362. NOT-SO-NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK DOLLS

Remember the American boy band, New Kids on the Block (NKOTB)? Donnie, Danny, Jonathan, Jordan and Joey sent teenyboppers screaming whenever they took to the stage, did their dance grooves as they belted out their hit songs that included Step-by-Step, Please Don't Go Girl, Baby I Believe In You, Hangin' Tough and This One's For Children. By the1990s, they were one of the most popular acts in music, even beating out Madonna and Prince. Their merchandising machine churned out books, comics, buttons, lunch boxes--and this set of NKOTB dolls manufactured by Hasbro. But by 1995, rocked with allegations of lip synching and diverging interests, the group started to break-up until they disbanded. These 2 dolls (Jordan and Danny) --found in a used toy shop--are mementos of their heyday--when they were at the top of their game ast international hitmakers. I am missing the 3 other boys though.  Things are looking up for NKOTB fans when, in 2008, they had reunion concerts, and by 2013, the group was on tour again, in a new attempt to try to regain their popularity--Step-by-Step!

339. Worth Flipping Over: FARRAH FAWCETT GLAMOUR CENTER

You can't miss those flyaway bangs and that wind-tousled hairdo. It's Farrah  Fawcett! The beautiful star who gained worldwide stardom in the hit TV crime series, "Charlie's Angels" first aired in 1976. Farrah was cast as one of 3 crime-busting beauties (Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson were the other 2) working for big boss, Charlie. As Jill Munroe, Farrah captivated the audience with her beautiful sunshiny looks--and locks--that had every girl  styling their hair in a Farrah Flip.

Soon, many toy companies began taking note of Farrah's strong following and in no time at all, acquired licenses to make 'Charlie's Angel" action figures and a separate Farrah Fawcett fashion doll, all capturing her distinct square-jawed face and thick, flyaway mane. . 

But this Farrah Glamour Center beats them all. Made in HongKong in 1978, it features a vinyl bust of Farrah, with rooted synthetic hair that one can style to duplicate her famous flip--using rollers, combs, curlers and brushes. The likeness to the star is very good, but the soft vinyl used has a tendency to droop after some years, causing her chin to droop as well. Farrah--voted as one of the Top 50 TV Stars of All Time-- passed away in 2009 after a 3-year bout with cancer. Thankfully, glamorous bust will allow me to remember her and her famous Farrah Flip with every stroke of the brush.

327. Rock of Ages: ROCK HUDSON PAPER DOLLS

Rock Hudson was a hunky 6’4” romantic star who rose to fame in the 50s and 60s, while squiring top leading ladies like Doris Day, Lauren Bacall, Liz Taylor, Susan St. James. But his death from AIDS in the 80s revealed his true self. Well, even if Hudson was not totally “out of the closet”, we could still a glimpse of what was inside with this “Rock Hudson Cut-Outs” published by Whitman in 1956.

The book features 2 cardboard cut-outs of the star and several pages of his wardrobe, some of which have been cut. The wardrobe features sports outfits, formal/leisure wear, casuals and even cowboy clothes. This was picked from ebay, for under 400 pesos.

Movie celebrity paper dolls—especially those unused and uncut—are very desirable collectibles, chased by collectors of Hollywood memorabilia, paper dolls, ephemera and Hudson fans.

322. When The World Went Mod: TWIGGY DOLL

The first Mattel doll made after a real person was "Twiggy", first created in 1967, based on the looks of the top British model, the skinny-reed-thin Twiggy, Lesley Lawson in real life. Twiggy shared the same body size as Francie and Casey, so they could swap clothes. Twiggy's trademark big wide eyes were captured in the doll made from the same head mold as Casey. She was blonde, had heavier eye make up, rooted lashes, a Twist 'n Turn waist and bendable legs. She lasted a year in production, but the real Twiggy's career was much longer--she dabbled in theater, TV, film, singing and hosting--but never losing in touch with the fashion world in which she remains an icon.

