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.

196. PRETTY AS A PICTURE Paper Doll

A generic paper doll from the 1950s that I found buried under tons of magazines in the scroungers' paradise that is Kamuning--"Pretty as a Picture" featured "lovely dolls, glamorous gowns". Printed on thin paper, this paper doll book was typical of the hundred and thousands of cheap playthings for little girls made in the 50s.

Dig these vintage fashions that reflected the styles and tastes of the time. I can't believe this paper doll book survived uncut considering how thin the paper is and how kitschy some of the colors are. But for 15 cents, I guess you can't complain--you still get transported somehow to a make-believe world of glitz and high-fashion glamor--on paper, that is.

169. PAT BOONE PAPER DOLLS

Pat Boone (b. June 1, 1934) was one of the most successful pop singers in the United States during the '50s and early '60s. Hesang black artists' songs but sold more copies than them--like "Long Tall Sally", "Ain't That A Shame", "Tutti-Frutti", "Two Hearts, Two Kisses" and I Almost Lost My Mind". He sold over 45 million albums, had 38 Top 40 hits and appeared in more than 12 Hollywood movies, and, according to Billboard, was the second biggest charting artist of the late 1950s, behind only Elvis Presley but ahead of Ricky Nelson and The Platters.

In a poll, Boone was nearly the "two-to-one favorite over Elvis Presley among boys and preferred almost three-to-one by girls...". Today, Pat Boone continues to perform and pursue his other interests like politics, basketball, religion and writing. This 1950s paper doll of him by Whitman is proof of his widespread popularity in the rock 'n roll era--despite his old-fashioned values!

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.

73. BARBIE & KEN

Now here's the world' most famous girlfriend 'n boyfriend dolls--Barbie and Ken. Made by Mattel, Barbie (Barbara Millicient Roberts) was created by Ruth Handler in 1959, the first fashion doll in the world. Barbie is much older than Ken (last name: Carson) who was introduced in 1961. The doll duo featured here underscores that age difference--the Bubble Cut Barbie you see here dates from 1962, while Live Action Ken is from 1973. Barbie is the rarer piece, and price guides list their value from $100 up, depending on their condition. I was lucky thatI found mine for a few hundreds, purchased from the collection of a former stewardess who bought her Barbies during her travels. Ken is a U.S. flea market find.

32. GONE WITH THE WIND: Paper Dolls

Film fans say that the most acclaimed movies ever made were those produced in 1939. That year, classics like Wizard of Oz, Dark Victory, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, Ninotchka, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Wuthering Heights and Margaret Mitchell's much ballyhooed Gone with the Wind vied for Oscar honors. "Gone with the Wind" swept competition away--and millions of fans went agog over Scarlett, Rhett, Melanie and Ashley. Everything from soundtrack albums ("Tara's Theme" was a bestseller), period lamps, perfumes to coloring books and paper dolls such as these were made for a GWTW crazed market.

Above, you'll find cut 2 paper dolls of Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and 3 of Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh). These were made the year after the movie hit by Merrill Publishing. I got these dolls from a sweet old lady in the U.S. who operated a mail-order paper doll business from her home. An unused GWTW paper doll book would command about $300 in the American market today, but I got mine for a few dollars. They're used, cut, bent and missing a lot of clothes--but frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.