Gorby

I got this out of a catalog a number of years ago when Mikhail Gorbachev began his popular glastnost and perestroika reforms in the Soviet Union, which endeared him to millions of people in the West who were tired of the Cold War. Someone decided to capitalize on his popularity by making this wacky Gorby doll that squeaks when you press his stomach. It's an interesting artifact from a more promising period of time when people hoped that a permanent world peace was possible (okay, so now the world has to worry about terrorism from the likes of Al Qaeda) and all the nations that were enslaved behind the Iron Curtain would become free and democratic (some of those nations, like Hungary and the Czech Republic, became free while others, like Belarus, are still being ruled under brutal dictatorships).

Click on any photo below to see a larger version of the same photo open in a new window.

Here's a front view of Gorby in his leather jacket. (Never mind the fact that, in real life, Mikhail Gorbachev usually wore suits in public.)

Here's Gorby with his leather jacket opened to reveal a striped t-shirt.

Here's a back view of Gorby's leather jacket.

When you press Gorby's stomach, his mouth opens and he emits a squeak. (That's right, this doll is also a glorified squeak toy.)

This page last updated October 27, 2004.

COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMERS: This site © 2004 by Kimberly Keyes Stark. All rights reserved. None of the graphics (with the exception of site banners) or written content on this site may be used anywhere else—either on other websites, in eBay/Yahoo!/other online auctions, or in printed publications (like newspapers and magazines)—without written permission. (Click here to obtain written permission.)

This site is not officially affiliated with nor endorsed/supported in any way by any of the doll companies and doll manufacturers mentioned on this site. The names of all doll lines (such as "Dollfie Plus") and all doll companies (such as "Volks") mentioned in this site are trademarks of their respective companies and/or owners. The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the doll companies and doll manufacturers mentioned on this site. USE OF THE INFORMATION ON THIS SITE ABOUT DOLL CUSTOMIZATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. This site will not accept any responsibilities for any doll customization done by anyone that goes horribly wrong.