Talky Tina Press

Soft-Bodied Talking Doll Repair Kit

Includes Mrs. Beasley, pullstring puppets, Patter Pillows, talking play sets, and other soft-bodied Mattel pullstring talking dolls and toys (see below; click "Doll Index" at left for a more complete list).

A parts kit and complete instructions for repairing the pullstring talking mechanism Mattel used in their classic soft-bodied talking dolls and puppets of the 1960s and 1970s.

Mattel used various versions of their talking mechanism in soft-bodied dolls like Mrs. Beasley, Drowsy, Flip Wilson, and Bernie Bernard--and in hand puppets like The Monkees and Mr. Ed. If you can feel a talkbox shaped like the one in the illustrations below inside your toy or doll, this kit is what you need.

A twenty-two-page, professionally written how-to manual
Eight photos
Spare parts: Two governor belts, two chatty rings (no, not plastic curtain rings--these are the real deal), six feet of white pullstring, six feet of greenstripe pullstring. Enough to repair at least two dolls!

The manual takes you step by step through the repair process. It tells you how to avoid mistakes, and how to fix any errors you do make. Just a few of the topics covered are:

How to recognize the different types of mechanisms before you open them up
How to open a talkbox without ruining it
What to check for once you get it open--and how to fix it
How to put it back together again
Where to get more parts

Information you won't find anywhere else includes:

How to repair scratched records
How to get the spring tension/string length right
Why using ordinary grease on talkers can be disastrous
Why cheap plastic curtain rings don't work as pull rings
How to repair shattered cases so they're stronger than new
How to duplicate the original factory knot used when tying on a new pull ring

A partial list of Mattel dolls, hand puppets, Patter Pillows, yackers (with moving mouth), and play sets that this kit will repair follows (for a more complete list, click "doll and toy index" at left):

Soft-bodied dolls: Baby Boomer, Baby Cheryl, Beany, Beddie Bye Talk, Bozo the Clown, Bugs Bunny, Captain Kangaroo, Cecil the Sea Serpent, Charlie Tuna, Dr. Dolittle, Drowsy, Flip Wilson and Geraldine, Gentle Ben, Grandma and Grandpa, Great Big Beautiful Bertha, Happy Talk, Hedwig Bird, Herman Munster, Horton the Elephant, Humpty Dumpty, King Kong, Lancelot Lion, Linus the Lionhearted, Montana Mouse, Mork from Ork (without backpack), Mother Goose, Mr. Potts, Mrs. Beasley, Pep Talk, Porky Pig, Pushmi-Pullyu, Rascal Rabbit, Santa Claus, Scooba-Doo, T-Bone, Tatters, Tom & Jerry, Woody Woodpecker
Yackers: Baby Say 'n See, Baby Secret, Baby Teenie Talk, Bernie Bernard, Chester O'Chimp, Crackers the Parrot, Larry the Lion, Lilac, Maurice Monkey, Myrtle, Shrinkin' Violet, Sniffy Mint
Hand puppets: Bozo the Clown, Bugs Bunny, The Cat in the Hat, Cecil the Sea Serpent, Dishonest John, Dr. Dolittle, Herman Munster, King Kong, Linus the Lionhearted, The Monkees, Mr. Ed, Off to See the Wizard (of Oz), Popeye, Porky Pig, Tom & Jerry, Woody Woodpecker
Patter Pillows: Brown Bear, Bunny Patter, Choo Choo Patter, Circus Clown, Dolly Patter, Donald Duck, Goofy Patter, Mickey Mouse, Nite-Nite, Off to See the Wizard, Pink Pussycat, Puppy Patter, Red Riding Hood, Tinker Bell, Tug Boat Patter
Play sets: Hot Wheels Talking Service Center, Liddle Kiddles Talking Townhouse, Major Matt Mason Talking Command Console