Gene: Spring in Central Park

This FAO Schwarz exclusive was released in 2002 in an edition of 1000. Designed by Tim Kennedy, “Spring in Central Park” is the perfect ensemble for this time of year…especially in New York’s Central Park! I combined my photos of Gene with shots of Central Park that I snapped back in 2016.






Even Super Models get tired and need to rest!





Manhattan Holiday is one of my favorite Integrity Genes; I believe she is just about the loveliest. She is also modeling “Spring in Central Park.”



While she’s a beauty, the Ashton Drake Genes have a certain versatile retro-beauty that the Integrity Genes do not.



See more Gene Marshall fashion doll photos at my website.

Warmest Wishes

Released in 1998, "Warmest Wishes" was one of my first Genes. I cannot believe it took me so long to post about her! Tim Kennedy's circa 1948 design is a favorite of mine. Part of an FAO Schwarz release, she comes with a wrapped Christmas package that has a miniature nutcracker inside.



From the story card:

Shopping for the holidays on New York City's Fifth Avenue! What a wonderful way to feel the holiday spirit, amid the festive hustle and bustle of the city. Gene happily hummed the refrain of the new carol "Sleigh Ride" as she made her way along the sidewalk, smiling at all the rosy faces smiling back at her.

The dazzling lights, colors, and whirring mechanical motion in a toy store's window enticed her to stop and stare with childlike delight at the marvels within. And that's when she saw him...a toy soldier, tall and proud, so dashing in his crisp white soldier's uniform with a red shako hat, polished black boots, gold braid, and black epaulettes. With his snowy-white hair and beard it reminded Gene of Henry, the gentlemanly doorman of the posh hotel she stayed at when in town. Over the years he had become a gallant friend, handling Gene's mail, messages, and fans with the same calm efficiency that had made him a decorated soldier in the war. A bullet in the left leg left him with a bad limp, but nothing would ever daunt his pride at serving his country. Now, wearing another uniform, he guards and serves the hotel's guests in all kinds of weather, with the same dedication and loyalty he gave to the army. What a perfect gift that toy soldier would make for darling Henry!



"Besides," Gene later thought impishly as she walked out of the store, gift box tucked under her arm, "I never could resist a man in uniform!"



See more Gene Marshall Doll photos on my regular website.

Gene in Pin-Up

One of my older outfits, yet one that took me years to photograph! Released in 1996, "Pin-Up" is a circa 1944 design by Tim Kennedy. White Hyacinth is the model for the first few photos, and J'Adore was used in the last two shots.



From the story card:

After the impact of Gene Marshall's first pin-up for the war effort, Crimson Sun, the G.I.s demanded, "Give us more!" Now Monolithic Studios has done just that with this all new pin-up poster. And it certainly gives the troops a lot more of Miss Marshall! She appears in a sizzling black teddy and matching negligée that should get every G.I.'s immediate attention. We can already hear the wolf whistles from Corregidor to the coast of France!



Pin-up is Gene's "gift" to the troops! Black laced satin teddy is accented with pink ribbon, including ribbon lacing up the back. Complete with matching lace-trimmed negligée and laced heels. No wonder the G.I.s loved it!

As a film star in the 1940s, like everyone else you are concerned with the country's war effort, and want to do what you can to support the troops stationed overseas in Europe and the Pacific. Quietly and privately, you contribute generously to the War Bond campaign, and to the Red Cross. And when your studio sees a way for you to use your star status to boost the morale of the troops, you agree to go along with the plan.

Thus it is that Gene finds herself in front of the cameras in an outfit more daring than any she has yet worn on the screen, posing for a promotional photo to be released by Monolithic Studios to cheer up "the boys" overseas.

Gene is "dynamite" in a strapless black lace teddy and matching see-through negligée. When she poses with her back to the camera, you can see that the teddy laces up the back with pink ribbon...a small but very sexy detail!



Within weeks this photo has been distributed by the thousands to troops all over the world...and what a stir it causes on all fronts! When G.I.s are interviewed about Gene in Pin-Up, they call her a "dish", and a "gorgeous dame", and get all dreamy-eyed thinking of their own wives and girlfriends back home. So it is that Gene's photo becomes the inspiration for thousands of love letters sent back from overseas.



See more Gene Marshall Doll photos on my regular website.

The Kiss

After doing a photo shoot with this outfit, I can't believe it took me so long. Released during year one, 1995, "The Kiss" is a Tim Kennedy design listed as circa 1946, but it seems much more appropriate for a 1930's Jean Harlow era (as the story card references). An Integrity Gene with hair expertly restyled by Kathy Johnson is the model. Trent Osborn, sporting his "After Hours" smoking jacket and monogrammed slippers, makes a guest appearance in Gene's photos.



