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| Living Dead Dolls |
 Living Dead Dolls are not your mother’s collectible dolls. However, they just might be your kind that is if you are into the dolly dark side of collecting. These horror movie inspired dolls are designed in America and have been manufactured by Mezco Toys since 2000.Living Dead Dolls were created by Ed Long and Damien Glonek back in 1998 and made their debut at a popular horror movie memorabilia convention called Chiller Theatre in New York City. Both creators were raised on horror movies—mostly those Saturday afternoon, creature double-feature kind. These plastic dolls are 11 inches and sold in coffin-shaped boxes. Most of the series dolls come packaged with a death certificate. The doll’s date of death is usually that of a significant historical event, birth or death, and a short poem about each doll are also printed on either the coffin package or the death certificate. “When I was a little kid, all my friends called me Eddie Munster,” Long recalls on the official Living Dead Dolls site. “I was always that way. My mother has early pictures of me holding a Frankenstein doll and the other holding a Godzilla model kit.”  Damien Glonek, who was apparently named after Father Damien Karras from the classic The Exorcist novel, remembers as a child celebrating Halloween was a big as an event as Christmas. “My parents used to have Halloween parties and get all decked out,” Glonek says. “I don’t see it (Halloween) the way other people see it. To me it seems normal— horror, monster, blood, guts.” So, out of the company founders’ longtime friendship and mutual love for horror films would inevitably come their own creation— Living Dead Dolls— and straight from their hearts and souls. “We’re not looking at what we sell— it’s coming more from a fan’s perspective and an interest in, or obsession with, horror,” Glonek explains. “There was no big marketing plan or boardroom discussions; our basic philosophy was always, ‘to do what we like.’” Living Dead Dolls or  iginated as “craft dolls” that were individually customized by Long and Glonek. The customized dolls were named “handmades” by fans and collectors alike. The very first doll was designed by Long using one of his mother’s doll kits. Together Long and Glonek made 12 more and sold the dolls exclusively through Glonek’s mail order company, Unearthly Possessions, and the East Coast Chiller horror movie convention. It was at one of these conventions that the founder of Mezco Toys purchased a doll and later offered Long and Glonek a manufacturing contract to distribute the dolls commercially.In 2001 the first full Living Dead Dolls, Series One edition sold out at the Chiller convention. Suddenly horror movie fans and serious doll collectors alike of all ages were snatching up dolls with names like “Sadie,” “Sin,” “Posey,” “Eggzorcist” and “Damien.” Sadie was the first ever Living Dead Doll created, originally retailing for $24. If you are lucky enough to find it these days on eBay, you may be able to pick it up for $800 to $1,000. Some of the older dolls from the first two series have sold on the auction site for equally as much. So why are Living Dead Dolls so collectible these days? For starters, each series, starting from 11 years ago, has sold out. (Earlier editions arranged from 3,500 to 4,000 sets, while some of the newer series averaged 1,500 and less).  Even teens are into collecting the different Fashion Victims lines (dolls comes with outfit change and accessories), and women ages 20 and up seem to prefer some of the newer lines that depict scary movie characters. “We have just as many middle-aged housewives buying the dolls as young kids and adult men,” the duo says. Through the years, Living Dead Dolls has expanded its collection to exclusive editions, apparel, mini dolls, fashion dolls, baby dolls, rag dolls, Halloween costumes, stationary sets and even board games, among other products. Some of the latest dolls include “Friday The 13th,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Edward Scissorhands,” among others. Presently, there are more than 100 characters that have been created and new series are released twice a year. Series 17, which is based on urban legends, was recently released to stores. Each series is comprised of five dolls. In addition to the two series a year, four to six exclusive dolls a year are released through various select retailers. In this exclusive DOLLS interview, Glonek talks about Living Dead Dolls: DOLLS: What was the inspiration behind creating Living Dead Dolls? Damien Glonek (DG): Back in the late ’90s, we were both heavily into building and painting model kits. Ed’s mom collected dolls and would at times bring home blank craft dolls to make. One particular time she brought home some dolls to make angels from, and Ed saw something completely different. Back then we saw these blank dolls as nothing more than model kits we could make. We both grew up raised on horror movies from the ’70s and ’80s, and we carried this love of a genre into all aspects of our lives. We put together two of the things that are sacred us the most: