Gene: Champagne Supper, Pt. 2

Sure, it took awhile, but here’s the REST of the post for Champagne Supper. I thought these shots of Gene looked just fine by themselves; no need for a fancy background! From the story card:

That look in his famous eyes as she stood at the top of the stairs set Gene’s heart to fluttering. His reverent expression told her more in an instant of his tender new feelings than all the bouquets of roses he’d ever sent her. Her feet scarcely touched the ground, and as she took his hand in hers, she felt the warmth and gentle strength of his fingers through her gloves. From that moment on the evening passed in a rainbow-colored dream. They’d kissed dozens of times in the movies, but that was work. For the first time she found herself wondering what it would be like to truly kiss him. She wasn’t sure what she drank or ate at supper. All she knew was that she was giddy as a butterfly, and so lightheaded it must have been the champagne. Gene knew right then that this was the man her parents should meet…very soon.



Interestingly enough, this man is never mentioned by name. All that we know is that he and Gene starred in a number of movies together. The circa 1957 date makes it late enough in Gene history to mean that yes, she probably did marry this guy. To my knowledge, Mel Odom never acknowledges (even in his fictional Gene book) what happened to Gene Marshall after the movies. Will the storyline also be finished for us when Gene is "retired" this Spring? Personally, I hope it is Trent Osborn; who knows, maybe he was able to tame his womanizing ways for the likes of Gene!

To see my Gene Marshall photos, visit my regular website.

Gene Marshall: Borrowing Madra's Stolen Moments & Upcoming Releases

I’m not really a Madra collector, but I do like a handful of her outfits. Gene’s face and design screams vintage to me; not so much for Madra. Fortunately for my wallet, I have been able to avoid her charms. Yes, as soon as I saw Stolen Moments I was captivated, as it looked like something from a Classic Hollywood film. For this photo, Gene borrowed the moon I photographed on a trip to Beacon Hill in Boston. Here is the info from Madra’s story card:

Critics and movie fans were always amazed at the richness of character Madra Lord brought to debutante roles (and Madra played debs longer than anyone in the history of film!). Madra was something more than just a poor-little-rich-girl; her portrayals had dimension and depth.

Maybe it was because Madra had grown up as Mabel-who never had to do without, but wanted to do with so much more. Maybe it was the nights of wide-awake dreaming, imagining what it must be like on the right side of the tracks that gave Madra the key to playing the kind of society girl movie-goers could root for.

Take, for example, the way Madra handled the lead character in Stolen Moments, one of her many box office smashes. In it, she laughs at the upper crust and foolishly falls in love with the son of the family's stable master.

In the film's climactic scene, she leaves a stuffy party to make her way through the wintry grounds of the estate to meet her lover. Hood covering her head and muff warming her hands, she steps into the stables to find...his father, the stable master brewing a pot of tea. "Care for a spot, miss?" he says, nodding toward a chair. Looking around questioningly, she sits. "Oh, he's not here, miss. I sent him to town. Because there's a little something you and me have got to discuss..."

Whatever the outcome, Madra knew audiences would be with her whichever decision was made. Because that's what made her a STAR!

Over on Shuga-Shug’s fantastic blog she has posted photos of the new Gene, which will be from Ashton Drake, not Integrity. My wallet is very relieved...I think I will be passing on this one. I like it even less than It's A Cinch. Nice photo though (which is the property of Integrity Toys); just not an outfit that appeals to me.



And while I'm on the preview mode, Tonner has just posted the rest of his collection. Again, my wallet is breathing a sigh of relief. The Scarlett 22" holds no interest for me; unless it has a new sculpt, their large-format Scarletts of the past have had no resemblance to Vivien Leigh at all. The BBQ dress is nice enough; wrong color though, and Scarlett's hair looks as if it’s fallen victim to a bad home perm.



No new "Wizard of Oz" dolls, other than an 8" piece of poo. The one mildly interesting new item is the Jessica Rabbit doll, curiously placed under the Disney Princess label:



Still seems like they really weren't ready for today's update, as many photos are missing, pending licensing approval. Can you hear my wallet breathe a sigh of relief?

To see more Gene Marshall photos, visit my regular website.

Lucy: LA at Last by The Franklin Mint

Before I saw the Mattel version, the Franklin Mint vinyl Lucy was more than adequate in my opinion. I thought the sculpt did a fairly good job of capturing Lucy (although not as good as their porcelain sculpt) and I loved the fact that most of her memorable TV outfits were available in fashion-doll size. Once I saw the Mattel version (and popped the episode in my DVD player to refresh my memory), I was able to see just how much they had missed the mark by.

The facial sculpt is more of a "beautiful Lucy" than a comic Lucy, and I think this is a huge mistake. On top of that, there are many subtle details that Mattel was able to capture that the Mint chose to ignore. This is even more astounding when considering that Mattel's doll is a much smaller scale. FM has no sparkles on Lucy's tie or waist, they omitted the rhinestone glasses, there is no coffee cop as a prop, and no putty nose is available to make the situation laughable. Instead, they released a barebones classic 1950’s outfit that is true to the period, although somewhat misses the mark of its inspiration.