I'll remember the end of this film as long as I live. There was Gene Marshall "slipping into something more comfortable" before sharing a romantic moment with her onscreen husband as the two held each other in their arms, looking out over the twinkling lights of the Manhattan skyline. And then he kissed her, tenderly, yet so passionately…and the credits started to roll as the scene faded to black. It was the end of the movie, but not for me. That perfect kiss went on and on, even as I walked out of the theater in perfect bliss.



The Kiss invites romance with a marabou-trimmed pink satin peignoir lined in shimmering silver lamé. Also included is a matching gown with "diamond" pin, earrings, and high-heeled mules. Circa 1946.



You remember how you used to be thrilled by the languid love scenes played by your favorite stars. And now it's you on the set, waiting to play that scene with a leading man the world's women would die for, could they but see him at a distance. Soon, you'll be in his arms, in front of the cameras! And at the end of the scene…the kiss!



In Hollywood's golden age, there's a love story the public never tires of. After an evening on the town, the couple returns to Gene's penthouse apartment. He puts a record on the phonograph. She slips into something "more comfortable." For Gene at this moment, everything must be perfectly romantic: her dramatic entrance back into the scene from the bedroom, her stunning costume, even the sparkling "diamond" brooch worn provocatively at her bustline.



Gene's pink satin gown and peignoir, lavishly trimmed in dazzling white marabou feathers, are of legendary design, harkening back to the slinkiness of Jean Harlow, and looking forward to the buoyant sexiness of Marilyn Monroe. Gene captures the scene with smoldering looks, the toss of her head, the touch of her hand on his. As the credits roll, Gene receives "the kiss"…and we can only guess what happens next!



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Gene is Heartless!

Tim Kennedy's circa 1952 design called "Heartless" was released in 2000 for Madra Lord. I decided to allow Cocoa Crisp Gene Marshall do the honors of modeling it for you. My favorite part of this outfit is the miniature olive that comes with it!

From the story card:

The lead in "Somewhere Summer" seemed like the perfect part for Madra Lord (at least in Madra’s opinion): a young Career Girl who overcomes the machinations of a ruthless Older Woman and wins the day and The Guy.

So when her agent called and told her that Ruben Lilienthal had personally picked her for Somewhere Summer, she dashed to the local Elizabeth Alden for the full treatment. A week later, she arrived at the studio to sign her contract—for the role of the Older Woman.



“What!” she shouted at her agent on the phone. “What was in your mind when you told R.L. I’d do this? The ‘Older Woman’? For this I spent a week at the salon?”

“The stretch will do you good, sweetheart,”cooed Benny, finally getting a word in edgewise. “It’s on location. It’s a high profile picture. And it’s in your contract.”

“All right,” sighed Madra. “But whoever is playing the little ingenue is in for the ride of her life. Who is it?”

“You couldn’t guess?” said Benny, with a slight quaver.



“It’s Gene Marshall, isn’t it?” Benny’s silence confirmed her suspicions. “Well, at least it’s someone I can dish with—and who knows how to take what I dish out.”

Off Madra went to start filming. No one knew how to play a heartless woman with so much heart that audiences actually felt a little sorry when the character got her come-uppance. And when she showed up in the film wearing a smart pea-green and polka dot outfit in one last desperate attempt to hang on to the hero, audiences gasped—maybe she would win out after all. But in losing The Guy, the Older Woman won something else—the audiences’ hearts.



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

Gene Marshall Premiere

The very first Gene doll, released in 1995, wore this outfit titled "Premiere." Designed by Tim Kennedy, this circa 1941 creation is modeled by Fashion Plot Gene instead of the original doll that it came with. For those of you that own this doll, beware...this outfit is notorious for staining Gene's delicate white "skin"!

From the story card:

"Would you know a new star if you saw one?" ask the hundreds of fans who flocked outside Monolithic Studio's latest film premiere of Blonde Lace. Fans were dazzled by the up-and-coming new star Gene Marshall—the studio's hottest new property. Miss Marshall turned all heads in a gown of black velvet and burnished gold. In this film she stepped into a starring role at the last moment...and her performance has all of Hollywood buzzing. This is a new face and talent to reckon with.

Premiere is a two-piece evening gown created for the limelight! The velvet jacket is cut straight off the shoulder and fully lined with gold lamé. The breathtaking skirt is black lace over antique gold taffeta, shimmering with hundreds of hand-applied beads and sequins, and hemmed in black velvet. Circa 1941.