children and dolls. From there, all Living Dead Dolls were based and inspired upon the more macabre side of things. It was never our intention to be shocking for shocking sake, but to take the norm and skew it a few degrees so you weren’t quite sure what you were perceiving. We wanted the dolls to have a cute, but creepy, kind of feel—something with a dark sense of humor thrown in with a good old-fashioned fright. DOLLS: How did you and your partner get together to form the Living Dead Dolls, LLC? DG: In 1996 I started a mail order company called Unearthly Possessions that sold horror movie memorabilia. We would set up a booth at various horror conventions around the East Coast and sell horror movie collectibles. In April of 1998 Ed showed me these dolls he made and asked if I thought anyone would be interested in buying them. I immediately saw a potential in them and told him to put them on the table and see. There was an immediate interest in them and all 12 dolls sold out in one night—the next show … the same thing. At that point we realized we may be onto something, so we joined forces and decided to brand these dolls ourselves. In the very beginning, while all the handmade dolls were each unique in there own way, they were all based off of what would become the Sadie character from Series 1. When we started to expand this new doll concept, we introduced different “characters,” displayed them in coffin box packaging and came up with the name “Living Dead Dolls.” We saw an opportunity to tap into something that no one else was touching upon. We immediately saw a potential for growth and produced our own T-shirts brandishing images of the dolls with our logo and created a portfolio series telling a short story. We did everything on our own by hand and built a little reputation for ourselves. In 2000 a representative from Mezco Toyz purchased one of our dolls at a convention and sent us a letter asking if we would be interested in having them manufacture and distribute the dolls for us. It was what we needed to take things to the next level. We met with them, and everything seemed great. They didn’t want to buy our idea as much as license it from us and keep us at the creative helm. With the help of Mezco Toyz, numerous possibilities for the dolls opened up that we would have never been able to achieve if we continued down the same road we had been on. So we signed a contract and officially formed Living Dead Dolls, LLC, and have been happily doing business with Mezco Toyz ever since. DOLLS: Who is the average Living Dead Dolls buyer? Age range too? DG: There is no average Living Dead Dolls customer. Upon first glance, one would automatically think goth kid, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. While we do have our share of goth fans, what we have noticed through the years is our fans come from all walks of life. Our message boards may be filled with teens, but we have met fans ranging from housewives to little girls, from dads to bikers. There is something in Living Dead Dolls we have found that appeals to the darker side of everyone. We never set out to cater one certain type of person. We never tried to market it to a demographic; we always just did what we wanted to see. We were glad to find out we aren’t the only ones who liked it. DOLLS: What do you think collectors like best about your doll line? DG: I think one of the things people like best about the line is it touched upon a niche that no one else was doing at the time and with more than100 different unique characters we have a little of something for everyone with a touch of morbid curiosity. They are almost an anti-hero in a world filled with the perfect ‘Barbie’ look. Not everyone fits into that mold, and these dolls show you it is OK to be different … or fit into a cookie-cutter mold. DOLLS: What about the fashion line ones—are these more for younger collectors and why? DG: Actually the fashion line dolls were more intended for an older crowd, as they had much more of a sex appeal to them. When we made dolls by hand, we also made some women-type dolls and eventually wanted to bring them in under the Living Dead Dolls moniker. So these “Fashion Victims,” as they were dubbed, allowed us to explore a more adult aspect of alternative culture that didn’t fit into the standard Living Dead Dolls look that we have developed. DOLLS: What are some of the more hard-to-find Living Dead Dolls, and what do they go for in the market today? DG: Every doll sells out from the manufacturer almost immediately upon release. The earlier dolls from the first few series are probably the hardest to find and carry a price ticket of $100-plus. Recently, dolls like “Rain” from Series 11, “The Lost” from Series 8 or “Morgana” from Series 13 have been proven quite sought-after and range in price from $150 to $300 each. The most valuable dolls are the handmade dolls we made before they started to be mass-produced. Originally, these dolls were sold for $40 and now command a price on eBay from $600 to $1,200 if you are lucky enough to find one. The bloody Eggzorcist from Series 1is also a “holy grail” of sort for collectors, as only 30 were