315. The Russian From U.N.C.L.E.: ILYA KURYAKIN SPY DOLL

One of my fave TV programs from the 60s boomer years was The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (United Network Command for Law and Enforcement) , broadcast on NBC from 1964-1968. It follows secret agents Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn)  and Russian Ilya Kuryakin) fighting its chief adversary, the agents of THRUSH  (Technological Hierarchy for the Removal of Undesirables and the Subjugation of Humanity). Solo and Kuryakin's popularity resulted in the creation of  11.5 in. vinyl "spy dolls" made in 1965 by Gilbert of Japan. In its perfect condition, Ilya would have come with a pistol, pocket insignia and a mechanical arm. Conceived originally conceived as a minor character, Kuryakin, became an indispensable part of the show, achieving co-star status with the show’s lead. McCallum’s blond good looks and the enigmatic persona he created for the character garnered him a huge following of female fans, leaving them weak-kneed and crying--Uncle!

293. Look Who's Talking: DANNY O'DAY VENTRILOQUIST DOLL

Of the many kinds of dolls available to a collector, none elicits more interest than ventriloquist dolls that found fame in Hollywood, starting with Charlie McCarthy of Edgar Bergen. Quick to follow was "Danny O'Day", a creation of Jimmy Nelson (b. December 15, 1928). At age 10, he was given a toy ventriloquist's dummy named "Dummy Dan" won by an aunt in a Bingo game. Jimmy learned ventriloquism, and a year later, began taking "Dan" to school. From school performances, he joined amateur talent contests which he consistently won, prompting him to start a professional career.

In 1945, Nelson asked Frank Marshall, a famed maker of ventriloquist dolls (he had made Charlie McCarthy and Jerry Mahoney)  to make him a professional-quality dummy. Marshall sold Nelson a custom-made dummy, which Nelson named Danny O'Day. "Danny O'Day" became a hit when Nelson took his act in nationwide tours.

This vintage 24" 1967 Danny O'Day Ventriloquist Dummy Doll was made by Juro Novelty Co. The ventriloquist is in good used condition. There are signs of use/age but overall doesn't look bad.  The string opens the mouth as it should but the mouth does not close on its own. Despite its flaws, Danny O'Day makes a great display piece, an icon from the past when the world was entertained by talking dolls!

231. God Wave The Queen: SOLAR QUEEN LIZ

2012 marked Queen Elizabeth of England’s Diamond Jubilee Year and as a tribute, this limited edition ‘Solar Queen’was created by Kikkerland Design of USA and Canada—made in good ol’China, of course.

My sis, who vaguely appreciates my bizarre hobby, sent this animated doll to me from her New Zealand home base. How does it work?

Well, just place the Solar Queen in the sunlight and watch Her Majesty wave with a subtle twist of the wrist. This gesture, cultivated over the centuries, is the true mark of royalty. The solar panel on her handbag is her power supply, so she never needs batteries—which means she may just wave forever!

179. Dollified: JORDAN OF NKOTB

Remember the NKOTB? (New Kids On The Block)? Not too long ago, this American boy band from Boston took the music world by storm in the late 80s and early '90s with their record-breaking songs (80 million sold worldwide) and a slew of American Music Awards. The band members included Donnie Wahlberg (Marky Mark's sibling), Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, Jonathan andJordan Knight--whose 1991 dollified likeness is featured here. This 12" Jordan 'action fashion figure' is from the Collectors Series and made by Big StepCollectibles/Hasbro Inc. I bought this at a discounted price in a Hong Kong toy shop years ago. On ebay, this indivual doll is priced from anywhere between $9.99 to 49.99. A complete 5-doll set goes anywhere from $100-185!!.

After disbanding in 1994, Jordan Knight scored post NKOTB success when he released a self-titled solo album in 1999 that went gold. He also scored a top 10 hit with "Give It to You", which went platinum. His second solo album entitled "Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album" was also warmly received. Not bad, huh? Even his dolls sell well on ebay!

