Rainbow Brite Prototypes & Unreleased dolls 

This guide was designed ONLY to discuss the prototypes and unreleased dolls. For a full review and checklist of the dolls that WERE released in the Rainbow Brite series, check here: http://reviews.ebay.com/Stormy-apos-s-Secrets-The-Ultimate-Rainbow-Brite-Checklist_W0QQugidZ10000000003812605?ssPageName 

For a better look at the pictures below-  please cut and paste this address into your browser (ebay will not link to remote sites): 

www.wix.com/galacticatt/rainbow

The Dress Up Dolls & Molded horses - 1986

According to a designer that worked on the dress-up line, when Rainbow Brite was first introduced in 1983, her horse Starlite was introduced as a plush toy.  The horse was costly to produce and the design director was never fully satisfied with the look they were able to achieve in production.  As a result, for 1986, it was decided to try a molded version of Starlite using existing Barbie horse tooling.  The horses were given a flocked body and yarn mane/tail to match the doll line.  The 1986 catalog shows Starlite and Sunriser (the hot pink horse). 

At around the same time- sales of the villains (Murky and Lurky) had fallen flat, so a female villain was designed, named Stormy.   

Stormy's colors were originally black, purple and silver. (Evidently this changed).   A horse was designed to fit with Starlite and Sunriser.  (Original name was Thunder-this name was did not pass copyright so it was changed to Skydancer). Two versions were tried- a black version and a purple, but neither were shown in thecatalog (according to one of the designers, there were probably 2 prototypes made of each version).   Photos of these prototypes are viewable on the website above (ebay is preventing me from adding any more pictures for some reason)

The molded horses never shipped because the line was dropped due to too much product still sitting on the shelves.  

Another piece of interesting information collected by Rainbow Brite UK from yet another designer who worked on the dress-up line-  the Rainbow Brite dolls were designed even before the cartoon.  The characters were then later embellished on by writers for the cartoon.  As the characters were being developed- the information was passed on to the writers for the Rainbow Brite movie (which is why there are some differences).

The existance of a Prototype Lala Orange and a few other unknown dress-up outfits suggests that Mattel planned to extend the Dress-up line even further.  Unfortunately, due to low sales, the line was dropped before any of these products could be made.

Known Prototypes and un-released items

The 1986 Mattel dealer catalog shows a number of interesting items that were planned for release, but were never shipped due to the line being dropped.  Among them include

•  Stormy (see above)
• Newborn Star (below)

• Dress-Up Doll Fashions

• Sailboat Color Pocket (hanging toy) 
• Color Castle Color Pocket (hanging toy)

Privately owned prototypes- never photographed in any catalog

• Rainbow Lurky
• Dress-up Lala Orange
• Skydancer molded horse (flocked hard-body)

Photos of all of the above can be found @www.wix.com/galacticatt/rainbow

RARE but NOT PROTOTYPES

Moonglow-  approved for international distribution, but as she has only really been found in Germany, it appears that they were the only ones that were lucky enough to receive a few shippments before the line was dropped.  MIB dolls are rare in Germany, because collectors of dolls didn't really value the packaging.  As a result- there are plenty of Moonglow dolls to be had on the German ebay (although more rare than Tickled Pink) but finding one new in her box is all but impossible.  

As set forth above- the designers did not believe that the molded horses ever shipped to stores.  However, a few have popped up on ebay from time to time, so they were evidently produced, even if not widely released.