made and only 25 were sold. These have been known to bring in about $1,800. Recently, the Resurrection Series of dolls, which are re-imagined versions of past dolls and limited to 525 pieces, have been highly collectible and selling for about $250 each. DOLLS: What did Mezco Toys find so appealing about the doll line that they wanted to manufacture it? DG: I imagine it was something that was unique in the sense that no one was doing anything like this at the time. The dolls had a unique, creative look that was already marketable, as they came in their own coffin packaging. For more information, visit www.livingdeaddolls.com. Remember “deader is better!” Chronology of Living Dead Doll Names Series 1 (2001) Sadie, Sin, Posey, Eggzorcist, Damien Series 2 (2001) School Time Sadie, Kitty, Deadbra Anne, LIzzy Borden, Lou Sapphire Series 3 (2002) Bride of Valentine. Sheena, Lilith, Lottie, Schitzo Series 4 (2002) Inferno, Sybil, Lulu, Ms. Eerie, Macumba Series 5 (2003) Jezebel, Siren, Dahlia, Hollywood, Vincent Vaude Series 6 (2003) Jinx, Dottie Rose, Hush, Revenant, Calico, Isaac Series 7 (2004) Lust a/k/a Mistress Demonika, Vanity a/ka/ Madam Dysmorphic, Wrath a/ka/a Eve-A-Go-Go, Sloth a/k/a Bed Time Sadie, Greed a/ka/ Miss McGreedy, Gluttony a/ka Vulgar the Obscene Series 8 (2004) The Lost, Hollow, Grace of the Grave, Faith, Angus Littlrot Series 9 (2005) Elisa a/k/a Elisa Day, Toxic Molly, Toxic Molly, Dawn, Blue, Purdy Series 10 (2005) Mildred, Demonique, Arachne, Tina Black, Wolfgang Series 11 (2006) Maggot, Killbaby, Jubilee, Rain, Isaiah Series 12 (2006) Chloe, Tessa, Frozen Charlotte, Cuddles, Ezekiel Series 13 (2007) Evangeline, Iris, Morgana, Simone, Jacob Series 14 (2007) Alison Crux, Jasper, Daisy Sue, Dee K, Gregory Series 15 (2008) Death, Bathory, Gypsy, Flamingo, Judas Series 16 (Halloween 2008) Eleanor, Pumpkin, Mishlka, Squeak, Isabel Series 17 (2009) The Hook, The Vanishing Hitchiker, The Unwilling Donor, Spider Bite, Bloody Mary Series 18 (Halloween 2009) Calavera, Ingrid, Gabriella, Jingles
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Trackback(0)TrackBack URI for this entryComments (16)
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Loving your site, Im a collector from the UK and would just like to point out a "typo error" on the Series 7 above if thats ok?.
You have EVE-A-GO-GO as the sin WRATH, really she is the ENVY sin and Bad Bette-Jane is WRATH. I hope you don't mind my pointing this out...your site is great ! Tina x
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January 09, 2011
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Abbie- love these dolls ever since my mate Rebecca introduced them to me. the horrible coolness about them makes them appealing.
           lol Rebecca- Im 11 And I Really Love These Dolls. It's A Shame I Cant Afford Them. My Mother Thinks That They Are Horrid Little Things But I Fall In Love With Every Single Messed Up Face I See.
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September 24, 2010
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IIIIIII LLLLLLOOOOOOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE TTTTHHHHHEEEEESSSSSSEEEEEE DDDDDOOOOOLLLLLSSSS SSSSSSOOOOOOOO MMMMUUUUUCCCCCHHHHHH IIIIII NNNNEEEEEEEEEDDDD MMMOOORRRREEEE MMMMOOOOONNNNNEEEEEYYYYY
: D
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September 08, 2010
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Im looking for series 9 for nothing more than 130$ .. any suggestions???
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September 06, 2010
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i love these dolls for a year but i dont have any yet
im keeping my fingers crossed for chrismas
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August 24, 2010
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i love living dead dolls and im a 15 year old goth boy haha. really i only have jingles but i ordered the variant cheshire cat n cant wait for it. theres only 1 place around here that sells them so im really happy to find another one i love (but none more than jingles since he was my 1st doll)
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August 14, 2010
...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee theas dolls :- *
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August 03, 2010
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I love Living dead dolls, i'm 12 years old and I have 3. I have Agana series 19 and Rose and Violet wich are on one of the pictures above. Theres something about them wich I like. People say they are ugly and scary but me and my Messed up brain love em
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June 04, 2010
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We are in love with Living Dead Dolls
We love collecting them and we r trying to create a house full of them http://stores.ebay.com/BitOfGoth
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April 19, 2010
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I have 2 regular LDDs and a lunchbox of minis. I LOVE THEM! I wish they where cheaper so I could get more. They appeal to my and im only 11.
