Preceden

History of Teddy Bears Timeline

(1902–Present)

The history of teddy bears traces the beloved toy’s origins to 1902 and follows its development into a worldwide symbol of comfort, childhood, and affection. Less

Go to: Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Origins and early popularity

Steiff produces an early stuffed bear

1902

In Germany, the Steiff firm produced a stuffed bear based on designs by Richard Steiff. This development occurred around the same time that a related toy was being developed in the United States.

Image source: Teddy bear

Steiff produces an early stuffed bear

Michtom develops the American teddy bear

1902

Morris Michtom developed a teddy bear in the United States, apparently independently and simultaneously with Richard Steiff's work in Germany. Michtom named the toy after President Theodore Roosevelt.

The name teddy bear enters popular use

1902

The name teddy bear originated from the Mississippi hunting incident involving Theodore Roosevelt. Morris Michtom applied the president's nickname to the stuffed bear he developed.

Roosevelt visits Mississippi on a bear hunt

Nov 1902

Theodore Roosevelt was invited by Andrew H. Longino, the 35th governor of Mississippi, on a bear-hunting trip in November 1902. The expedition provided the incident that ultimately inspired the name teddy bear.

Roosevelt refuses to shoot the captive bear

Nov 1902

During the Mississippi hunt, Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear himself because he considered the act unsportsmanlike. He nevertheless instructed that the injured animal be killed to end its misery.

Berryman publishes the bear cartoon

Nov 16, 1902

Clifford Berryman turned the Mississippi hunting incident into a political cartoon published in The Washington Post on November 16, 1902. The image helped popularize the association between Roosevelt and a small bear.

Steiff exhibits the bear at Leipzig

Mar 1903

Steiff exhibited Richard Steiff's stuffed bear at the Leipzig Toy Fair in March 1903. The display brought the German toy to the attention of international buyers.

Hermann Berg discovers Steiff's toy

Mar 1903

At the Leipzig Toy Fair, Hermann Berg, a buyer for George Borgfeldt & Company in New York, saw Steiff's bear. Berg was also the brother of composer Alban Berg.

Teddy bears face criticism from Michael G. Esper

1907

Catholic priest Michael G. Esper declared teddy bears to be “horrible monstrosities.” He argued that they displaced traditional dolls and might weaken girls' nurturing instincts, linking the toy to fears about declining birth rates and race suicide.

Billy Possum is created

1908

Billy Possum was created as a plush toy after William Howard Taft won the 1908 United States presidential election. It represented an attempt to create a presidentially themed rival to the teddy bear.

Literature and entertainment

The Roosevelt Bears book series appears

1905

American writer Seymour Eaton created The Roosevelt Bears, a children's book series inspired by the popularity of Theodore Roosevelt and the newly fashionable teddy bear.

Teddy Bears' Picnic is composed

1907

American composer John W. Bratton wrote the instrumental Teddy Bears' Picnic in 1907. The piece was described as a characteristic two-step and became closely associated with teddy bears.

Image source: Teddy Bears' Picnic

Teddy Bears' Picnic is composed

Rupert Bear begins appearing in the Daily Express

Nov 1920

Rupert Bear comic strips began appearing in the Daily Express in November 1920. The character became one of Britain's enduring bear figures.

Winnie-the-Pooh first appears in a book

1926

Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared in a 1926 children's book by A. A. Milne. The character was based on a teddy bear owned by Milne's son, Christopher Robin Milne.

Image source: Winnie-the-Pooh

Winnie-the-Pooh first appears in a book

Jimmy Kennedy adds lyrics to Teddy Bears' Picnic

1932

Irish lyricist Jimmy Kennedy added words to John W. Bratton's 1907 melody in 1932. The resulting song became the familiar vocal version of Teddy Bears' Picnic.

Sooty begins broadcasting on British television

1955

Sooty began broadcasting on British television in 1955. The television character helped extend the cultural presence of teddy-bear-like puppets and toys.

Elvis Presley records a teddy bear hit

1957

(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear became a number-one hit for Elvis Presley in 1957, bringing the teddy bear into the title and imagery of a major popular song.

Paddington Bear first appears in a book

1958

Paddington Bear first appeared in a 1958 children's book by British author Michael Bond. The character was based on a teddy bear Bond purchased.

Image source: Paddington Bear

Paddington Bear first appears in a book

Winnie-the-Pooh is adapted by Disney

1966

Disney began adapting Winnie-the-Pooh for animated shorts in 1966. These adaptations introduced the literary teddy bear to new audiences through animated film.

