Peter Bull: the Father of Teddy Bear Collecting
Early Days and Acting
Considered by many to be the father of teddy bear collecting, Peter Bull was an actor with a long career in films. Born in London, England on March 21, 1912, he was the fourth son of Sir William Bull, 1st Baronet, and Member of Parliament for the borough of Hammersmith for 29 years. After finishing his university studies, Bull worked as a journalist until, in 1933, he decided to go into acting.
Bull took time off from his acting during World War II to serve as an officer in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, achieving the rank of Lieutenant -Commander. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for service in the Mediterranean.
Bull had a long acting career on stage, film and television spanning 50 years and 62 parts (some as unlisted walk-ons) in England and the United States. Well-known roles included the captain of the German ship Louisa in The African Queen (1951) and Alexi de Sadesky (Dr. Strangelove) in Dr Strangelove (1964).
Making Teddy Bear Collecting Acceptable
Yet in spite of his accomplishments, many remember Bull as the man who made collecting teddy bears an acceptable adult hobby.
It all started with a conversation at a dinner party in New York City when one of the guests described the trauma she had experienced as a child when her teddy bear had been demolished in front of her eyes. That reminded Bull of returning home from boarding school one day to find that his mother had given his favorite teddy to a jumble sale.
Already a teddy bear collector with a large hug (the collective noun for teddies), Bull placed an ad in the London Times upon his return to London asking for teddy bear stories and photos from readers of all ages. This request, along with the one he had made on NBC’s Today program, sparked a chord, and the response was overwhelming.
Bull received over 2,000 replies, including a poem by poet Sir John Betjeman who wrote about having his teddy, Archibald Ormsby-Gore, hidden from him as a child as a form of punishment and the insecurity that caused him to routinely check that his teddy was still there.
Bull assembled the stories and photos into a book, Bear with Me, published in 1969.
The book was immensely popular. So much so that Bull was invited to appear on television shows such as Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin. For Bull presented a novel story. It was accepted that children loved their teddies, but here was a grown man admitting he loved teddy bears as well. Adults everywhere identified with Bull and the teddy bear collecting craze was on.
Delicatessen and Aloysius
It was as a result of his television appearances that Bull was given what would become a very famous teddy bear, whom he named Delicatessen in honor of the bear’s prior residence in Maine, USA.
But the teddy’s name would not remain Delicatessen for long. For in 1981 Delicatessen was chosen to star as Aloysius in the PBS miniseries Brideshead Revisited. Aloysius was so popular he even had his pads imprinted in the cement outside Mann’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. And on February 21, 1982, Bull officially changed Delicatessen’s name to Aloysius by deed poll.
Bull had another teddy that was near and dear to his heart, and in fact was often to be found in his chest pocket: 4” tall Steiff miniature, Theodore. Theodore was Bull’s constant companion and went everywhere with him. When home in London, Theodore stayed in his own little shop in Bull’s Chelsea flat.
Collaboration With House of Nisbet Ltd.
In 1979, Bull was invited by British toymaker and teddy bear maker House of Nisbet Ltd. to collaborate on the creation of a new teddy bear (named “Bully Bear”). “Bully Bear” became a character in six books that Bull went on to write, and inspired a range of other bears in the series including “Young Bully” and “Bully Minor.” A “Tribute Bully Bear” was issued after Bull’s death. Nisbet also made a replica of Aloysius but had to call him Delicatessen because of legalities.
Bull died of a heart attack on May 20, 1984, at age 72. Most of his bears were given to the London Toy and Model Museum. A few were sold. Aloysius, now well over 100, currently resides with Ian Pout at Teddy Bears of Witne, Oxfordshire.