110. FARRAH FAWCETT DOLL

One of the most glamorous pin-up stars to ever emerge from the 70s is the late Farrah Fawcett (February 2, 1947 – June 25, 2009). She rose to international prominence as the diva dtective Jill Munroe in the hit TV series, "Charlie's Angels", first seen in 1976. Farrah, with her trademark bouncy curls, became a sex symbol and her iconic poster, released the same year her that Charlie's Angel was premiered, broke sales records and established her as a pop culture icon. She went on to marry Lee Majors, who was also a superstar on TV at about the same time as the " 6 Million Dollar Man".

A leading toy manufacturer, Mego Corp., capitalized on Farrah's popularity by coming out with a 12 and a quarter in. celebrity doll with washable hair. This 33 year old example, released in 1977, is missing its original clothes (halter jumpsuit) and its cut-out accessories (skateboard, skis and golf bag), but it still is good enough to collect. The world lost Farrah to cancer in 2009, but her memory lives on in this doll that has uncannily captured her likeness--and her inimitable Farrah hair.

94. This Guy's A Doll: NORA AUNOR DOLL

The one and only superstar of the 70s gets special vinyl treatment with this licensed Nora Aunor doll, issued in the 1970s. The small doll stands no more than 5 inches and comes with a rooted hair. I have seen other versions of the doll, one in a reposing position. Save for the trademark mole, this doll's likeness to Ate Guy is questionable. Nora Aunor dolls are hard to find, but Vilma Santos dolls are even rarer! Of course, the most desirable doll of all is Guy and Pip's Maria leonora Theresa. Now where is that darn doll?

81. LI'L ABNER DOLL

Li'l Abner, drawn and written by Al Capp (1909-1979) was a very popular comic strip that made its appearance in international newspapers, including the Philippines. The satiricial series included hillbilly characters led by Li'l Abner Yokum, a 6-foot-3 simple-minded but sweet-natured country bumpkin his grouchy Mammy and less-than-bright Pappy, and Daisy Mae,the girl who had the hots for Li'l Abner. The strip ran from 1934-1977, and it was read by millions of people worldwide, captivated and entertained by the strip's characters and humor that had a powerful cultural impact. Out of this series sprouted many licensed merchandise that were produced throughout the forties and fifties. This 14-inch Li'l Abner made by Baby Barry Toys in 1957 is just one of them. Purchased from Hake's Americana, a mail-order auction company, the doll is made of soft rubber and has his original clothes. Al Capp was such a master marketer that his characters earned millions from endorsements and licensings. Which just goes to show that even a hiollbilly can be a millionaire.

80. AUTOGRAPHED MARGARET O'BRIEN PAPER DOLLS

Margaret O'Brien (b. 15 Jan. 1937) was a child star of the '40s, and her talent was apparent early on. Her first film appearance was in Babes on Broadway at age 4, but it was the following year that her first major role brought her widespread attention. As a five-year-old in "Journey for Margaret", O'Brien earned accolades fro her natural acting style. Her most memorable role was as "Tootie" in "Meet Me In St. Louis" with Judy Garland. She earned a Juvenile Oscar as "outstanding child actress of 1944", but she was unable to make the transition to adult roles. In her heyday, many merchandise were made of her--including a composition doll, coloring books and these large paper dolls bought from a U.S. paper collector. The two figures have been carefully cut from a book, and the back features the former child's star's autograph, making these movie collectibles even more precious.

76. Screaming Collectible: MACAULAY CULKIN DOLL

After Shirley Temple, Macaulay Culkin was perhaps the most popular and successful child actor in his prime. Who doesn't remember him as Kevin McCallister in the blockbuster 1990 20th Century Fox film, "Home Alone"? As a child accidentaly left home by his family, Kevin thwarted the plans of two intruders who broke into their house with his kiddie capers. Fans around the world lapped the movie up, and sequels were made in succession: Home Alone 2 (Lost in NY), Home Alone 3, Home Alone 4/Taking Back the House. It also prompted toy manufacturers to cash in on Macaulay's unprecendented fame by issuing this " Screaming Kevin/ Home Alone Doll". The doll has a talking mechanism that allows him to talk--"You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?"/ "I made my family disappear!"/ AAAHHHHhhhhh!". On ebay, I've seen this relatively new doll priced from 2 dollars (used but working) to $25 (mint in a box). I'm glad I bought this doll new in 1991, so that I don't have to scream.

