It is unknown what happened in the time between Bessie's move and Andy's eventual reunion with Raggedy Ann, but in the chapter "The Nursery Dance", Andy states that he had been shut up in a trunk in the attic for decades. Unfortunately, Bessie's family moved away a few years after. Gruelle's mother and Bessie would play with the two rag dolls very frequently, sometimes even putting dresses over Andy's boy clothes when the girls decided he and Ann should be sisters for the day. Bessie's doll was made by her mother a day or so after Raggedy Ann, and was named Raggedy Andy so that their names would sound alike. Raggedy Andy's debut book, "Raggedy Andy Stories", as well as the accompanying dolls produced by manufacturing company Beers-Keeler-Bowman, became an instant hit, refueling Raggedy Ann's popularity and proving that a brother-and-sister team was much more marketable than a stand-alone character.Ĭharacter wise, in the first few pages of "Raggedy Andy Stories", a letter written from the perspective of Johnny Gruelle's mother tells how Raggedy Andy once belonged to Gruelle's mother's childhood friend, Bessie. Twee Deedle" comics, a pair of siblings who would often accompany Mr.
The brother-and-sister bond between Ann and Andy was partially inspired by the characters Dickie and Dolly from Gruelle's "Mr. Unlike Raggedy Ann's rather detailed patent design, Andy's design was extremely simplified, perhaps to offer broader patent protection. The patent for Raggedy Andy was officially registered on August 24th, 1920. The origins of Raggedy Andy are uncertain, but a common myth is that creator Johnny Gruelle was inspired to create the rag doll after seeing his young sons, Worth and Dickie Gruelle, play with his daughter Marcella Gruelle's beloved doll Raggedy Ann, with some accounts stating that the boys wanted their own boy doll is play with.