Tweet "action figures" or dolls of Silent Stars

It's a competition to see which doll is creepier now, the Gloria Swanson doll or the Mary Pickford prototype doll.

Am I the only one who doesn't find either doll creepy?
On second thought, I take that back - The Swanson doll is starting to get to me...

Am I the only one who doesn't find either doll creepy?
On second thought, I take that back - The Swanson doll is starting to get to me...

It's like one of those horror films where someone sprouts a second head.

Am I the only one who doesn't find either doll creepy?
On second thought, I take that back - The Swanson doll is starting to get to me...

It's like one of those horror films where someone sprouts a second head.

Why am I being reminded of Bride of Chuckie?

That said, I just remembered this often-rerun episode of Pawn Stars where some guy comes in wanting to sell a vintage wind-up Charlie Chaplin doll. Good condition, too.

Here's Clara holding a doll that seems to resemble herself. I don't find this particular doll creepy at all.
Of course, it depends on which doll you're looking at.

Can't help but doubt that Gloria Swanson-doll made a comeback after SUNSET BLVD.....

Can't help but doubt that Gloria Swanson-doll made a comeback after SUNSET BLVD.....

It did, along with a William Holden doll designed to float face-down in a swimming pool.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

This doll has only one face ...

http://www.lonchaney.org/photos/lc_doll.jpg

Here is Agnes Ayres and a much less threatening likness of her than the one of Gloria.



It's all in the eyes. Gloria's doll has creeeepy eyes.

Why are Rudolph and Natacha not looking at each other?

Colleen Moore. No idea if the flapperish doll she's holding is supposed to represent her:



The Harold Lloyd "stuff it yourself" doll:

Why am I being reminded of Bride of Chuckie?

Thought the same thing. Boohahaha!

Why am I being reminded of Bride of Chuckie?

Thought the same thing. Boohahaha!

Then there's this doll, supposedly Betty Bronson as Peter Pan. Ick.
http://www.theriaults.com/default/index ... &aid=42568" target="_blank

As owner of several boudoir dolls (that's what they were called, they were designed to sit on a young woman's bed as decoration) I can confirm that there is a definite creep factor to the things. I bought this one at an antique fair, and my husband nearly jumped out of his skin when he came home and saw it. "Quick, there's a tiny human in the lounge room!"

Here is Agnes Ayres and a much less threatening likness of her than the one of Gloria.



It's all in the eyes. Gloria's doll has creeeepy eyes.

Why are Rudolph and Natacha not looking at each other?

LOL I think if they were positioned differently they would be looking at each other. No hatred in 1923 yet.

Forgot about this one, it was on Ebay years ago and it was marked as 1928, don't remember anything else about it:

Rudy as a Sheik doll (not sure how to link to the pic on tumblr): http://rudolphvalentinosociety.tumblr.com/post/33186485311/rudolphvalentino-doll-circa-1928-in-sheik

Oh, but it is Valentino from 1928. He was still on display in the Davies Mosoleum.


Mom still has her Shirley Temple doll. It was as big as she was when she got it. Mom and Shirley were born within days of each other.

Al of those adult Lenci dolls share an "I Don't Care" expression. The child dolls mostly look apprehensive.

Bunny Arliss Chaplin Lloyd

The overall creepiness of these dolls is overwhelming...

Ever since I was a kid, I've wanted a Chaplin wind-up toy like this one:

http://youtu.be/LGizMzZ9Dtc?t=4m51s

Wow, what I wouldn't do to get that Buster doll

More detailed info from the Jeffrey Vance/Eleanor Keaton book: A wooden statue, a gift from a German woodcarver.

Where is it now? Anybody know?

Jim

TOY OF A (SELF-PROCLAIMED) SILENT ACTOR

milton berle toy car.gif (246.52 KiB) Viewed 736 times

perfect for Halloween!

Of all the personalities from the "Golden" age of TV, I think Berle's reputation has worn the least well. My mother watched some of his stuff on YouTube and said she couldn't understand why she thought it was funny back then.

Another Collen Moore doll.

Adoreeable!

The John Bunny figurine is mine, as I collect original pieces made in the person's lifetime some of which were owned by the actor themselves.



Such pieces from the silent days are excessively rare besides the commercial pieces some of you have mentioned. The images of the Amberg Bunny doll and the George Arliss are from the sale held early last year of the wonderful lifetime collection of Bille Nelson Tyrell. Bille had a shop for years in LA and was considered an expert in this tiny area of collecting. Many of her pieces were one offs with most signed by the stars as she knew many of the them. She often displayed at doll conventions and would give talks on them. She is still alive but is in a home with advanced Alzheimer's. The sale was a way to fund her care, but I am sure she would have preferred the collection remain whole and be on display in a museum somewhere.

rick

Now, this is what I call an Action Doll.......


and some brief footage of the Original.......actually from 1900

The Little Tich figure is indeed neat, but it looks like they got the number of fingers wrong (he had six on each hand).


RICHARD M ROBERTS

rick -- Raymond Burr as the Pope? What movie was that?

Jim

Portrait: A Man Whose Name Was John made for TV in 1973.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0188154/

Burr as Pope John XXIII.



rick