Out of the box: Phoenix

Yes, it's true: she's even better in person.



I was surprised to see the wig cap, too—my apprehensions about it are now gone. It doesn't even look like a wig, and the hairline looks just as natural as a regular rooted doll.



The painting/shading on the body is so well done, too. This Gene is truly a work of art.



Now if I only knew how to style hair; I guess I'll just have to wait for some cool new retro wig caps!



The earrings went into the ears easily, the hands are fairly simple to switch, and the posing possibilities are much improved.

It has been wonderful to see Gene literally reborn again; even the older dolls and outfits seem to be getting more lovin', thanks to Phoenix. Kudos to Mel & George!

See more Gene & Marilyn doll photos on my doll web pages.

Diamonds: Who Wears Them Better?

Today it's Gene vs. Marilyn; who do you think wears diamonds better?



Follow my Gene Marshall, Madra Lord, Zita Charles, Violet Waters, Trent Osborn, Poppy Parker, and other classic movie star doll updates on Twitter. See more Gene & Marilyn doll photos on my doll web pages.

More April Showers

Based on a 1957 Coca Cola Calendar, 2001's "April Showers" came with a working umbrella and a mini bottle of coke.



When I first shot this outfit, I was limited by the (lack of) posing capabilities by the Ashton-Drake Gene that it came with. Now, thanks to the articulated IT body, I had a few more options when taking these photos.



Can't wait to see what Jamieshow Gene can do!



Follow my Gene Marshall, Madra Lord, Zita Charles, Violet Waters, Trent Osborn, Poppy Parker, and other classic movie star doll updates on Twitter. See more Robert Tonner doll photos on my Tonner doll web pages.

Pretty Woman

In 2003, The Robert Tonner Doll Company released two outfits for their Sydney Chase doll based on iconic outfits that Julia Roberts wore in the hit movie, "Pretty Woman." The first one shown here is known as Polo Match, and was worn in the movie when Vivian (Roberts) accompanied (Richard Gere) to a Polo Match.

The next outfit, known as "Night at the Opera" was worn when Vivian was jetted to San Francisco to see her first opera. Here's Trent, showing her the ruby necklace that he rented just for this special occasion.



Oh, how they sparkle!



Cocoa Crisp Gene loves her necklace; she may have a difficult time returning it to the jeweler!



Follow my Gene Marshall, Madra Lord, Zita Charles, Violet Waters, Trent Osborn, Poppy Parker, and other classic movie star doll updates on Twitter. See more Robert Tonner doll photos on my Tonner doll web pages.

Rising From The Ashes

Gene is back, and this time, JAMIEshow has got her! The limited edition of 150, titled "Phoenix," sold out quickly; those (like me) who took time to consider the $550 purchase had that decision made for them.



Pros: I LOVE the new resin body. The shading, the quality of the material, and the articulation.



Cons: The face paint just seems a bit bland to me; not sure how to put it into words, but it seems to be lacking the stylistic art deco quality that AD and IT's dolls had. Granted, the IT dolls used more shading, but those Genes still seemed to have a bit more personality. I am also not crazy about the high forehead, which is (most likely) because of the wig caps. Still, a good hairstyle could cover that up with no problem.



So how about you? Are you as excited as I am to know that Gene has risen from the ashes?

FOLLOW-UP: Kudos to George from Jamieshow, who quickly answered my questions despite having just flown back from IDEX. He assured me that the forehead is not any higher than the other Genes, and he also answered my questions about staining:

Yellowing is not an issue like Vinyl, staining is possible but simply washes off with a little soap and water, since resin is not porous like Vinyl it will not penetrate the skin.


I have to admit I am now sorry that I didn't act quicker in attempting to acquire one of these beauties. The photos that the new owners have posted on some of the boards are just beautiful.

See more Gene Marshall doll photos on my Gene Marshall doll web pages.