10/02/2012

Tonner's New James Dean Doll and More

One of the best looking James Dean dolls ever produced was from Mattel in 2000. It was part of the American Legend series. The outfit fit him perfectly and he had the bad boy good looks of the real James Dean.

 In real life he wasn't exactly the most rugged looking but he certainly didn't look like an innocent. Mattel really knocked their James Dean doll out of the park.


Sadly, this new doll from Tonner looks way too boyish and not nearly as tough or as good looking as the real Dean was. This is a nice doll and possibly a good base for customizers. I'm always in the market for really great looking male dolls to keep my girls company. But my girls are older than this fellow.

10 comments:

  1. This doll looks more like a young Maxwell Caulfield (The Colby's) than James Dean. He'd make a nice 'Boy-Toy' for Aunt Regina or Angelina.

    If I buy this doll, it will have more to do with the dolls attractiveness than it being a likeness of James Dean...which it is not.

    What would really upset me (after purchasing the doll), is if Tonner does a resculpt that really looks like Dean.

    - Vanessa

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    Replies
    1. Tonner HAS resculpted faces- Vivien Leigh's/ Scarlett O'Hara sculpt was redone after the promo pics came out, resulting in much negative comment, and the Clark Gable/ Rhett Butler head was resculpted AFTER the first RB was released!!! So there are 2 out there by Tonner.

      At least here, the first sculpt has been relegated to Carlos, for Aunt Regina.

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    2. If we get a Michelle Pfieffer doll, we could have "Grease 2"!!!!

      Delete
  2. This has to be James Dean? Your kidding? What a dissapointment, he looks nothing like James Dean. All time worst....
    You are right, Mattel did a real good James Dean.

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  3. Wow, that's a miss. I agree, he looks nothing like James Dean. He looks closer to a young Brad Pitt than Dean. I love the Mattel sculpt but I really wish they would have spent a few bucks more for rooted hair. :(

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  4. hmmmmm... not sure about this TONNER one but i do AGREE, Terri - MATTEL's James Dean is one of the BEST CELEBRITY DOLLS out there.... still have mine....

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  5. "He'd make a nice 'Boy-Toy' for Aunt Regina or Angelina."

    Or Andy... Between this guy and Huey (Memphis), my Andy is going to be Alone No More!

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  6. While Marilyn was a disappointment, this is a total miss. Agree with those who think Mattel's version was MUCH better. Oh well. Money saved here.

    Maybe Tonner still has time to edit the sculpt, whereas Animal Magnetism Marilyn was shipped for the Tonner convention, so that boat had sailed, so-to-speak.

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  7. that's my problem with most tonner dolls they have one face type for the male and female dolls, no definition or unique details of the person they are portraying.

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  8. He's a handsome sculpt with a 50's leading man charm but James Dean isn't there. Sometimes the sculpt is there, but the hairstyle and the paint job fails. Its such a discredit to the "sculpting talent" of Robert Tonner. With Franklin Mint leaving the business and Gene Marshall fading away, my hope is that those talent in dressmaking, hairstyling and face painting be hired by Tonner. Is that possible?

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