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February 13, 2010
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Latest Articles from News & Notes
The two premiere publications covering doll collecting, DOLLS and Doll Reader, will merge into one title in 2012 published under the name DOLLS by Jones Publishing. The deal was announced Jan. 27 at the Debut of Dolls and DOTY Awards Banquet during the IDEX trade show in Orlando, Fla. Jones Publishing also presented its Lifetime Achievement award to Maggie Iacono at the same event.
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If you have not heard, you will shortly. Four of the major doll and teddy bear magazines are merging this year. Teddy Bear & Friends and Teddy Bear Review will merge. Also, Doll Reader and DOLLS will merge. It is time for all of us to stop shouting from the sideline that something needs to be done to turn around the doll and teddy bear world. We need to step off the curb and join the parade to do something about it. No one is going to come to our rescue. This is not a movie. We are the only ones that can do something about it.
The antique collectable world has the auction houses, price guides and their own publications to promote their dolls and teddy bears. The major doll and teddy bear manufacturers have huge advertising budgets to promote their contemporary collectable world. However, the doll and teddy bear artists, dealers, and show organizers have very few publications to promote their world. Four of those publications will now be down to two. It is time that we support the merging publications as much as possible, whether it be through advertising, subscriptions, article and picture submissions, creating links to their websites, or promoting the magazines with your customers and friends. Magazine subscriptions make great gifts, door prizes, and raffle donations. The price is a bargain compared to the alternatives. We are confident that if conditions improve enough for the magazines, we will see improvements in their publications that will benefit all of us. We hope that in return the magazines will not only be more open to suggestions from the artists, collectors and dealers but actually implement as many of their suggestions as possible.
It is beyond the point of just pointing fingers, as we need to accept the fact that there are forces at work that cannot be changed. It is now all about survival by stopping the retreat and taking a stand. When any industry suffers from the economy or reduced demand, one of the two strategies is to gain a larger share of the competitors’ markets, and those markets are made up of a lot of other types of collectables and art forms out there. The other strategy is to merge efforts, as the magazines have done. We also need to stop thinking as individuals with concerns only about our shop, our show, our sales table, our website, our customers, and our troubles. If each of the major peer groups within the doll and teddy bear world would think and act as one collective force, the synergy of the parts could far exceed the power of the whole. We intend to do our share to make a difference. We hope you will join us. Our first task is to support these merging magazines in any way possible.
Sincerely yours,
Susan & Terence Quinlan
Susan Quinlan Doll & Teddy Bear Museum
(805) 687-8901
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On Jan. 26-29, 2012, the internationally acclaimed doll show—IDEX Premiere 2012—will be held at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld. The show offers something for doll collectors of all interests—from ball-jointed dolls to fashion dolls, classic collector favorites and more. Additionally, exciting events will roll out the Debut of Dolls, a Roaring ’20s BJD Extravaganza, Tiny Treasures Contest and Awards, and so much more. DOLLS magazine will also be in attendance to present Maggie Iacono with the Jones Publishing Lifetime Achievement Award. Make sure to pre-register for workshops and events before they are sold out. Click here to view a complete listing.
The Alexander Doll Company and well-known auction house Theriault’s hosted a gala reception at the Alexander company headquarters in New York Nov. 19 before Theriault’s auction of author and socialite Candy Spelling’s rare, vintage Madame Alexander doll collection at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York Nov. 20.
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Maggie Iacono has been named the recipient of the 2012 Lifetime
Achievement Award by DOLLS magazine. Iacono, with 31 years of dedication
to the craft, raises the bar of excellence for the doll industry year
after year, making her an ideal pick for this year's winner.
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Latest Articles from Events
The fourth Pullip and Dal Doll Lovers Event (PUDDLE) drew 60 doll lovers from 10 different states and Canada to the Elk Grove Village Holiday Inn in June. This year’s theme, cranes, was inspired by the sandhill cranes at the group's charity organization, the Willowbrook Wildlife Center. Six custom dolls and other items donated by sponsors like The Sleeping Elf and Denise's Dolls were raffled off at the event, raising $500 for the center.
