By Florence Theriault
He made it look easy. There was possibility. There was imaginative reach. And there was always joy. These statements certainly apply to Richard Simmons’ work in the health and fitness world, which made him world-famous during the 1980s and 1990s. But they are also spot-on descriptions of his extraordinary private collection of fine artist dolls and imaginative art.
Simmons was always a collector. In his 1999 memoir, Still Hungry After All These Years: My Story, he wrote about this and mused that likely he had inherited the collecting gene from his father, who collected cookbooks for many years. Simmons’ first collection was art glass, and his 1980s California home was filled with delicate art glass sculptures. Until January 1994, that is, when he said the Northridge earthquake “in just half a minute turned every piece of glass that I had into glitter! From glass to glitter!” Seeking to console him, a friend sent Simmons a doll — but not just any doll. It was a one-of-a-kind art doll depicting a court jester, created by noted artist Gail Lackey.
The doll was the perfect symbol for Simmons, who often whimsically referred to himself as a court jester. But it was an omen, too. Seeking out the artist who had created this magical figure, Simmons became fast friends with Lackey, who created other one-of-a-kind art dolls for his collection over the next decade. Additional dollmakers then came into his life. There was Stephanie Blythe, Annie Wahl, Lisa Lichtenfels, Forest Rogers, Jamie Williamson, Marilyn Radzat, Jodi and Richard Creager, Maria Ahrens, Shelley Thornton, and many more. Over the years, his impassioned quest to raise the doll form to a new status — an acceptance in the greater art world as figurative art — became evident.
The art doll collection of Simmons encapsulates that quest perfectly. Interviews with artists through the years relate the details of his one-of-a-kind commissions to create a specific image or mood. Intrigued by Blythe’s figure The Kiss, for example, he commissioned a one-of-a-kind variation of that piece, depicting a Russian wedding couple. One-of-a-kind dolls portraying celebrity figures abound in his exquisite collection, perhaps highlighted by the renowned portrait doll of Barbra Streisand. Created for him by Lichtenfels, the doll was unveiled in Chicago at the International Doll Art Show in 1995 and later even made a guest appearance with Simmons on the Late Show with David Letterman.
While each of the art dolls in the collection is one of a kind, or one of an extremely limited edition, the collection is all-embracing in its themes and style. Classic beauties stand alongside caricatures; youth is juxtaposed with the elderly; fantasy abounds, as does realistic portraiture; and the tiniest miniature works pose proudly next to grand figures. There are church ladies, historical figures, dolls notable for exceptional costuming, and others with little costuming. Fittingly, in his home, Simmons displayed each doll separately, much like a museum might do, allowing special qualities to stand out and paying homage to the artist’s vision.
Simmons was not simply a private collector, however. He was a grand spokesman for the art doll, much as he was a spokesman for health and fitness. An early patron of NIADA (the National Institute of American Doll Artists), he was a well-known figure at conventions and an important spokesman. During the 1990s, he appeared at many of the popular conferences and charity events promoting contemporary doll art. Additionally, he welcomed artists to his California home, encouraging and inspiring their work.
In the book Contemporary American Doll Artists and Their Dolls by Kathryn Witt, Simmons is quoted as saying, “When you surround your environment with art, you think clearly, you’re less stressed, and more peaceful. I appreciate the discipline, the integrity and the talent of each individual artist.”
Throughout his collecting years, Simmons was known for his generosity, not only in his support of artists but also in sharing many of his acquired pieces with others. Yet, the special pieces that meant the most to him, for their artistry and personal memories, were always the ones he kept.
According to his family, it was Simmons’ wish that these works of art be shared with others. The Art Doll Collection of Richard Simmons, encompassing more than 250 important pieces, will be presented at an exclusive one-owner auction by Theriault’s on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. The dolls will be presented individually in an art-quality commemorative catalog with photographs and descriptions. They will come with a certificate indicating they were featured in the Richard Simmons Private Collection. More details about the dolls in the collection can be found at theriaults.com.