Her name was actually Katie Marshall. It was only after she was discovered by a famous Hollywood producer that she adopted her beloved grandfather's name, Gene—because he had always urged her to follow her dream to Hollywood stardom.



The movies were Gene's passion, even as a young girl. Inspired by the world's great movie actresses, she developed her acting skills by winning the leads in every school play. She quickly won the hearts and admiration of everyone who saw these early performances...for even then, Gene was surely touched with stardom.

Gene was a typical, gawky young woman...but the movies taught her grace and passion, and made her heart sing with their glamour and drama!

Because Gene was single-minded about pursuing her dream, she managed to find her way to New York City. She became an usherette at a fashionable movie theater frequented by celebrities.

On a night that changed her life forever, Gene led a tall, distinguished man to his seat in the darkened theater. Her flashlight fleetingly revealed her lovely face to him. Astonished at her beauty and poise, this noted producer declared her his latest discovery, took her to Hollywood, and helped make Gene the star she always deserved to be.

Just imagine...the whole town of Hollywood is watching and the spotlight is on you. You're no longer the little girl waiting in the ticket line at the theater...or the helpful usherette, quietly leading people to their seats.

Instead, your image has been carved in light on celluloid, shining larger than life on the silver screen. The world has declared you a rising star. And now you're ready to attend your first premiere, dressed in a gown that's the stuff dreams are made of.

At Gene's premiere, stardom is still very well new to her. Gene wears her natural blonde hair parted in the center and pulled off her lovely face, then secured with small jeweled combs. Her dramatic make-up is as flawless as her complexion.

Gene's two-piece gown dramatizes her exquisite features. Her velvet jacket is cut straight-off-the-shoulder, drawing attention to her face. The shimmering gold lamé lining adds unexpected, breathtaking glamour.

Her lace skirt, over a taffeta slip the color of antique gold, shimmers with hand-applied sequins. And her "diamond" teardrop earrings are the final, radiant reminder of how far she's come in her exciting new career as a movie star!



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

Covent Garden

Released in 1998, Covent Garden was one of the last Ashton Drake dolls that I purchased. Designed by Tim Kennedy, this 1948 outfit is one that had me on the fence. Although I did eventually get it, I also eventually sold it...both the doll and the outfit. They were very pretty, but Champagne Supper was so similar that I couldn't see the point in keeping the doll. As for the outfit, it is gorgeous, but just not the type that I would keep and re-photograph as much as the ones I am holding onto.

Today, Champagne Supper is ably standing-in for the original Covent Garden doll.



From the story card:

Two snow-white horses drew the elegant carriage up to the marble steps of London's Covent Garden Opera House as the crowd of onlookers craned their necks to see who was arriving in such vintage splendor. The coachman opened the door and Gene Marshall appeared…and a sigh of adoration swept through the crowd at the magical, storybook vision she made in her breathtaking gown. Gene gracefully descended from the carriage on the hand of her escort in a luminous, trailing cloud of white. She floated up the marble stairs to the soaring white columns of the Opera House entrance as flashbulbs popped like stars.



The opera was one of Gene's favorites: Rossini's La Cenerentola, the story of Cinderella. After the final curtain Gene was on cloud nine, the rapturous glory of the romantic music still echoing in her heart. She was so entranced that she didn't even notice her laced velvet shoe had loosened until it slipped right off her foot on the marble steps upon leaving the opera house! Her escort—a dear friend and occasional leading man—gallantly retrieved the dainty shoe and laced it back on as Gene steadied herself with a hand on his shoulder. Neither of them thought any more about the incident until the morning newspapers blazoned their photograph with the headline "Cinderella at the Opera!" The article gushed over Gene's beauty, comparing her own "rags-to-riches" story to the classic fairytale—and even suggested that England's new two-week-old prince would fall madly in love with her at first sight!













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 Marshall photos on my Gene Marshall web page.

Lovely In Lace Cape Set

Lovely In Lace also had a Cape Set, which is featured here. It's a bit awkward to photograph, as the fur on the cape has a tendency to obscure Gene's face. Still, it is a nice addition to Lovely In Lace, which was released in 2001 and designed to be a circa 1941 outfit by Tim Kennedy.

The 2nd photo in today's post shows Gene & Trent at Disneyland, posing outside the Big Thunder Ranch at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.

From the story card:

It was the end of a journey. A journey that had begun in Cos Cob, Connecticut, in the dreams of a small-town girl with hope in her heart and talent that just wouldn't quit.

She had taken those dreams, hope, and talent to New York City. There, a good fortune took her by the arm and led her along the path toward stardom.

Model. Usherette. Bright-eyed star-to-be. Discovered.



