Exploring the Unknown: "But the batteries are out!" Haunted Toys...

Quick! What do you think of when I say “Baby Alive,” “Barbie,” or Raggedy Ann?”

If you’re like me, no doubt you have visions of a magical childhood, one filled with countless hours of make-believe play with your collection of doll babies. Now, what if I said, “Robert The Doll”, “Chuckie,” or “Annabelle?”

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Those names scare the snot right outta ya, don’t they?😬 I know I’ve had more than one nightmare after watching The Conjuring. There’s something about a possessed object that moves that creepo-factor needle into the red. Imagine walking into a room and seeing the doll you just put in the toybox sitting in the middle of the floor…with an audience of stuffed animals and GI Joe’s surrounding it.

That’d put the fear of Jesus in you, for real.

This didn’t happen to me, thank goodness. I saw this once on a paranormal series on the SyFi channel. We did have a few weird instances with toys. Remember the Gizmo doll, the little creature from Gremlins? Damn thing wouldn’t stop talking so we removed the batteries. That worked for Gizmo…not so much for a Batmobile remote control car. Dang thing would go off every night, in the middle of the night, waking the house. We finally removed the batteries from the car. And it went off again.

And then, it went in the trash.

But, as always, I digress. Where were we? Oh, right, those creepy doll-things. If you have an opportunity, check out the TV show “Ghost Adventures” (hosts are kind of annoying but they come up with some pretty good footage) and the episode about the Island of Dolls(2014).

Holy Hannah, that was creepy AF.

Image Source: Trvl Channel/Ghost Adventures

The ‘Annabelle’ doll in The Conjuring movie was investigated by perhaps the most famous paranormal tag-team in the U.S. Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple with decades of experience in the paranormal, had their hands in many claims of supernatural activity and investigated countless prominent cases. Ed was a demonologist, Lorraine, a self-professed clairvoyant. Their cases included the Amityville haunting, the Smurl family haunting (which was the subject of the movie The Haunted) and Annabelle. The Warrens founded an Occult Museum to house all of these “possessed” items they encountered, keeping most items behind glass, in an attempt to shield people from harm. While I have no clue whether the Warrens, both deceased now, were legit or not, I always enjoyed listening to them speak and watching them work.

As for their Occult Museum—I intend to do another blog just on those museum pieces and the history behind them. It would have been cool to actually visit the Connecticut home that houses the museum. Unfortunately, due to a zoning violation, it has been closed to visitors since 2019. I’m not sure when, or even if, it will reopen.

But if it does…road trip, anyone?😊

But enough of the girl dolls. How ‘bout that Robert The Doll character?

Sailor suited “Robert” came into being in the early 1900s. He was given to a boy named Robert (who went by his middle name Gene) by his grandfather. Although the pair seemed inseparable, Gene constantly accused poor Robert of mischief—destroying toys, upending furniture, weird-ass giggling for no apparent reason—you get the picture.

Into adulthood, Gene kept Robert by his side (which, nothing for nothing, is, in itself, chilling😲) After Gene’s death, Robert remained in the house he ‘grew up’ in with the new owners. It was said that anyone who disparaged or talked ill of either Gene or Robert would be cursed by the doll. (Hey, Bob? Sorry about the ‘chilling’ comment above. Seriously, there’s nothing weird about keeping a doll on your desk like, forever😳)

In 1994, after having been donated by his current owner (like, what took you so long, dude? Oh, umm, apologies again, Bobby😬) Robert now resides in a museum, in a glass case, somewhere in beautiful Key West Florida, sipping Margaritas and lamenting of days gone by. They say he is even a fan of candy and people actually send him sweet treats several times a year.

Probably hoping to get on his good side.

In case you haven’t gotten there yet, Robert has a not-so-nice side as well (although I think he’s a peach. Right, Bob-O?) So, if you find yourself visiting him, just be kind and don’t dis Gene.

Oh, and ask permission first before you take his picture. He hates that.

Until next time, my Mighty Quinnlets…and remember, if your kid tells you the doll did it, they may not be telling a fib😉