#Richard #Simmons #Designer #Dolls #WorthPoint
When celebrity fitness guru Richard Simmons passed away last month at the age of 76, his fans mourned the loss of the high-energy superstar he was. Through diet books, workout videos, and television appearances, Simmons connected with his audiences, sharing their struggles and victories while helping them get healthier. But there was more to his career than “Sweating to the Oldies.”
While Richard became famous for his fitness career, he also designed a collection of dolls for Goebel, the company known for producing Hummels. He created the dolls as both a collector who enjoyed having them in his home and as an artist. Simmons earned a BA in Art from Florida State University and studied in Italy as a fashion illustrator and graphic artist.
Goebel created Richard Simmons’s “Collection of the Masters,” partnering with Cameo Guild Inc. to manage Richard and oversee the production of the dolls. QVC carried some of the dolls, which are collectors’ favorites mainly because of Simmons’s personal involvement in their creation.
The dolls are available at different price points on eBay and other auction platforms.
Simmons was a force in the fitness and entertainment industries, but at home, like so many, he was a doll collector and designer. His fans will miss him, but the collectible dolls he cherished and created will continue to delight doll enthusiasts of all ages.
Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.
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