74. Dollified: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER in "COMMANDO"

The 1985 action movie, "Commando" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Col. John Matrix bolstered the Austrian beefcake's career as a Hollywood hottie. In the movie, Matrix's daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano) was kidnapped and the colonel, a former elite member of a a special operations unit comes back to attack and destroy the evil perpetrators led by Bennett, an ex-captain of Matrix's very own unit. To capitalize on the film's success, Diamond Toymakers created this large 18" John Matrix action figurethat came with a pistol, an M16 and a grenade. The toy line was criticized for making children's toys out of Rated-R movies that few of them should have seen.

64. Shirley You're Not!: BRIGHT STAR DOLL

Shirley Temple dolls were all the rage in the 30s that unauthorized impostor dolls were made of the most famous doll in history. To get around the legalities, doll manufacturers made their own Shirley look-alikes, with some variations. This deadringer, from Horsman Dolls, is actually Bright Star, a composition doll circa 1930s. Horsman Doll Company was founded in 1865 by Edward Imeson Horsman. the company is still in operations today.

For a 70+ year old plaything, this Bright Star Doll is in remarkable condition, complete with an identifying tag and its own cardboard box. Toys are "sleeping collectibles", rarely offered by antique shops here, so when a local dealer showed me this doll, I napped it up. Besides, even if she's a Shirley rip-off, who could resist those dimples and curls?

55. BIONIC WOMAN

Meet Jamie Sommers (played by Lindsay Wagner), the Bionic Woman--but do be careful--this former tennis player re-engineered by Oscar Goldman has superhuman legs, amplified hearing and a bionic arm that packs a mean wallop. Jamie first appeared in a 2-part episode on "The Six Million Dollar Man", earning such high ratings that a separate series was spun-off by ABC and later NBC, running from 1976-78. This mint-in-the-box action figure of Jamie Sommers made by Kenner was a purchase from Hake's Americana and Collectibles, a mail auction that was hugely popular before the advent of ebay. A quick ebay check showed a similar piece with a $99 starting bid, but I got this for just 20$. In 2007, an attempt was made to revive the TV series but failed to flex its bionic muscles.

54. 6 MILLION DOLLAR MAN Action Figure

The hit TV series Six Million Dollar Man ran from 1974-78 and was based on the novel Cyborg. Headlining this series about a man working for the OSI (Office of Scientific Intelligence) was Steve Austin (played by Lee Majors), whose various body parts (legs, left eye, right arm) were replaced by "bionic" implants. This enhanced his strength, speed and vision far above human norms: he can run at over 100 km/hour, and his eye has a 20:1 zoom lens with infrared powers. Steve Austin became such an icon that an action figure had to be made, replicating his bionic capabilities. This plastic figure shows Steve with his bionic eye (which is simply a magnifying lens) and a springing bionic arm. Also on Steve is an original membership button for "The 6 Million Dollar Man Club". In 1975, Steve was given a love interest with the launch of "Bionic Woman".

Nowadays, at the rate plastic surgery is being done in the Philippines, more and more men and women are becoming bionic, rendering the feats of Steve ordinary and commonplace.

46. A DOLL WITH HISTORY

This small Filipina doll, made in the 1930s for the tourist trade, was an ebay find. Philippine curios were quite in demand during the American occupation, either bought by visiting tourists or Americans based in the Philippines, for sneding to friends and relatives back home. This doll is typical of those cheap souvenirs peddled by outlets (such as San Juan Store, as the box label shows) all over Manila.