Corduroy is published

1968

Corduroy, a 1968 children's book, centered on an anthropomorphic teddy bear living in a department store. The story became a notable modern bear-centered children's work.

SuperTed premieres

1982

SuperTed, a superhero teddy bear, first appeared in an animated television series in 1982. The program recast the teddy bear as an action-oriented fictional hero.

Care Bears are first produced

1983

Care Bears were first produced as colorful plush teddy bears in 1983. Their distinctive designs and personalities helped establish a major character-toy franchise.

Image source: Care Bears

Care Bears are first produced

Pudsey Bear becomes the Children in Need mascot

1985

Pudsey Bear became the mascot for Children in Need in 1985. The character connected the teddy bear image with a prominent British charitable campaign.

Rilakkuma debuts in Japan

2003

Rilakkuma, a teddy bear character, debuted in Japan in 2003. The character became part of the country's contemporary character and merchandise culture.

Image source: Rilakkuma

Rilakkuma debuts in Japan

Museums and industry

Merrythought is established

1930

Merrythought was established in the United Kingdom in 1930. It remains the country's one small traditional teddy bear company.

Brunus edwardii diseases paper is published

Apr 1, 1972

The April Fools' Day 1972 issue of The Veterinary Record published a paper on the diseases of Brunus edwardii. The humorous paper detailed common afflictions of teddy bears.

The world's first teddy bear museum opens

1984

The world's first teddy bear museum was established in Petersfield, Hampshire, England, in 1984. It preserved and displayed teddy bears as objects of cultural and collecting history.

Teddy Ruxpin becomes a best-selling toy

1985 - 1986

Teddy Ruxpin was the best-selling toy in both 1985 and 1986. The interactive talking bear demonstrated the continuing commercial appeal of teddy-bear toys.

Image source: Teddy Ruxpin

Teddy Ruxpin becomes a best-selling toy

A teddy bear museum opens in Naples

1990

A foundation modeled on the Petersfield teddy bear museum was established in Naples, Florida, in 1990, creating another dedicated institution for teddy bear collections.

The Petersfield and Naples museums close

2005 - 2006

The Naples museum closed in 2005 and the Petersfield museum closed in 2006. Their teddy bears were sold at auctions, although many teddy bear museums continue to operate worldwide.

Plush animal sales reach $1.3 billion

2006

Retail sales of stuffed plush animals, including teddy bears, totaled US$1.3 billion in 2006. Manufacturers included Gund and Ty Inc.

Records and modern media

Misery Bear appears in BBC web shorts

2009 - 2012

Misery Bear was featured in fourteen shorts produced for the BBC website between 2009 and 2012. The series used an anthropomorphic teddy bear in comic and often bleak situations.

Naughty Bear video game is released

2010

Naughty Bear, released in 2010, is a video game about an anthropomorphic teddy bear seeking revenge on other bears that ostracized him.

Image source: Naughty Bear

Naughty Bear video game is released

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise is released

2012

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise, released in 2012, continued the video-game story of the ostracized teddy bear and his pursuit of revenge.

The largest teddy bear is constructed

Apr 28, 2019

A teddy bear measuring 19.41 meters, or 63 feet 8 inches, was constructed in Estado de México on April 28, 2019. The builders were Municipio de Xonacatlán, Ideas por México, and Agrupación de Productores de Peluche, all from Mexico.

Teddy is released in Tamil cinema

2021

Teddy is a 2021 Tamil-language fantasy action film. Its title character continues the teddy bear's use as a central figure in modern popular entertainment.

Image source: Teddy (film)

Teddy is released in Tamil cinema

Imaginary brings a sinister teddy bear to film

2024

Imaginary, a 2024 film produced by Blumhouse Productions and directed by Jeff Wadlow, uses an imaginary teddy bear in a horror story, reflecting the bear's range beyond children's entertainment.

Key Facts

  1. The teddy bear was inspired by a 1902 incident involving U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who refused to shoot a bear that had been tied up during a hunting trip.
  2. The Washington Post published a cartoon about the incident, helping popularize the idea of a bear associated with Roosevelt’s nickname, “Teddy.”
  3. American toy company Ideal Novelty and Toy Company began producing teddy bears, while German company Steiff developed and sold its own bear designs around the same period.
  4. Early teddy bears were often made with mohair, jointed limbs, and realistic features; later versions became softer, more child-friendly, and widely affordable.
  5. Teddy bears have remained popular worldwide as toys, collectibles, comfort objects, and cultural symbols for more than a century.

Source

This History of Teddy Bears timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free