Haunted Dolls
HAUNTED DOLLS
Haunted dolls generally get a bad rap. Considering their prevalence in supernatural horror films, it’s no surprise why. They’ve developed a frightening reputation for trying to kill their owners that actually extends back nearly a hundred years in modern filmography. We’ve included a timeline of scary dolls in cinema later on in this article.
It turns out not all haunted dolls are evil. Some actually possess positive spirits and energies, such as the doll pictured above, Penny, offered by paranormal investigator and spiritual seller of active spirit dolls, Twilight and Beyond. Penny is a rare vintage porcelain doll, circa 1980s, meant to provide support and positive energy to the person who cares for her.
In the world of “good” haunted dolls, Penny isn’t alone. There are several options for those who may wish to communicate or be surrounded or influenced by a positive spirit. We’ve included some below, along with other haunted dolls that are said to contain the spirits of different individuals, elves, fairies, or even vampires.
If you’re considering purchasing a haunted doll, be sure to read the entire description for each. All of the sellers featured here disclose very lengthy and detailed information, including backstories of attached entities, so the buyer can know whether the doll may or may not make for a suitable companion.
I highly recommend exploring the entire collection for each seller to see their other offerings as well.
Haunted Dolls for Sale
Click on Images Below to See Larger and to Get More Info
History of Haunted Dolls in Modern Films
Probably the most popular and recent examples of haunted dolls in movies are the three Annabelle films. The first, entitled Annabelle, debuted in 2014 as a spinoff prequel to The Conjuring, a massively successful supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and released a year earlier. The rest is supernatural history. The Conjuring has since spawned 9 total movies that fall within what’s become known as The Conjuring universe.
As obsessed as we seem to be with haunted dolls in recent years, this use of creepy dolls as central characters in films actually goes back nearly a century earlier to the 1929 film The Great Gabbo starring a ventriloquist dummy named Otto who is more of a monster than a simple puppet. From here, ventriloquist dummies were the subject of numerous horror films and series in the following years, including Dead of Night (1945), Devil Doll (1964), and two Twilight Zone episodes in the 1960s.
Speaking of the Twilight Zone and scary dolls, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the 1963 episode, Living Doll, featuring “Talky Tina” who famously utters, “My name is Talky Tina, and I am going to kill you.” Curiously and coincidentally, the mother who buys Talky Tina for her daughter is also named Annabelle. You can see her vintage replica here.
Scary dolls continued to appear in several films throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, appearing as mannequins in Asylum (1972), a Zuni spirit in Trilogy of Terror (1975), murderous playthings in Dolls (1986), a hiding human serial killer in Child’s Play (1988), and living toy murderers in Puppet Master (1989).
Prior to The Conjuring, James Wan kicked off his career with his first movie, Saw (2004), starring yet another dummy-esque character known as Jigsaw.
Most Famous Haunted Dolls in the World
Annabelle - The previously mentioned Annabelle film features the real-life story of a Raggedy Ann doll that developed a reputation for moving positions or even changing locations. The doll has been safeguarded for decades, locked away within a glass case by famed paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, at the Warren Occult Museum (closed to the public since 2019). The Warrens, who are both now deceased, were featured prominently throughout The Conjuring universe films (portrayed by actors Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) as well as several other documentaries and media features.
Robert the Doll - Robert is a fabric sailor doll holding his pet dog and is over 100 years old. He’s named after Robert Eugene Otto, aka Gene, a young boy who was gifted the doll and named it after himself. From the early days, Robert the Doll was known for his mischievous behavior, namely breaking other toys and objects and moving about the house giggling. Robert’s permanent home today is the Fort East Martello Museum.
Lily - Lily is a haunted doll that was found outside its owner’s door. She’s based on a mystical practice as old as the 1600s where figurines were left around a town to scare off spirits and ghosts.
Okiku - In 1918, a 17-year-old boy named Sapporo bought a doll for his 2-year-old sister, Okiku. As you may guess, she named the doll after herself and kept it with her always. Just a year later, Okiku died of Yellow Fever. The Okiku doll was placed in a shrine honoring the real-life Okiku. In a bizarre twist, after Okiku’s death, the family reported that the doll’s hair started to grow. This was later confirmed by the priests who currently care for her. Today she is on display in the Mannen-ji Temple in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, Japan.
Letta the Doll - Found under the porch of an abandoned home in New South Wales, Australia in 1972, Letta the Doll is a wood doll with a creepy grin that has been seen and heard moving around the owner’s home. Kerry Walton found Letta and has cared for it ever since. He claims the doll is over 200 years old, has been made with human hair, and is inhabited by the spirit of a drowned boy.
Additional Articles We’ve Published Featuring Dolls
Article References
A Short History of Creepy Dolls in Movies, Den of Geek
The Most Famous Haunted Dolls in the World, Miami Haunts
Okiku, The Japanese Haunted Doll That Puts Chuky to Shame, Old City Ghosts
The Possession of Letta the Doll, Moon Mausoleam
Affiliate Disclosure
We put this article together because we truly love sharing unique home decor, unusual gifts, and other oddities and collectibles with you. We are also an Etsy affiliate, and the links in this article are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through one of these links, we may receive a very small commission at no additional cost to you. Buying through affiliate links is a great way to support independent publishers and content creators like us, and we appreciate your support. 💛
