In Her Eyes

Close-up photography for the Publicity Department demanded an early call. The sun had not arisen yet when Miss Gene Marshall, the Star of Monolithic Studios, arrived behind tinted glasses, a colorful Italian silk kerchief, and a slim tweed dress, ready for the camera, always the ultimate professional.



What occurred once the lights were directed towards her face is the stuff of legend. When she opened her eyes, we all had to catch our breaths. The magic of Gene Marshall's eyes was real. Eyes of blue, eyes of a beautiful soul.

The preceding photos feature a wonderful Gene Marshall doll. This example carries a fascinating story, best narrated by her creator, American artist Mel Odom:

"I had this doll privately made to show Ashton-Drake how beautiful Gene could be with glass eyes. The main reason we didn't do her that way was the lack of beautiful 'glass' eyes. The colors in these eyes were custom, featuring pale blue whites (sclera) and intense pigmentation giving them great depth and that feeling that they are following you. But at $20.00 or $30.00 a pair, the price made them impossible for production. The ones available for actual production weren't right for Gene. Later, we tried at Integrity Toys too, they just weren't as expressive as the painted ones."

Dolldom hopes that a future iteration of Gene, manufactured by JAMIEshow Dolls will feature the perfectly crafted glass or urethane eyes that translate Mr. Odom's stunningly stylized vision of iconic Hollywood magic. After all, third time's a charm!