Aussie woman who helped start worldwide hula hoop craze dies: 'She had a wonderful life'
Joan Anderson, a former model who once worked alongside Marilyn Monroe, spotted the bamboo rings being used for exercise in Australia in the '50s - and helped introduce the toy to the United States, where it became an international sensation.
Her family confirmed her passing in a statement: 'She had a wonderful life and died peacefully, with her family around her. She will be greatly missed.'
The Sydney-born model's crucial role in bringing the toy to a worldwide audience began during a visit to her native Australia in 1957.
There, she discovered a new sensation sweeping the country - the bamboo exercise rings, which locals jokingly referred to as 'the hoop.'
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Curious, she brought one back to the United States, where she had moved with her husband, and it quickly caught on.
'Everywhere I would go, everybody was giggling and carrying on and I asked what was going on?' she recalled in an interview.
'They said, "Oh, everyone is doing the hoop, they just love it".'
Captivated by its potential, Anderson shared her discovery with her husband Wayne, who in turn introduced it to Arthur Melin, a toy businessman.
Together, they named it the 'hula hoop' and a worldwide craze was born.
Despite their pivotal contribution, Anderson and her husband were overlooked when Melin patented the toy in 1958 under his company Wham-O.
This oversight left Anderson feeling hard done by, reflecting later in life that 'they just ignored us and totally cut us off.'
Undeterred by the setback, Anderson's life continued to be marked by remarkable experiences.
She modelled in both Australia and the United States, where she crossed paths with Marilyn Monroe during her early days.
Heartbroken fans took to social media to pay tribute to Anderson.
'A remarkable story of innovation and dedication, let's take a moment to appreciate Joan's legacy and her contributions to popular culture, she will be deeply missed,' one person wrote.
'Vale Joan. I loved Hula Hoops growing up,' a second added.
Her story was chronicled in the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival award-winning documentary Hula Girl.
The critically acclaimed film recounted Anderson's pivotal role in bringing the Hula Hoop to a wider audience and finally gave her the recognition she deserved.
She is survived by her four children.
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