Movie Merchandising – He’s A Doll!

Motion picture studios left no stone unturned in their quest to market their movies. Therefore, movie merchandising, which reached its apex with films like STAR WARS, started with the dawn of film. Just like female stars, male stars were presented in doll form during the height of their popularity. Over the years, such stars as George Arliss, John Bunny, Eddie Cantor, W. C. Fields, Charles Lindberg, Lupino Lane, Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Jackie Coogan, Clark Gable, Sean Connery, Rex Harrison as Dr. Doolittle and Elvis Presley, all became dolls.  

While the male doll is a neglected aspect of movie memorabilia, many celebrated figures were presented for fans of all ages during these last 100+ years. Some were eccentric or flamboyant characters but they came into being because they touched the heart, were known for their comedy, their adventuresome spirit, their music or charisma, making them a desired commodity.  They are an important element in the history and marketing of American motion pictures and why WalterFilm has chosen to feature them in our 2023 Holiday Blog.