A MUM-of-two rediscovered her 43-year-old childhood doll – and now it’s totally creeping out the internet.
The woman, originally from Leeds but now living in the US, recently returned to her childhood home in West Yorkshire and found the 1970s toy in a box.
And to her amazement she discovered that the blonde-haired, blue-eyed doll still winks, grins and grimaces when its left arm is rotated.
A video of the doll’s facial contortions has proved a massive hit on social media – dividing opinion between those who think it cool and those who have urged: “Burn it.”
The clip of the Saucy Expressions Doll, brought out by Mattel in 1972, was tweeted by GammaCounter, who wishes to be known only as Alan from Chicago.
Alan, his British-born wife and their two children visit the UK annually but during this year’s trip the toy, bought in 1975, was rediscovered.
Alan’s daughter quickly fell in love with her mum’s old doll.
Alan posted the short clip to Twitter with the caption: “My wife found her childhood doll amongst a bunch of old stuff. Look at the range of emotions it goes through.”
The clip has been viewed over 52,000 times and had over 1,200 likes since it was uploaded yesterday evening. (WED)
The clip begins with the blonde doll smiling, but as Alan rotates her left arm the doll’s eyes begin to move from left to right – and her mouth begins to open.
As Alan continues to rotate the arm, Gilly winks and her mouth is squished up into a strange expression.
The doll’s expressions continue to change, and as her eyes move off to the side her mouth begins to turn down in to a wary expression.
The doll then pops back in to a smile, crosses its eyes and opens its mouth in excitement.
As the clip ends, a simple wink creates a strange expression on the doll’s face – as one side of her mouth moves upwards while the other moves downwards.
The final expression shows both sides of the doll’s mouth facing down again as it looks wary, and Alan moves the doll in to camera for comedic effect.
Scores of twitter users were quick to share their unease over the doll.
Debbie Mason said: “Chuckie prototype. A lifetime of therapy right there.”
Muttly added: “Kill it with fire and never speak of it again.”
Ninathedablack commented: “Back when dolls were manufactured in the devil’s workshop.”
Sunnyflower20 wrote: “Omg that’s the stuff made of nightmares. Creepy doll. I can’t unsee this and I’m worried I’ll not sleep.”
Geek Cadet added: “That’s horrifying.”
While Helen B said simply: “I’m scared.”
However, not all social media users were terrified by the doll.
ArtyMoHawk said: “That actually looks like fun to play with.”
Shellyfairy1 added: “I want one.”
Mamtamertner commented: “Oh my, I’m laughing so much. She is apparently a ‘Saucy Expressions Doll’ by Mattel. In Britain, saucy means sexually suggestive in a light-hearted and humorous way.”
Carol Costello wrote: “Bit spooky. But the final face is hilarious.”
While Tashy McTashface joked: “It’s basically the original emojis.”
Speaking today, Alan said the family love the doll. He said: “We all agree it’s ‘creepy’, and my daughter and her twin brother, they are seven, sometimes like to play on that angle.
“So I think that is part of the dynamic, maybe a kind of strange attraction, or something like that.”
He added: “It must have been tucked away for many years in her parents’ house. We live in the US, but visit the UK at least once a year.
“This year, the doll turned up in the course of going through boxes of things. Our daughter loves the doll, and wishes to keep it.”
Dolls still in their original boxes now sell for around £230 online.
