Hugo, Man of a Thousand Faces
Note: This is an updated repost because of a few new comments and one new pic!
As a kid I was fascinated and repelled by Kenner’s “Hugo, Man of a Thousand Faces.” While I’d stare at him for hours in the Sears Wishbook, hoping Santa would bring him to me, part of me was creeped out by his corpselike look sans accoutrements. He wasn’t outright evil like a ventriloquist dummy and his disguises served as a way to make him look like, well, a thousand other faces. It was plain, chalk-like Hugo that terrified me: “Create thousands of pretend friends,” the box screamed and you knew who had these toys: you see them at comic book conventions. Where the hell did the other half of him go?
Jesus!
Years later, my friend would name one of those creepy, realistic baby dolls “Hugo” after it. There’s even a Virtual Hugo online! Too bad I couldn’t find the commercial, tho the MST3K gang did a good Hugo spoof during “Devil Doll” (someone posted the entire episode in pieces; you can see the sketch here.)
Jeez, this one’s for $90 on ebay! Look at the description - obviously written by a sadist:
“Nice vintage Hugo man of a thousand faces with box. Hugo is in excellent condition, the box is in good condition for the age, normal use. Including all pieces on the picture. Box measures 6″ x 9″ x 14″……Beautiful toy!”
… um, yeah. And I don’t even wanna know what “normal use” of Hugo would be.
see you in your nightmares, kid.
Howie and Hugo
PS. for more along these lines, see the amazing Secret Fun Spot. He’s the guy that put the SS Adams catalog online!
PPS. Step points out the resemblance to Johnny Eck:
and also points out the rather strange object: Hugo’s removable bum?
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That Hugo deal IS creepy! And yet I can’t look away…
How are you?!!! It’s been too long. I’ve actually tried to comment on another blog entry and then couldn’t…sorry I’ve been out of touch so long.
Comment by Helen — May 31, 2007 @ 9:38 am
I was fascinated by it too in Sears wish book — but wanted Mrs Beasley more (a 7 year old boy playing with an old-lady doll?) which I never got.
DL: what if we had gotten what we wanted? i’d have hugo, you’d have mrs beasley, and havoc would have ensued in the highlands!
Comment by Mark — May 31, 2007 @ 9:38 am
my pal Sadie in London WAS the actual Hugo in Devil Doll. Oddly appropriate as she turns 89 today.
Comment by Scott — May 31, 2007 @ 9:47 am
That is totally creepy. He looks like Mini Me from Austin Powers!!
Comment by Molly — May 31, 2007 @ 9:48 am
His Johnny Eck proportions are a bit unnerving. But in the lower right corner, just above the specs… is that his removable bum?
Comment by Stepford — May 31, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
hehehehehe
Thanks a lot for that one.Very funny since you and i know why you put this post here.
Jordan
Comment by Jordan Kratz — May 31, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
I used to have that toy Hugo, along with Stretch Armstrong! Wow, thanks for the memories!
Comment by elton tom — May 31, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
That doll looks like he’s capable of unspeakable acts of pure evil. When he loosens up the front his shirt has kind of a Siegfried & Roy vibe, doesn’t it?
Comment by Pissah — May 31, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
I always hated dolls. I have a photo of my grandmother showing me the “Kissy” doll that she bought for me. It stood about 26″ high and if you brought her arms together she would make a kiss with her mouth and it would make a noise. My favorite doll was a butt-ugly red-headed doll with freckles that stood 6″ tall and when you squeezed her belly her tongue would stick out. It was my personal commentary of life in the South!
Comment by Lynda — May 31, 2007 @ 9:26 pm
weird! i just came my hugo doll (with box…duh),,,i had to explain it to my young friends…haha…he was also a fixture (sans accoutrements) on the uncle floyd show (http://loosetoon.blogspot.com/2006/08/uncle-floyd-show.html), and hugo had some action with pee wee herman as well…
DL: it’s funny, i had forgotten about him being on Uncle Floyd until Mr. Lethal reminded me!
Comment by Howie Pyro — June 1, 2007 @ 4:15 am
OMG! I have a HUGO! I got it at a thrift store when I worked on “Empire Records” with Alan Moyle, who directed it. The resmblance was uncanny! He had alopecia and didn’t have a hair anywhere! He also had giant black glasses–in fact, I should search for a pic to send to “MWLG”!
Comment by mavis — June 1, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
Growing up in “Vegas” where everything is done with mirrors and slight of hand, I have always been afraid of clowns, ventriloquist’s dolls, puppets (especially hand puppets haha) buttless or headless they are all scarry and now this one comes with disquises- no no no…back in the box back in the box.
Comment by CANDYCE — June 2, 2007 @ 7:44 am
Growing up in “Vegas”, where everthing is done with mirriors and slight of hand, I have always been afraid of clowns, ventriloquist”s dolls, puppets (especially hand puppets-ha ha). Buttless or headless they’re all scarry. Now this one with it’s own disquises!!! no no no back in the box- back in the box.
Comment by CANDYCE — June 2, 2007 @ 7:52 am
Why did Dr. Evil have a puppet?
Comment by actor212 — June 6, 2007 @ 11:10 am
What the heck…
Comment by Neggfairy — September 3, 2007 @ 4:01 pm
BACK IN THE BOX! BACK IN THE BOX!
Comment by Neggfairy — September 3, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
Ummm, I do believe that’s a false chin, not a removeable bum…but it is funny that you point out half of Hugo is missing hahaha.
Comment by Kellie — November 14, 2007 @ 8:47 pm
my older brother had hugo and used to scare me with it all the time till one day i cryed so much that my brother buried him in the backyard. to this day hugo must still be there buried alive
Comment by bernadette — January 31, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
i have a hugo doll not 10 feet away from me!!
Comment by Howie Pyro — February 1, 2008 @ 4:03 am
virtual hugo won’t work!
Comment by Howie Pyro — February 1, 2008 @ 4:15 am
That’s a Kirk Douglas butt-chin, not Hugo’s removable bum - but thanks for giving me a good chuckle!
Hadn’t even thought of Hugo since Dec. ‘06 when Steve featured him (on one of the best blogs on the ‘tubes)… http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000582.php
Comment by ChillyMama — February 3, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
I found Virtual Hugo on the internet yesterday and I almost died! I was talking about this doll for years and couldn’t remember the name of it. It was my all time favorite toy - ever. My aunts and cousins remember me walking around with a “creepy looking doll” but couldn’t remember the name either. I noticed last night on the web that if you put the sideburns and hair on and the little beady glasses, he looks an awful lot like Charles Manson and this toy came out not too long after the murders. I’m surprised it sold so well. I wish they’d put it back in production, my kids want one!
Comment by Gia — March 14, 2008 @ 10:52 am
[...] terrifying, Johnny Eck-style doll, the amazing Kindertrauma found my [...]
Pingback by LETHAL DOSE » Blog Archive » Thanks to Hugo … — April 6, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
I have many Hugo pics. I played with him as a kid, I fought him as a pre-teen, I stared into his dancing eyes during the fun times. Today we “bowl for hippies”, rolling Hugo’s head past people and marveling at their responses…..
Comment by Fee — August 11, 2008 @ 12:35 pm
PHOTOS!
Comment by Donna Lethal — August 11, 2008 @ 12:44 pm
I don’t know if I did the URL thing right for pictures……
Comment by Fee — August 25, 2008 @ 11:50 am
does anyone know where I can buy one. My brother-n-law used to have one when he was a kid. I’d love to but it for him since he is ill, this would cheer him up.
Comment by tony — September 11, 2008 @ 7:55 am