Russ Gleeps are one of those wonderfully obscure early-1990s troll-adjacent toys that have largely disappeared from mainstream toy history. They look like someone crossed a classic troll doll with an extraterrestrial being. The bodies are brightly colored vinyl and rubbery, and the toys have big eyes and three separate tufts of long, fluorescent troll hair sticking out of their heads.
The Original Gleeps or "Alien Trolls"
Gleeps “from the Planet Bliss” were little alien or troll figures made by Russ Berrie & Company (commonly referred to as Russ) in the 1990s. According to surviving material (collected by the Japanese website ameblo.co.jp) associated with the toys, Gleeps came from a place called Planet Bliss, 45 light-years from Earth. They’re described as cheerful little creatures that bring happiness, traveling from galaxy to galaxy and planet to planet bringing joy wherever there is sadness or despair.
There are four different Gleeps, each with their own distinct colored bodies and hair.
Blue Gleep (1990)
Blue body. Yellow, bright pink, and purple hair. The symbol is a red galaxy with yellow lightning.
Purple Gleep (1990)
Purple or lilac body. Pink, yellow, and light blue hair. The symbol is a green and pink planet with rings and yellow background.
Green Gleep (1990)
Green body. Orange, purple, and pink hair. The symbol is a red galaxy with yellow lightning.
Pink Gleep (1990)
Blue body. Yellow, bright pink, and purple hair. The symbol is a red galaxy with yellow lightning.
Each Gleep toy came with a little book. The covers were all different, as they represented the character itself – although the background was the same.
Why Did Russ Make these Space Trolls?
The timing for these Gleeps makes considerable sense. Russ Berrie was heavily involved in troll dolls to begin with. The company’s trolls underwent a huge revival around 1992, and Russ responded by producing hundreds of troll-related products. Russ was also prolific in inexpensive little novelty toys during roughly this period, like monsters, finger puppets, and rubber dinosaurs.
Gleeps fit that world perfectly, although they actually arrived right at the beginning of the great ’90s troll resurgence rather than being a later response to it. And unlike Trolls generally, Gleeps don’t seem to have become a large franchise. What survives online is mostly old stock, collector photographs and second-hand listings. That’s why someone who remembers them from childhood can have an unexpectedly hard time proving they existed!
Find Gleeps and Other 90s Toys
Looking for Gleeps? They do show up occasionally on second-hand markets. If there are any available for your area, they will show below:
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