Charles's Pages about Doll Stuff - www.dollstuff.net

Barbie® Doll as Marilyn Monroe™

I recently got a copy of the Spring 2009 Barbie® Collector catalog in the mail. (If you want one and don't have one, you can get a free copy here.)

Inside the catalog there's a gigantic close-up face shot of the Blonde Ambition™ Barbie as Marilyn Monroe™ prototype doll. From the images I'd seen of it online I'd assumed she had the Lara® head, but it's obvious from the close-up that she doesn't. It actually looks like she has the 1991 closed-mouth "Mackie" sculpt with teeth painted onto the upper lip.

(If you have this doll, send me a message - I'd love to know if that's true!)

She reminds me of the original Barbie as Marilyn dolls because you can tell it's supposed to be Marilyn Monroe, but it still looks like Barbie. (The ones that were supposed to be Marilyn Monroe herself weren't as successful because they ended up looking like Mr. Ed. )

Kentucky Derby Barbie®

This wouldn't be the first time the closed-mouth head's had teeth painted on it; the Barbie doll in the Jude Deveraux The Raider™ Barbie and Ken® Giftset had a sliver of teeth painted between her lips. (You can see pictures of her face here.)

Beach Glam™ Teresa®

(The phrase "sliver of teeth" isn't very romantic, is it? )

I also thought the Kentucky Derby doll had the Lara head, but now I have no clue what head she has. The first thing I thought when I saw the big picture in the catalog was how much it looks like the "New Teresa®" head from the 2007 playline (the one they used with the 2006 "short" body).

Yes, I realize there's no way it's the same head - but, doesn't she look a little bit like Beach Glam™ Teresa?

Anyway, maybe it's yet another new sculpt?

Update: A couple of people have written since I posted this to let me know that the Barbie as Marilyn Monroe doll does have the closed-mouth sculpt after all. Also, apparently the Kentucky Derby doll has a new sculpt that's being described as the 1991 closed-mouth head with an open-mouth smile added to it! The Barbie as Aphrodite doll apparently has it as well. (She's the second doll from the left in the second row on that page.)