Melanie Janine Brown born 29 May 1975 is English is a R&B and pop recording artist, songwriter, dancer, actress, author, television presenter and model. Brown was born in England to an English mother and a black Nevisian father and grew up in Burley, West Yorkshire. Brown rose to fame when she became a member of British girl group, the Spice Girls, in which she was famously known as "Scary Spice". Her career spawn the dolls in this post produced by Galoob, Toymax Inc/ Toymax (Yaboom) Inc./Street Life Limited and Hasbro/Galoob. The Spice Girls dolls are celebrity dolls based on the popular girl-group the Spice Girls. They were first released by Galoob Toys from 1997. The dolls became a huge hit during the Christmas seasons of 1997 and 1998, selling over eleven million.
Eleven different sets of dolls were released. A "Sound Stage" playset was released and extra costumes "Spiceworld Fashions" (two sets of four fashions), later sold as "Spice It Up 2". The most sought after line of all the dolls is the original "Girl Power" set. The set features Geri Halliwell in her iconic Union Flag dress. Dolls featuring the girls with outfits from their music videos were planned, but never released.
When Geri Halliwell departed from the group in May 1998, Galoob continued the line with all five girls. It was a year after she left when Galoob finally released the sets of dolls that only had the four remaining girls. More than likely "On Tour," "Superstar Collection," "Concert Collection, and "Spice It Up! 1" were far enough into production that Galoob decided to release the Geri doll. Galoob was subsequently bought by Hasbro. Hasbro was going to continue the line into 2000, with the "Millennium Tour Collection" set for release in October. The Hasbro website had a page saying coming soon, but Hasbro stopped the line when the future of the Spice Girls became uncertain.
Galoob Five doll collections:
- "Girl Power" - Autumn 1997 - ©1997 Galoob Toys, Inc.
- "On Tour" - June 1998 - ©1998 Galoob Toys, Inc. (2 versions of Posh were made, original with long hair, 2nd with new short bob)
- "Superstar Collection" - August 1998 - ©1998 Galoob Toys, Inc. (5 dolls in 1 box)
- "Concert Collection" - Autumn 1998 - ©1998 Galoob Toys, Inc.
- "Spice It Up! 1" - January 1999 - ©1999 Galoob Toys, Inc.
Galoob/Hasbro Four doll collections:
- "On Stage" - June 1999 - ©1999 Galoob Toys, Inc. (Pre-production Geri was created, but never produced and sold)
- "Spice It Up! 2" - Summer 1999 - ©1999 Galoob Toys, Inc., a subdivision of Hasbro (with Spiceworld Fashions, ©1998 Galoob Toys, Inc.)
- "Viva Forever 1" - Autumn 1999 - © 1999 Hasbro, Inc. (Including the Viva Forever videotape - shown at the 1999 Toy Fair as the "Collector Series" ©1999 Galoob Toys, Inc.)
- "Viva Forever 2" - Autumn 1999 - © 1999 Hasbro, Inc. (Including the Viva Forever fairy finger puppets)
- "Millennium Tour Collection" - October 2000 - © 2000 Hasbro, Inc. (Unproduced)
"Concert Collection" and "Viva Forever 1" came with the Galoob Anastasia body. Do to the heavy volume, many of the "Girl Power" and "On Tour" doll were also sold with this body.
The dolls are now collectables. Some of the dolls are rare as well collectable, especially the "Girl Power" & "On Tour" sets that have joints in their arms and legs (Concert Collection bodies) and the "Spice It Up 2" set with the Spiceworld fashions. Many imitatons of the dolls have been made, most notably the "Girls Power" dolls and the "Spicy Collections" dolls don't even resemble the appearance of the Spice Girls.
Toymax (Yaboom)/Street Life collections
Toymax Inc/ Toymax (Yaboom) Inc./Street Life Limited made singing and talking dolls at the same time, but they were not popular and many fans thought they were ugly.
- "My First Singing Spice Girl" Dolls - © 1998 - Street Life Limited
- "My Outfit, My Song" Fashions - © 1998 - Street Life Limited
- "My New Talking Spice Girl" Dolls - © 1999 Toymax Inc./Street Life Limited
There are some differences in the head/face sulpt and body.
Below is the 'Viva Forever Dancing Finger Puppet' Series.
Below is the Concert Collection doll. I have this one too!
Let's Compare!
Warning Nude Dolls!
So this is the doll I purchased from the thrift store. She is a Spice It Up!- Mel B. My other doll, a Mel B, Concert Collection, I purchased new from TRU several years ago.
Here is a closeup on her face. It is a pretty face.
Here is a close-up of the face of the Concert Collection doll. Her face is pretty too!
Both doll's faces together. You can see that they are simular but different. Like the differences you see with sisters. Spice It Up has a wider face and eyes, a broader nose, no blush and a deep cherry lip color. Concert Collection has hugher checkbones, a more oval face, plum blush and lips.
one on her back.
She wears a ring on her finger and thumb. Most version of the doll has the snake arm bracelet except Concert Collection. My Spice It Up is missing hers. Suprisingly neither doll comes with earings!
Here is the feet of both dolls. CC on the left and SIU on the right.
Side View
Both dolls have the same color chunk hair color of bronze, copper and brown. SIU Mel B is a softer fiber. You can tell this one's hair was combed and play with. It is a little fuzzy. My CC hair is pretty much the same as when I purchased it. The hard texture of the CC doll'd hair didn't lend itself to restyling and that may be why I didn't try.
From the back!
Full Body