Made of composition and dressed in a native baro't saya, the features of this jointed doll are hand-painted. It is wigged and outfitted with non-blinking glass eyes. The molded head has cracked and the body shows signs of peeling paint. Despite the flaws, this doll has quite a history, as documented by the ebay seller.
Indicated on the box are the pencilled notations: "To the secretary of Gov. Frank Murphy". It turns out that this particular souvenir doll was given as a gift to the secretary of a fomer Governor-General of the Philippines at the time of the Commonwealth. William Frank Murphy (1890-1949) was appointed as a Governor General of the Philippines from 1933-1935--the last American to serve. He also served as the first High Commissioner of the Philippines and after his Philippine assignment, went on to become a Mayor of Detroit, Governor of Michigan and the Attorney General of the U.S. His contributions to his leadership of the Philippines were recognized by way of Fifty Centavo and One Peso Coins minted in 1936 with his likeness.

As for his secretary, the recipient of this pretty souvenir, no records of her remain.

41. SHIRLEY TEMPLE, Child Superstar!

The most well-known child actress of the 1930s was born in 23 April 1928, rising to fame at age 6 for the movie "Bright Eyes". During the Depression years, the films of this bedimpled moppet made her filmdom's top grossing star. She acted, sang and tap-danced her way in movies such as: Stand Up and Cheer, The Little Colonel, Rebecca of the Sunnybrook Farm and won acclaim for singing "On the Good Ship Lollipop" and "Animal Crackers in my Soups" which became her trademark songs. In 1935, Shirley Temple received a special miniature Academy Award Oscar "in grateful recognition of her outstanding contribution to screen entertainment during the year 1934." After her film achievements she began a notable career as a diplomat with assignments in Ghana and Czechoslovakia and retired from public life, occasionally coming out to receive the Kennedy Center Honors in 1998 and the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2006.

Before long, the adorable Shirley became the darling of Hollywood's merchandising machine. Capitalizing on her popularity, millions of Shirley Temple materials flooded the market--from dolls to coloring books, kitchen ware to children's clothes, calendars, music sheets, baby carriages and all sorts of toys. Shirley temple dolls are the most desirable, especially the early composition ones produced by Ideal Novelty, commaning hundreds, and even thousands of dollars when found in pristine condition.

This precious 10 in. Shirley Temple doll, was found while rummaging at Makati Cinema Square over 10 years ago. Somebody saw me looking over a box of old action figures and dolls, and she approached me if I'd be interested ina doll her late grandmother owned who told her that "the doll was a Hollywood actress doll named Shirley", and that she had owned it for many, many years. The next day, we promised to meet, and in a plastic bag, she had this doll, her limbs loose and her clothes scruffy, but nevertheless complete. And yes, it was an early composition Shirley Temple Doll--identifiable through the name of the maker incised at her nape.

I paid for the doll for 250 pesos, took her home, give her a good cleaning and replaced the elastic that held her arms and legs. Later, I got a genuine vintage Shirley Temple button from an international toy auction, which she now produly wears. My Shirley Temple is ready once more to stand up and cheer!

36. Now Appearing: DONNY & MARIE Teenage TV Celebrities!

"She's a little bit country, he's a little bit rock 'n roll..".
So goes the song that made these two toothy siblings world-famous. It was their signature song for their "Donny & Marie" TV variety show series, which aired from 1976-79 on ABC. The show elevated Donny and Marie to teen heartthrob status and generated TV merchandising collectibles such as these dolls made in their likeness. Other fun stuff inspired by the show included a TV play set and a wireless song microphone. Eventually, the show lost its appeal when Donny got hitched to wife Debbie Glenn and was reformatted. The show bit the dust in 1979 but the singin' siblings reappeared as talk show hosts in 1998. Their "Donny and Marie" talk show lasted till 2000.

Last time we saw Marie was as an injured contestant in "Dancing with the Stars", while brother Donny lost a celebrity boxing match against Danny Bonaduce of Partridge Family. Oh well, as their parting song went.."may their tomorrow be a perfect day, and may they find love and laughter along the way...may God keep them in his loving care..till we meet them together again..Good night, every one!"