History of Care Bears

1981
The cute, cuddly Care Bears are born from images of stars, rainbows, hearts, clovers and clouds. Though already named the "Care Bears," American Greetings and its partners use the code name "Project II" to keep their development under wraps!

1982
The Wall Street Journal announces the arrival of the Care Bears to the world!

1983
The first ten original Care Bears officially introduced themselves in cards, toys and entertainment. They are:

Tenderheart Bear, Birthday Bear, Good Luck Bear, Friend Bear, Bedtime Bear, Grumpy Bear, Wish Bear, Funshine Bear, Cheer Bear, Love-a-lot Bear

The bear's first TV special, The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings, is broadcast nationwide!

In an evening news broadcast aired near Christmas, Dan Rather reported that the Care Bears were making "coleslaw out of the competition!" He was referring to another huge hit toy line, the Cabbage Patch Kids.

1984
Kids who own Bedtime Bear and Wish Bear toys discover that they temporarily switched colors! A children's story explained it was because of an important caring mission where Wish needed to borrow Bedtime's blue hur to get into the Land of Dreams!

An amazing 5,163,000 Care Bears 13" plush toys were sold by Kenner Products toy company!

Baby Hugs Bear, Baby Tugs Bear, and Grams Bear join the Care Bears Family!

The second episode, The Care Bears Battle the Freeze Machine airs. The Care Bears prevented Professor Coldheart from freezing the feelings of all children in town!

The Care Bears make their first live appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

1985
The Care Bears Movie is a huge box office hit, generating a new wave of children's movies! This success was quite a surprise in an era when so few children's movies were successfully released!

Legendary singer-songwriter Carole King writes and performs The Care Bears Movie theme song "Care-a-lot".

The Care Bear Cousins emerge from the Forest of Feelings to join the Care Bears on their adventures.

The Care Bears appeared in a 20-issue comic book series through 1989 published by Marvel® Star Comics, drawn by the famous DC Comics™ artist Howard Post.

The first appearance of "The Care Bears Stare," the secret weapon the Care Bears use to combat the Evil villains of Care-a-lot!

1986
ABC welcomes The Care Bears Family Storybook to its famous Saturday morning lineup, with over 70 episodes for the next two years! No Heart and his assistant Beastly appear in the first episode, the evil villains of Care-a-lot who plot to kidnap the Care Bears!

Secret Bear says her very first words with the help of a pull-string - no computer chip needed!

Care Bears albums were best sellers in children's music categories.

Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation is released.

1987
Over 40 million Care Bears have been hugged to date!

The official release of the Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland in the United States and Canada.

1990
People everywhere have sent over 70 million Care Bears greeting cards since 1980!

Children have read over 45 million Care Bears books to date!

1991
Care Bears "go green" as environment-aware stuffed plush toys appear from Kenner Toys.

1993
The Care Bears, exhausted from all of their success, try to catch some Zs-and go into a well-deserved hibernation!

1994
Care Bears episodes continue to be featured on the Disney® Channel!

1996
New Bedtime Bear, Tenderheart Bear, and Cheer Bear stuffed toys are offered exclusively at ShopKo® Stores in much of the United States.

1999
Teens discover their affection for the Care Bears with retro fad t-shirt designs, sparkling a colossal comeback for brand new Care Bears products!

2001
Care-Bears.com is launched!

2002
The Care Bears officially "come out of hibernation" when Play Along® Toy Company launches their exciting new line of bears at the Toys "R" Us Times Square store in New York City!

2004
The Care Bears star in their first-ever CGI movie Care Bears: Journey to Joke-a-lot!

"Meet the Care Bears", "Care Bears Holiday Hugs" and "Journey to Joke-a-lot" CDs are being sold in stores everywhere.

Over four million Care Bears DVD episodes make their way into personal video collections!

2005
Care Bears placed 7th among AOL®'s top ten searches for toys!

The Care Bears take the stage for the first time in their national touring stage show "Care Bears Live"

2006
Classic Care Bear toys are making a huge comeback at such stores as Carlton Cards, Claire's, Spencer's and Hot Topic.

The Care Bears Big Wish Movie is released!

By this time, 38 different Care Bears belong to the Care Bears family!

2007
The Care Bears step out with a new look, a brand new movie called Oopsy Does It! And lots of fun in store for their 25th Anniversary Celebration!