Or Your Real Face

Illustration of a yellow character holding a white mask with orange and purple lines, behind Frankenstein on a black background with white text.  

Frankenstein’s monster as he’s depicted in popular media is a frightening creature who mostly speaks in monosyllabic words and grunts. However, in the 1818 book Frankenstein written by Mary Shelly, the creature is shown to be quite eloquent, frequently citing poetry and philosophy. The creature as he’s known today owes its legacy to Boris Karloff and his portrayal of the monster in the 1931 Universal film Frankenstein. The one thing that remains the same in most Frankenstein adaptations is the creature's desire to be seen as a human – that and forcing Dr. Frankenstein to make him a bride. 

Company founder Russ Berrie started his eponymous business with $500 in a rented garage in Palisades Park, New Jersey. Berrie intended to design, market, and distribute “impulse” gift items. From the start, Russ Berrie & Company produced a string of hit products that quickly found their way onto countertops, desks and dashboards across the country. Among the company’s earliest creations: Fuzzy Wuzzies (tiny fur ball-like critters bearing messages like “You’re My Best Friend” or “Wild Thing”), troll dolls (squat gnomes with plumes of brightly colored hair) and the Bupkis Family (a motley collection of endearingly ugly rubber figurines). The owner believed in the power of “transformational giving,” partnering with energetic, visionary leaders to change the world for the better. He took an entrepreneurial approach to philanthropy, using his keen interpersonal skills to identify people and causes in which to invest and working closely with partners to hone strategies and set expectations.  “There is nothing more important in life than helping a fellow human being.” — Russell Berrie (1933-2002)