To see more I Love Lucy doll photos, visit my regular website.

Lucy: LA at Last by Mattel

"I Love Lucy" is still one of my favorite TV shows, and "L.A. at Last" ranks as one of my all-time-favorite episodes.



After a particularly grueling cross-country car trip for the Ricardos and the Mertzes, the gang finally arrives in Hollywood where Ricky is to film a movie. Anxious to see all of the movie stars, Lucy goes to their "watering hole": The Brown Derby. There she encounters her ultimate dreamboat, William Holden. Tired of being stared at by too many fans, a playful Holden turns the tables and focuses his gaze on Lucy. Unable to handle the situation, Lucy promptly leaves the restaurant, but not without repercussions: she runs into a waiter who accidentally dumps a pie onto Holden’s face.



Wanting to please his wife, Ricky decides to bring his new Hollywood film-star friend home to meet her: William Holden. Lucy is terrified to leave her bedroom to meet him, so she dons an outlandish disguise: fake rhinestone glasses, a turban, and a large putty nose, which continues to change shape as Lucy itches her nose.



When Holden lights her cigarette, her nose catches on fire and Lucy's ruse is over. All ends well as Holden graciously changes the story from their previous encounter so that Ricky won't be angry with her.



This episode must be seen; words just can't describe the comedy. The facial expressions (of which Lucille Ball had a mastery), the lines, the story...it is absolute perfection.

Speaking of perfection, Mattel's version of this particular show is also perfection. Not only is the costume the most accurate one ever done, it captures the comedic beauty of Lucille Ball. My one regret is that the nose is not removeable. Other than that, they have captured just about every other detail, including the sparkles on her waistband and necktie.





Kudos to Mattel on a job well done, which is even more astounding at this small scale. And yes, the coffee cup is included!

To see more I Love Lucy doll photos, visit my regular website.

Tonner Scarlett: My Mother's Portières

In my opinion, Vivien Leigh is one of the most timeless beauties I have ever seen. For this reason, I am somewhat critical of the sculpts that I have seen of her. Tonner does a good job of capturing her beauty (I still prefer the Franklin Mint version though), but there is an "edge" to her features that they seem to have missed, and as many have noted before, the hair is definitely the wrong shade. This is quibbling though when it comes to this particular doll, as the fabric, drape, and accessories are very well done. The feathers on the hat are ridiculously large, but if one wanted to fix/trim them, it could probably be done with ease.



This particular outfit is pretty much the standard whenever a doll company attempts to do Scarlett, and I would say this is for three reasons. First, it is obviously a beautiful dress; not very complicated, it is rather simple yet elegant. The two shades of green, the soft velvety fabric...costume designer Walter Plunkett knew his stuff! Reason #2 is because of how it was 'created' according to the book and movie. Way before Maria Von Trapp yanked her curtains down for playclothes in the movie "The Sound of Music," Scarlett O'Hara was pulling down her mother's portières for a much more dire reason: survival. Reason #3: this signifies a turnaround in Scarlett's maturity. She has fulfilled her father's early prophecy that eventually her "love of the land" will overtake her. Misguided as it is to sell herself in marriage to a man she doesn't care for (Frank Kennedy) to save Tara, it is a far cry from her first marriage (attempting to make Ashley jealous).



To see more Scarlett O'Hara doll photos, visit my regular website.

Gene Marshall: Holiday Magic

Designed in 1996 by Tim Kennedy, this circa 1956 outfit was inspired by a dress worn by Grace Kelly. Anyone out there have a photo of the original dress Grace wore? This particular ensemble is difficult to get for a good price; I was able to secure this one at a semi-reasonable price because it was missing the pin that is attached to the shoulder of the dress. Pulling a piece from Facets by Marcia and voila, Gene is bejeweled again.

From the storycard:

Although you’re a movie star, it’s the new medium of television that gives you the chance to entertain your fans as they relax in the comfort of their own homes. When you appear on a TV holiday special in the mid-1950s, you have the thrill of performing live before an audience of millions!

Gene has looked forward to her appearance on the “Holiday Magic” show, broadcast from New York City on Christmas Eve, 1956. It gives her an opportunity to be home for the holidays with her family. And when she performs a wonderful song and dance routine, she surprises her movie fans by displaying talents she’s never fully revealed in her films. The applause of the studio audience—with Gene’s family cheering from the front row—proves, once and for all, that Gene won’t have to have her singing roles dubbed anymore.

Anybody able to send me a closeup of the original pin for this outfit?

To see more Gene Marshall photos, visit my regular website.

Gene Marshall: La Nina de la Plaza

I don’t know a whole lot about this outfit, other than it came from a 2002 Gene Convention in Albuquerque and was designed by Jim Howard. I also know that the particular one I purchased came without jewelry, a COA, a storycard, or the headscarf. Yet, I still bought it. In its simplicity, I thought it would make a great addition to my collection. Borrowing some hoop earrings from another ensemble and throwing in the lace mantilla from a Jackie Kennedy doll, voila...Gene was ready for her photoshoot! She looks like she belongs in Italy, perhaps crushing grapes with Lucy Ricardo!



To see more Gene Marshall photos, visit my regular website.