Imagine a young woman in Sydney, surrounded by laughter as crowds of Aussies spin bamboo rings around their waists, their faces lit up with delight. In that wild, sun-drenched moment, Joan Anderson didn’t just spot a playground craze. She saw the spark of something much bigger. Long before the world caught on, Joan let loose the hula hoop, a toy so simple it whipped up a global storm. Her story—full of glamour, heartbreak, and true grit—hid in the shadows for years, waiting to be spun into the light.
From Bondi Beach to Hollywood Lights
Joan Anderson grew up in the colourful suburbs of Sydney, but her dreams stretched far beyond the coastline. In 1946, she met a charming American pilot named Wayne Anderson on Bondi Beach. The spark between them was immediate.
Under the Australian sun, Joan decided to leap into the unknown, sailing away to California for love and adventure. In Los Angeles, she swapped beach sand for the bright lights of studio sets, joining the famous Blue Book Agency as a model. She even shared the catwalk with a young Marilyn Monroe, who was still known as Norma Dougherty and sported dark hair.
Their friendship blossomed on shared modelling jobs and quiet moments away from the spotlight. But it was a simple trip back to Australia in 1957 that flipped Joan’s world upside down—and changed history forever.
The Hula Hoop Discovery
Back home in Sydney, Joan noticed everyone seemed obsessed with spinning bamboo hoops around their waists. Everywhere she went, people were giggling, swinging, and challenging each other to keep the rings spinning the longest. Joan’s curiosity grew. She asked her friends what the fuss was about, and every time she heard the same answer: “We’re doing the hoop!”
Joan had her mother send one of those bamboo rings to California. She showed it to Wayne and their friends. One friend laughed that Joan’s moves looked like Hawaiian hula dancing, and the name “hula hoop” stuck instantly. A playful experiment had suddenly become a brand-new craze.
The Gentleman’s Handshake that Cost a Fortune
Joan and Wayne knew they were onto something. They wasted no time telling Arthur “Spud” Melin, a toy businessman, about the hoop. The meeting happened outside Melin’s office, with no paperwork or witnesses—just a handshake. Melin thought the idea had real promise. He took the bamboo hoop, swapped it for plastic, and through his company Wham-O, secured the patent.
Almost overnight, Americans went wild for the hula hoop. Shops couldn’t keep up as more than 25 million hoops sold in just a few months. Hula hoop mania took over playgrounds, backyards, and television screens.
But as the money rolled in, Joan and Wayne found themselves locked out. Wham-O gave all the credit to their own team, calling Joan only “an Australian friend” in news reports. The couple fought for recognition, but after a draining lawsuit, they walked away with less than $6,000. The sting of being left out never fully faded, but Joan’s determination never wavered.
Life Beyond the Spotlight
Even after missing out on fame and fortune, Joan Anderson kept her energy high. She raised four children, built a loving home in California, and shared sixty-two years of marriage with Wayne, who died in 2007. Joan always shared her story with pride, refusing to let the real history of the hula hoop fade away.
In her later years, filmmakers finally brought her tale to audiences worldwide, revealing that the woman behind the world’s most joyful toy lived a life as dazzling as her invention.
Joan Anderson died peacefully on 14 July 2025, surrounded by family, at the age of 101. Her wild idea spun around the globe and became a phenomenon, but her own story—filled with adventure, heartache, and unstoppable spirit—shines even brighter.
