Barbie doll creator, Mattel co-founder dies

LOS ANGELES -- Ruth Handler, who created Barbie, the world's most popular doll and an American icon that helped shape girls' dreams while infuriating feminists, has died. She was 85.

Handler, who also co-founded the Mattel toy company, died at Century City Hospital Saturday of complications from colon surgery she underwent three months ago. Since Handler's creation, named for her daughter Barbara, was introduced in 1959, it has become a touchstone of cultural politics.

The well-endowed doll -- her original figure would be about 39-18-33 if she were human -- has drawn the ire of feminists, inspired artists and intrigued academics. Barbie even was placed in the official "America's Time Capsule" buried in 1976.

The original blue-eyed, blonde fashion model has morphed over the decades into a variety of ethnic looks and has had many careers, from astronaut to veterinarian.

More than 1 billion have been sold in 150 countries.

With Barbie, girls could play out their dreams of adolescence and beyond. Barbie could go to the prom, get married, or even travel to the moon.