Robert The Doll

Robert the Doll is said to be the most haunted doll in the world. He was created in Germany during 1904, and as the doll's legend has grown, many falsehoods and variations of it's story have emerged. These pieces of false information seem to be regarding a ten year old girl who was alledgedly tormented by the doll, and the detail that it was this doll which inspired the 'Child's Play' horror film franchise with Chucky the doll. After having a couple of different owners, Robert now resides in a museum and recieves many letters. These letters are from fans or Robert, and they are also from people who feel they've been cursed by him and so want his forgiveness.

History

The story of Robert the doll starts in Germany when he was created during the early 1900s. I've found that the doll was made in Griengen by the Steiff Company during 1904, but the 1904 date may only be speculation based on when the doll was gifted to it's first owner. The Steiff Company is the same toy maker that first made a Teddy bear in honour of Theodore Roosevelt. It's founder was Margarete Steiff, and she created many of the company's early dolls before she died during 1909. As this particular design of doll is rare, there is a good chance that she was directly involved in this doll's creation. It's believed that this doll was not intended as a toy, but rather as part of a set which was made for a window display containing clowns and jesters.

It's believed that on the 25th of October 1904, a boy called Robert Eugene Otto was gifted this doll as a gift from his grandfather who had visited Germany. There is seemingly false information saying the year was 1903 and that Otto was eight years old at the time. The vast majority of sources all agree that the year was 1904 and that this gift was given to Otto for his fourth birthday. Despite the boy's first name being Robert, most people called him 'Gene'; a shortened version of his middle name.

There is a contradiction regarding how Otto obtained the doll. Personally, I believe the truth is that it was a gift from his grandfather. However, there is a particular tale of it being given to him by a young servant girl who was believed to have been of Bahamian descent. This servant worked for Otto's parents in his house. Some sources make it seem like the doll was a gift from this servant to Otto, but others make it seem like the servant was caught with the doll which had already been given to Otto as a gift. Apparently the locals believe that the servant cursed the doll and gave it to Otto as a gift with this action being a retaliation for a wrongdoing. Apparently Otto's parents didn't treat the servant girl well, and so this is why she cursed the doll. While I don't know if there is any truth regarding the sinister motives, I have found that the servant seemingly did exist as I have found a name for her: Emeline Abbott.

Regarding the doll itself, it's made of fabric and is stuffed with straw. It's been said to stand at 40 inches tall, which is around 3ft tall. It's been speculated thst the doll's hair is real human hair, but this is apparently not the case. The doll's hair is made from a synthetic material resembling wool yarn. The doll has painted features, wears a sailor's outfit, and holds a Teddy bear of a dog which is called Leo. The sailor suit the doll wears was not supplied by the Steiff Company, and it's been thought that the sailor suit was likely an outfit which Otto wore as a child. There are speculations that the suit was pre-owned by another child. The name of the doll, 'Robert', comes directly from Otto. As the boy loved the doll so much, he named it after himself.

There is a bit of mixed information when it comes to what happened between Otto getting the doll and it eventually being given to a museum. Otto's house was the Key West Inn; a location which was built between 1890 and 1898, and which has become known as 'The Artist House'. It's address is 534 Eaton Street, Key West, Florida. Apparently Otto built the doll it's own room in the attic which had furniture, toys, and he gave the doll it's dog. I don't know how true this is as other sources make it seem like the attic was a location Otto would lock the doll away in due to other people disliking the doll. One such story is that his aunt disliked the doll, banished it to the attic, and then died the same night.

The true legend of Robert the doll, regarding it's haunted reputation, really begins when Otto began blaming the doll for any misfortunes as he grew older. It's been said that it was Otto himself who created these misfortunes, and this is something I will discuss later with my thoughts. Eventually the doll took the blame for anything bad which occured in Otto's life. When Otto was ten years old, apparently he woke up to find the doll sitting up at the end of his bed staring at him. A few moments later, his mum was woken up by the sounds of him screaming for help along with the sounds of furniture being overturned in his room. When she investigated, she found his room a mess and the doll sitting at the end of Otto's bed with Otto curled up in fear on the bed. It's said he told his mum 'Robert did it' and this is what he would say whenever something like this happened.

Apparently Otto's parents would hear their son talking to the doll upstairs and they would hear a response in a completely different voice which has been described as deep. It's been said the servants even began to quit their jobs. People reported seeing the doll speak and that they saw it's facial expression change according to the conversation in the room. Giggling and sightings of the doll running up and down the stairs have also been reported, as has the doll being seen staring out of the upstairs window. It's also been said the doll could move from one side of a room to the other. I'm not sure on if these reports all occured while Otto was a child, if they occured when he was older, or if they occured under the next owner of the doll.

When Otto grew older, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Chicago and at the Art Students League in New York. He went to the Parisian Sorbonne and this is where he met the woman who would become his wife: Annette Parker, also known as Anne. In his life, Otto would be a prominent artist in Key West. He designed the art gallery which is at the Fort East Martello Museum. During 1930, Otto returned to his childhood home with Anne following the deaths of his parents. Apparently this is the time period when he decided to make a room for the doll, and Anne wanted Otto to lock the doll in the attic. It's been said that it's during this time period that visitors heard footsteps in the attic and that they heard sounds of someone pacing back and forth along with what has been described as devilish giggling. There are accounts of the doll mocking school children from the window as they walked to school, and apparently they said they would look up and see the doll move from one side of a window to the other.

