "DIC Entertainment slaps Troll Company with US$20 million lawsuit".
  16. "Lawsuit Charges Fraud In Deals for Iconic Troll Doll; DIC Entertainment Cynically Concealed Financial Woes - 31/10/07 - 305539". elEconomista.es. 31 October 2007. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
  17. The Magic Trolls and the Troll Warriors
  18. DataBase, The Big Cartoon. "The Super Trolls (DiC Entertainment)". Big Cartoon DataBase (BCDB). Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  19. Page, Greg (1 January 1992), Trollies Radio Show Sing-A-Long (Short, Family, Musical), Inspired Corporation, retrieved 26 December 2022
  20. DreamWorks Animation SKG (23 June 2010). "DreamWorks Animation to Bring Trolls Out of Hiding" (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  21. Lieberman, David (15 September 2015). "Justin Timberlake To Add His Voice To DreamWorks Animation's 'Trolls'". Deadline. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  22. Fuster, Jeremy (16 March 2020). "Universal to Release 'Trolls World Tour' for Digital Rental on Same Day as Theatrical Release". TheWrap. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  23. Rubin, Rebecca (9 April 2020). "'Trolls World Tour' Straight to Streaming — Sign of the Times or the New Normal?". Variety. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  24. D'Alessandro, Anthony (22 November 2021). "'Trolls 3' Lands Release Date, DreamWorks Animation Title Will Be Exclusive Theatrical". Deadline. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  25. Trolls 1993 Computer game at MobyGames
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