Betsy Wetsy was a "drink-and-wet" doll originally issued by the Ideal Toy Company of New York in 1937.[1][2] It was one of the most popular dolls of its kind in the Post–World War II baby boom era.
Named for the daughter of Abraham Katz, the head of the company,[3] the doll's special feature was simulating urination after a fluid was poured into her open mouth.[1] Betsy Wetsy was also one of the first major dolls to be produced in African American versions.[1]
Effanbee had previously manufactured a similar doll, "Dy-dee," and a patent infringement lawsuit resulted.[3] The judge ruled that drinking and urinating are natural movements and cannot be patented.[3][2]
The doll was made in several sizes in the 1940s. It saw a spike in popularity in the 1950s.[1]
A made-in-China version was issued in the late 1980s by Ideal to boost sales, but the doll never reached the success of the original.[3]
Plans for a live-action film adaptation produced by Mattel Films and Aggregate Films was announced in January 2022.[5][6]
In 2003, the Toy Industry Association named Betsy Wetsy to its Century of Toys List, a compilation commemorating the 100 most memorable and most creative toys of the 20th century.[7]