Suddenly, she was whisked away on a cross-country magic carpet ride. From New York City to Chicago and then…Hollywood itself.

There she found herself in Pictures with a Capital P, just as she'd dreamed. And just as she was getting used to the bright lights and glamour, fate stepped in and there she was, stepping in for a star and meanwhile becoming a star in her own right.

Did the preview audience realize, as they crowded into the theaters and settled into their seats, that they were viewing a little bit of Hollywood history happening as the lights dimmed--and there she was, bright on the silver screen and right where she was always meant to be. Lovely in lace and making her way into the hearts of everyone who saw her.

Gene Marshall—Girl Star!



See more Gene Marshall photos on my Gene Marshall web page.

At Home For The Holidays

This circa 1957 outfit by Tim Kennedy looks like it came out of Lana Turner's closet. LOVE IT!

From the story card:

Last year's holiday special (and Gene's television debut) came to you in compatible color from NBS studios in New York; this holiday, travel to sunny California as Gene Marshall invites the country to join her "At Home for the Holidays".
If you can't be with your family over the holidays, why not have the next best thing? The cast and crew from NBS' "Holiday Magic" became a second family to Gene during the creation of last year's special. Now, most of them have flown to the West Coast to work on what may become an annual Gene Marshall holiday event.

Once again, colorful costumes make this television spectacular a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. Gene's finale costume alone should spark a boost in color television scales across the land.



As cameras, lights, and sound equipment fill her home, Gene plans a few surprises to make this holiday one that will always be remembered. Always thoughtful, Gene has taken special care to put up the fashionable white flocked Christmas tree given to her by the producer and the crew the year before. And as the final notes of the final song fade over the airwaves, Gene steps away from the tree—revealing hand-picked, hand-wrapped presents for each member of the cast and crew.

Every day's a holiday when you're a friend of Gene Marshall's!



See more Gene Marshall photos on my Gene Marshall web page.

The Talented Kathy Johnson, Pt. 1

Released in 1995 (aka Year One), Blond Lace is a circa 1941 Tim Kennedy design. Recently, I sent a batch of dolls to the EXTREMELY talented Kathy Johnson in Oregon (email: sewkj@pcez.com). One of them was Distant Venus, an Integrity Gene Marshall with very long silver hair. We're talking long...as in waaaay long. And boring. Before banishing her to ebay, I thought I'd let Kathy attempt a little of her hairstyling magic. The only direction I gave her was a photo of the recently released Van Gogh Barbie and the directive: "Make it big...as in Texas-style." You can see the result here. This Gene is staying. I couldn't have been more thrilled with the results.



From the story card:

A new face has caught the light that only stars reflect…a rare light indeed. It shines on a young actress named Gene Marshall. She's the good-hearted cigarette girl in Blonde Lace, producer Erik von Sternberg's newest film from Monolithic. This once small role was reworked at the eleventh hour when the original star suffered an injury. Miss Marshall, dressed in the most feminine of tuxedos, does a dance number on the film's nightclub stage with an easy grace, a lilting glance, and a few breathy words guaranteed to break hearts from here to Poughkeepsie!
Blond Lace is a chic tuxedo with tailored jacket, slacks, and lace-trimmed halter top. Lace cuffs, a black velvet beret, and a tiny boutonniere complete the ensemble. With matching shoes and a "pearl" topped cane. Circa 1941.



In your very first Hollywood film, you want to establish a screen personality that makes you stand out, an image that people will carry with them long after they leave the theater! One fabulous way to do just that is to appear in man-tailored clothing, which has an uncanny way of making a beautiful woman appear even more feminine and elegant than in a lavish gown.



For Gene, the one costume that gives her genuine star quality is Blond Lace, a tuxedo she wears in her first small role as a hatcheck girl. Gene has only a few lines...but her radiant beauty, set off by the dashing black velvet beret and touches of ivory lace, make an unforgettable impression. As the credits scroll up at the end of the film, people strain to read the small print, looking for the name of the "unknown" starlet who played that stunning hatcheck girl…and Gene is on her way to becoming a full-fledged star!



Gene's three-piece tuxedo is tailored of black crepe; the ivory halter top has an attached jabot of extravagant lace. Matching lace appears at the cuffs of the jacket, and a "gardenia" pin on the lapel adds a dashing touch. And is that a gentleman's cane she holds as their eyes meet briefly, yet significantly, across the checkroom counter?



As for Kathy...yes, she takes commissions. Yes...she is very affordable. And no...you won't have to wait months and months to see what she can do for your doll! Kathy is one of the nicest people, polite, and she aims to please. Email her today: sewkj@pcez.com

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 Marshall Afternoon Off photos on my Gene Marshall web page.