Dollieh Sanctuary

I've got a character doll in mind which would require a 60cm doll for my 70cm girl. The actor (from the 30s) is a bit, well, he's not bug-eyed but he has enormous eyes for his face. He was also a rather short fellow - only 5 foot 5. I'm wondering if that larger eyed look would be successful with an 18mm or 20mm eye instead of the 16mm.

So who's the actor? Gah. Don't laugh....but Peter Lorre. I have a lot of his movies, although my favorite one is 'M - To Catch a Murderer', directed by Fritz Lang. I'm glad that there are subtitles because I have a hard time following the German towards the end of it. There are two other of my favorites, one is 'My Favorite Brunette' with Bob Hope and Lon Chaney. That movie is HILARIOUS. The other one is 'Secret Agent', directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced through the London (?) studios.

So.... eyes.... still wondering which would give a large look but not bug-eyed like Marty Feldman (think 'Young Frankenstein' - which is another favorite movie of mine).

Anyway, thanks for any advice.




Oooooohhhhhh.... a bit off topic of eyes but am in the midst of finishing a marionette. I haunt old second hand stores and Salvation Army, ect...and found an old book that has all sorts of dolls that you can sew. This marionette is awesome! The joints are grommets at the shoulder/elbows/hips/knees and I'm reinforcing the grommets by sewing around them with some upholstery thread and then the joints are 'joined' by using black satin ribbon that I'm double knotting through each of the holes of the reinforced grommets and then tied in a double bow. I just have to finish that and then his face and wig - which the book gives directions for wefting his wig with muslin and yarn! (I love some of the older craft books I've found.)

I can't wait until I get him done so I can post photos! lol!

My old flame, I can't even think of her name, I'll have to look through my collection of human heads...

A bit pug eyed perhaps? What about using beads? Pick up some beads in the sizes eyes come in and see how they sit in the head. Bigger eyes sit further back, smaller eyes stick out. Any small gaps could be filled in with white poster tac/eye putty.

DollyKim wrote:My old flame, I can't even think of her name, I'll have to look through my collection of human heads...

A bit pug eyed perhaps? What about using beads? Pick up some beads in the sizes eyes come in and see how they sit in the head. Bigger eyes sit further back, smaller eyes stick out. Any small gaps could be filled in with white poster tac/eye putty.

I think pug eyed is a good description. lol! So, probably 14 might do it then.

Thank you for that tip about eyes being smaller. I couldn't remember.

Geez! Now I need to dig up some old movies to watch. I think Lorre is a great idea for a doll. There are number of actors and actresses of the era that would be fun to see as dolls. I would love to see yours.

At that angle a Dollzone mini vampire, with the fangs trimmed off, could work. Didn't realize his eyes were so far apart. The only real trivia I know is he's Austrian, or somewhere around there, and worked very hard to get rid of his accent.

DollyKim wrote:At that angle a Dollzone mini vampire, with the fangs trimmed off, could work. Didn't realize his eyes were so far apart. The only real trivia I know is he's Austrian, or somewhere around there, and worked very hard to get rid of his accent.

I know he escaped Eastern Europe right before Hitler came to power because Mr. Lorre was Jewish. I think he's part Hungarian? I looked it up once. I remember he was married three times and the only child was a daughter with his 3rd wife.

I'll have to check out the Dollzone mini vamp. I've been looking for dolls with eye holes like his.

Llwynog wrote:Geez! Now I need to dig up some old movies to watch. I think Lorre is a great idea for a doll. There are number of actors and actresses of the era that would be fun to see as dolls. I would love to see yours.

When and if the dollieh funds ever start to happen. *sigh*

Right now, I'm thinking of making some cloth dolls. I've got the one finished and am in the midst of finishing a marionette.

Oooh, the Mo 3 at Denver Dolls looks close, too.

Mo's eyes are too pointy, I went with Fei because I wanted wide downturned eyes, almost went with the vamp but at the time I couldn't see how to get rid of the fangs.

Some day I need to see the Maltese Falcon simply because it's a good movie. I'm more familiar with Spike Jones' version of My Old Flame.

DollyKim wrote:Mo's eyes are too pointy, I went with Fei because I wanted wide downturned eyes, almost went with the vamp but at the time I couldn't see how to get rid of the fangs.

Some day I need to see the Maltese Falcon simply because it's a good movie. I'm more familiar with Spike Jones' version of My Old Flame.

I was checking out the Impldolls too. The Bobby sculpt seems to be pretty close - nose, chin, cheeks in Peter's younger years. The eyes are a bit too close to the nose....but I think with the right wig and face up, it would be darn close.