1965-1976 Marx Johnny West Doll Family

Louis Marx Dolls 1919-1979

The Louis Marx Company was founded in 1919 in New York City as a maker of children's tin wind up toys, toys, games and more, Marx soon became a leader in the toy industry and became famous for introducing the world to the Yo-Yo in 1928. 

In the 1960s-1970s Marx produced hard plastic, vinyl dolls and action figures.  Marx is probably best known during this time for their Johnny West doll family of Action figures from 1965-1976.

Quaker Oats bought Marx in 1972 and ceased operating in 1979, the company name was revived in the 1990's and reissued some figures, but has now ceased.

See below for many Marx dolls identified.

1961 Marx Miss Seventeen doll, 15" tall, Bild Lilli clone doll or look a like, but taller. Used the Bild Lilli Hong Kong head mold. Probably came in several different hair colors, but too few have surfaced to determine for sure.

The Miss Seventeen doll has rooted pony tail hairstyle, painted facial features with the high arching eyebrows, wore a helenca knit swimsuit, high heel shoes and a sash with her name on it, and a doll stand. 

1961 Miss Seventeen doll, 15"

1962 Marx Bonnie doll, 11 1/2" tall, teenage fashion doll, Bild Lilli & Barbie clone or look a like, bubble cut hair-do, fully jointed body including elbows, and an upper joint on the thighs, painted facial features, marked on stomach with a circle, Made in Hong Kong, in the middle of this is Marx inside an X, then the Roman numerals MCMLXIV, © Louis Marx & Co. Inc. This doll looks just like the Petite Miss Marlene doll pictured next who is much smaller and may have used the Hong Kong Bild Lilli doll head mold.  Bonnie is a hard to find doll.  See the Barbie clone doll page for other multi-jointed similar dolls.

May 2005 - Thanks to Susan Orchard for sharing her doll and photo's.

1962 Marx Bonnie doll, 11 1/2"

1962 Marx Miss Marlene doll, petite 6 1/2 - 7" tall, teenage fashion doll, Miss Marlene is about the same size as the 1969 Dawn dolls, came with fashions that could be bought separately. Bubble cut or pony tail hair style, little Bild Lilli like head mold and facial features, jointed body, with high heel feet.

This doll is also hard to find, but unlike the above 11 1/2" size, we have seen her a few times at auction.

1962 Marx Miss Marlene doll 6 1/2"

1963 Marx Miss Marx doll or Miss Toddler doll, 18-21" tall, battery operated walker doll.

1963 Miss Marx doll, 21"

1964 Marx Campus Cuties dolls, 5 1/2-6" tall, all molded plastic non-bending figures, eight dolls in series, either pink or cream colored.  Marked on bottom of stand:  MCMLXIV (1964).

1964 Campus Cuties dolls, 5 1/2-6"

1965-1976 Marx Johnny West doll family, hard vinyl, articulated dolls with molded on colored clothing.  Johnny West, 12" tall, brown molded hair, brown clothing, wife Jane West, 11 1/2" tall, blonde molded hair, turquoise molded clothing, daughter's; Janice and Josie West and son's; Jay and Jamie West, plus more figures.  

Johnny West's family members each had a horse, there were also Indian dolls, both male and female, a Fort Apache, covered wagons, plastic guns and tons of accessories for hours and hours of fun!  Johnny and his family are also shown at the top of this page.

1965-1976 Johnny West doll family

1965 Marx Twinkie doll, 5" tall, molded plastic, jointed at neck, shoulder, hips, has painted white socks & black shoes, molded hair, came with wigs & washable non-soil rubbery clothing wardrobe, marked: LOUIS MARX & CO. INC./MCMLXV on back.

1965 Twinkie doll, 5"

1966 Marx Myra doll with Buffet & Accesssories, about 9 1/2" tall, a Skipper sized competitor, rooted hair in a short page boy, blonde maybe other hair colors too, vinyl posing body, had a wardrobe, fashion accessories and furniture available.

1966 Myra with Buffet & Accessories

1975 Marx Archies doll series, 8 1/2". Archie, Jughead, Veronica and Betty, comic book characters. They also had a car, carry case and accessories.

1975 Marx Archies Betty doll, 8 1/2"

1978-1979 Marx Sindy doll, 11 1/2" tall, Action Sindy jointed body, jointed wrists, blonde rooted hair, painted eyes & lashes, she looks similar to Ideal's Tammy dolls.  Sindy's black doll friend is Gayle.  Some outfits were exclusively made and sold only in the USA and Canada.  Doll marked 2 Gen 1077/033055X on heads, Hong Kong on backs.

Pedigree was the originator of the Sindy doll, who also made and distributed Sindy everywhere else in the world 

1978-1979 Sindy doll, 11 1/2"