Jaime Sommers (Doll)

The Jaime Sommers doll was the basic component of the whole line of Bionic Woman-themed toys from Kenner. She stood at 12¼" and featured many interactive items, such as clothing and bionic parts.

Various other toys, such as vehicles and "sets" were scaled to accommodate the doll. There were also clothing packs sold separately a la Barbie. The later Fembot doll was scaled so that clothes made for the Jaime doll could be used for it, too.

It was released in at least two editions.

First Edition

The first version of the doll was dressed in a white jacket with stripes and blue pants (based upon the outfit the character wears in the opening credits of The Bionic Woman and several episode including "Welcome Home, Jaime", although on the doll the stripes are larger and located across the chest portion of the jacket). The pants include velco-fastened compartments that could be opened in order to be able to access the bionic modules contained within the doll's legs. A similar module was in the right arm. (By comparison, the Steve Austin action figure only had bionic modules in his arm, not his legs.) The doll's head emitted a clicking sound when turned, intended to simulate the operation of Jaime's bionic ear. Unlike male character releases in the Kenner series, the Jaime Sommers doll had simulated, styleable hair, similar to that of a Barbie doll, as opposed to the male characters that had moulded hair. (The Fembot action figure also had simulated hair.)

Second Edition

A second edition of the doll was issued in 1977. Unlike the Steve Austin action figure, which underwent structural design changes, the changes to the Jaime figure was mostly restricted to aesthetics, with the doll now clad in a blue jumpsuit and equipped with a handbag containing various accessories.

The second edition was described on page 91 of the 1977 Kenner Catalog:

THE BIONIC WOMAN with NEW MISSION PURSE!

Beauty/Fashion/Bionic Action!

. . . beautiful, fully articulated figure modeled after Lindsay Wagner, the star of The Bionic Woman TV show. Bionic Modules in right arm and both legs. Turn her head from side side and actually hear a Bionic pinging noise when Jaime Sommers uses her Bionic ear. Dressed in new, stylish blue jumpsuit with Bionic Woman symbol on chest. Platform shoes match her Mission Purse, NEW MISSION PURSE - literally loaded with adventures! A map case holds two maps; Top Secret mission assignment from Oscar Goldman; code-case with decoder sheet; wallet with photos, ID card, credit cards and "money". To keep Jaime Sommers Beautiful, there's a brush and comb and a cosmetic case complete with "make-up" and mirror. Ages 5 and up.

Deconstructed

In an interview for the 2010 DVD release of The Six Million Dollar Man, Lindsay Wagner describes how Kenner took minute measurements of her face in order to create her likeness in doll form. However, she adds, when she first saw the doll she thought it looked more like Farrah Fawcett-Majors.