The weekend started Friday night with dinner at Mitsuwa Japanese Mall in Arlington Heights, followed by a tea party at the hotel. PUDDLE officially kicked off at 9 a.m. Saturday, starting with an organized buy-sell-trade opportunity, and dozens of fans milled around trading and buying doll wigs, eye chips, bodies, clothing, and more.
Every attendee received a door prize, thanks to generous donations from many sponsors. Distribution of the door prizes was followed by a secret gift swap and lunch break. Afterwards, an informal Q&A-format customizing workshop answered questions for many fans new to the hobby, followed by a display of fully customized and modified dolls entered in the customization contest. Winners of an online photo/art contest which was held and judged before the event were announced along with the customization contest winners. The photo and art entries can be seen at www.puddlestyle.com/photoart.html.
Many fans continued the fun over dinner in the hotel restaurant and in the hotel lobby until the wee hours. Krista Farmer, who traveled from Toronto for the event, said “It was a crazy cool day.” Although the event officially ended Saturday night, 11 fans stayed for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Willowbrook Wildlife Center Sunday. — Jane Easterly
For information on PUDDLE 2012, visit www.puddlestyle.com.read moreAttendees at the third annual R. John Wright Convention enjoyed the festivities of several major holidays coupled with outstanding dolls,
all rolled into four fun-filled days! R. John and Susan Wright chose “Celebrations!” as the theme for their 2011 event held at the historic Desmond Hotel in Albany, N.Y., which was co-chaired by Loretta Nardone and Lillian Wright.
The convention opened with St. Patrick’s Day reception Wednesday evening, where everyone laid claim to being a wee bit Irish while enjoying a scrumptious dessert buffet. The sales room opened immediately after this kick-off event, with conventioneers hoping the “luck of the Irish” would help them find that perfect doll or dolls.
Thursday began early with the Easter Morning Breakfast; those attending this ticketed event didn’t have to search for large, beautifully decorated baskets serving as table centerpieces. They were filled with molded felt eggs in pastel colors. At the end of the breakfast, the eggs were distributed and the happy new owners opened them to find “Peep,” a 3-inch yellow mohair chick as their event souvenir. His companion, “Posey,” was available for sale. After breakfast the special and competitive exhibits opened, along with the helper room. This year’s special exhibit, arranged by John and Susan Wright’s daughter Emily, was titled “Happy Holidays” and showcased R. John Wright dolls and animal characters and the traditional holidays that inspired them.
That afternoon, attendees boarded buses for the short trip to Bennington, Vt., for a tour of the R. John Wright facility along with other local activities. The Wrights explained the development of their creations from concept through completion before everyone had the opportunity to visit with their employees as they made various doll parts and accessories and shopped in the R. John Wright store. The day culminated with a Fourth of July BBQ followed by fireworks at dusk.
Workshops by dollmaker Gail Wilson and a program by Alan Pate, a leading American expert on Japanese dolls, were offered on Friday, along with several roundtable discussions on various topics. Attendees dressed up for the frightfully fabulous costume parade leading into the Halloween Masquerade luncheon, with prizes awarded in five categories. After lunch, the newest piece from R. John Wright’s Wizard of Oz collection, “Wicked Witch of the West,” made her debut in front of an enthusiastic audience.
The ticketed Victorian Yuletide Dinner featured traditional table decorations and an enchanting program, “A Victorian Christmas,” presented by Nardone. The event souvenir was the 10-inch “Mary Frances,” the latest addition to the Victorian Children Collection. Available for purchase was her 7-inch little sister, “Baby Grace.”
Saturday morning’s activities included another program by Pate and a workshop conducted by
Emily Wright. That afternoon, a Valentine’s Day High Tea charmed conventioneers with fine teas and delicacies. The newest addition to the Flower Fairies series, “Rose Fairy,” was available for purchase. The evening’s closing event was a New Year’s Eve Gala Celebration. This elegant banquet featured another entertaining program produced and presented by Nardone. When the souvenir dolls were distributed, delighted attendees found the adorable 12½-inch “Celebration Scootles” would be going home with them. As an added bonus, her delightful twin brother was available for purchase.
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