The Hugga Bunch

The Hugga Bunch
Written by	David Swift
Directed by	Gus Jekel
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Budget	US$1.4 million[5]
Release
Original release	1985

The Hugga Bunch
Type	Action figures
Company	Kenner
Country	United States
Availability	1985–

The Hugga Bunch was a 1980s toy line from the Kenner, Parker Brothers companies and Hallmark Cards. Starting in early 1985,[1][2] the companies 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 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] To date, it has not been released on DVD and/or Blu-ray.

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
Richard Haydn - Bookworm (voice)

References

Haynes, Kevin (June 18, 1985). "Licensing show spurs vendors, but retail turnout disappoints". Women's Wear Daily (WWD). Fairchild Publications (149): 15.
Haynes, Kevin (March 11, 1985). "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. February 18, 1985.
"Hugga Bunch". 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.
"Hugga Bunch". Television/Radio Age. Television Editorial Corp. 33: 49. 1985. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
"These Hugs Are Worth Millions!" (Advertisement). Billboard. VNU/Nielsen Business Media. 97 (51): 35. December 21, 1985. Retrieved September 3, 2010.

External links

The Hugga Bunch at IMDb

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[1] Haynes, Kevin (June 18, 1985). "Licensing show spurs vendors, but retail turnout disappoints". Women's Wear Daily (WWD). Fairchild Publications (149): 15.

[2] Haynes, Kevin (March 11, 1985). "A matter of character". Women's Wear Daily (WWD). Fairchild Publications (149): Y50.

[3] "Pound Puppies, Hugga Bunch to seek plush stardom". Discount Store News. Lebhar-Friedman Inc. (24): 41. February 18, 1985.

[4] "Hugga Bunch". 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.

[tv-age-5] "Hugga Bunch". Television/Radio Age. Television Editorial Corp. 33: 49. 1985. Retrieved September 3, 2010.

[6] "These Hugs Are Worth Millions!" (Advertisement). Billboard. VNU/Nielsen Business Media. 97 (51): 35. December 21, 1985. Retrieved September 3, 2010.