Ruth Marianna Handler (born Mosko; November 4, 1916 – April 27, 2002) was an American business leader and inventor. She is best known for creating the Barbie doll in 1959 and co-founding Mattel with her husband, Elliot. She served as Mattel’s first president from 1945 to 1975.
In 1975, Ruth and Elliot Handler left Mattel after the Securities and Exchange Commission began investigating the company for falsifying financial records. Handler was later featured as an important character in the 2023 film Barbie.
Ruth Marianna Mosko was born on November 4, 1916, in Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Ruth Marianna Mosko was born on November 4, 1916, in Denver, Colorado, to Polish-Jewish immigrants Jacob Moskowicz, a blacksmith, and Ida Moskowicz (née Rubenstein). She was the youngest of ten children. At six months old, her parents sent her to live with her older sister Sarah. Ruth stayed with Sarah until she was 19 and became interested in business while working at Sarah’s drugstore and soda fountain.
In 1932, Ruth met and fell in love with Izzy Handler, who was an art student. During the summer after her sophomore year at the University of Denver, she went to Los Angeles and got a job at Paramount Studio. Ruth and Izzy married in Denver in 1938. When they returned to California, Ruth encouraged her husband to use his middle name, Elliot. She went back to work at Paramount, while Elliot worked as a lighting fixture designer.
Handler was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1970 and underwent a modified radical mastectomy, a common treatment at the time. She spent less time at Mattel to focus on her health. Losing self-esteem affected her leadership, and she eventually lost control of her business. In a 1980 interview, she said: “When I conceived Barbie, I believed it was important to a little girl’s self-esteem to play with a doll that had breasts. Now I find it even more important to return that self-esteem to women who have lost theirs.”
Because she had trouble finding a good breast prosthesis, Handler decided to create her own. With her new business partner, Peyton Massey, and through her company Ruthton Corp., she made a more realistic breast prosthesis called Nearly Me. The product aimed to help women feel confident, no matter their health. Nearly Me became popular, and first lady Betty Ford used one after her mastectomy.
Handler received various awards for her philanthropy and business activities. She was chosen Woman of the Year in Business by the Los Angeles Times, inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame by the Toy Manufacturers of America, received the Volunteer Achievement Award from the American Cancer Society and was the inaugural Woman of Distinction of the United Jewish Appeal.
After several investigations into fraudulent financial reports, Handler resigned from Mattel in 1975. The investigations continued, and she was charged with fraud and false reporting by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. She pleaded no contest, was fined $57,000 (equivalent to $280,000 in 2025), and was sentenced to 2,500 hours of community service. Handler said her illness made her “unfocused” on her business.
Handler died on April 27, 2002, in California from complications during surgery for colon cancer. She was 85 years old.
In the 2023 film Barbie, actress Rhea Perlman plays Handler. In the movie, the ghost of an elderly Handler lives in an office on the 17th floor of Mattel’s El Segundo headquarters. She meets the film’s main Barbie character, played by Margot Robbie. Later, Handler tells Barbie about her creation and its connection to her daughter, Barbara. Barbie then chooses the name “Barbara Handler” for herself. The film led to renewed media attention on Handler.