It's been said that Otto would often escape to the Turret Suite as the light was better for painting, and that the doll was always present. This leads me to wonder if the Turret Suite is the attic sources have mentioned, especially as apparently the doll would spend it's days propped up against the southwest window of the Turret Suite. The story continues by saying that when Otto investigated the claims of the doll not being seen from outside in a room other than the attic, he found the doll sitting in a rocking chair by a window in his upstairs bedroom; not the attic where the doll had been left. This led to the doll being locked in the attic multiple times, but Otto kept finding him sitting by the window in the upstairs bedroom. It's also been said that Otto propped the doll against a window of the house, and that the doll requested the Turret Suite as it wanted a room with a view of the street.

Apparently Anne hated the doll, and after Otto died of Parkinsons on the 24th of June 1974, she demanded that the doll stayed locked in the attic inside a cedar chest. There is a bit more contradiction around this time period. For instance it's been said that Otto died during 1972, but also that he died during 1974. It's also been said that Anne died two years after Otto, which could mean the 1974 death date is hers. However, it does seem Otto did die on the 24th of June 1974, and Anne later died during the January of 1979 from pancreatic cancer. Further confusion surrounds what happened to the ownership of the house and doll following Otto's death. It's been said that the doll was found and donated to the Key West Art and Historical Society many years after Anne's death, but it seems the doll was never lost.

One story says a new owner moved into the house with a ten year old girl, and this girl found the doll in the attic. She claimed it was alive and that it wanted to harm her. Apparently the girl, like Otto, would wake up in the middle of the night screaming and told her parents that the doll moved around the room. However, I have found that a ten year old girl never lived in the house, and so this story is false. I have found two names in regards to who owned the house after Anne. One is Myrtle Reuter, and the other is William Guiser. I don't know if these two have a connection to one another as I have found reference to 'William and Myrtle Reuter'.

One source has said Anne sold the house to William Guiser, but another has said Myrtle Reuter bought the house following Otto's death in 1974. It's said that Myrtle was the doll's new caretaker after buying the house, and that she claimed the doll moved around the house on it's own. Apparently she sold the house and moved to Von Phister Street during the 1980s, and she took the doll with her. This sale could have been to William Guiser, but this is just speculation. Sources have also said that Myrtle believed the doll contained the spirit of a child. The doll was finally donated to the East Martello Museum by Myrtle during 1994 where the doll is currently on display with it's dog.

When originally donated, the doll was not put on display. They accepted the donation, but they kept the doll in a back room covered by a sheet. This changed when David L. Sloan, who would become the 4th dolltender, became involved in the doll's story. David had heard the story of the doll from Darryl Meyer who owned the B&B where the doll once lived. Following this, David arranged a meeting with the Key West Curiousity and the curator, Stacey Rosseau, took the doll out of storage. David, like Myrtle, also believes that the doll contains the spirit of a child. Specificlaly, the child is thought to be the daughter of the servant Emeline Abbott. David calls her 'Abi' to honour her family name. There has been speculation that the doll itself may not be haunted, but that it may actually be the sailor suit that is. People have speculated that the suit is haunted by a boy who died of yellow fever. David also collaborates with the museum for tours and investigations.

People have reported their cameras becoming inoperable when trying to take photos of the doll, and they find their cameras work again only when leaving the museum. Staff have reported seeing the doll's face change, seeing it's hand against the glass, and they've apparently heard demonic giggles. Robert the doll has been said to cause car accidents, broken bones, job loss, and divorce. The case the doll currently resides in was apparently donated to the museum by "a fan of Robert's". Robert the doll has inspired multiple horror films, and it's been said some of these films are the 'Child's Play' franchise. This is incorrect though as Chucky was based on the My Buddy Doll and the Cabbage Patch Kids.

The story of Robert the doll has inspired the 2015 British horror film 'Robert', which was written and directed by Andrew Jones, and it's sequels. The sequels are 'The Curse of Robert the Doll', released during 2016, 'The Toymaker', released during 2017, and 'The Revenge of Robert the Doll', released during 2018. It's been said that you will be cursed by looking at a photo of Robert the Doll on the Internet, but this is not true. Apparently asking for permission from the doll can be dangerous and there are protective spirits around the doll which protect the little girl. It is a false belief that the doll doesn't like having it's photo taken and that you have to ask permission first. However, apparantly there was a tour guide who had an image of the doll tattooed on their arm and they died shortly after.

While living in the museum, Robert the doll's popularity has grown to the point where you can buy replicas, along with books, coasters, and t-shirts regarding the doll. People send sweets, money, and occasionally joints to the doll. The museum calls this inappropriate as they're still a museum regardless of the doll's fame. People also sent emails and letters. The doll recieves one to three letters a day, and these are often apologies for disrespecting the doll. Other letters ask for advice or to hex those who have wronged the writer. The museum keeps and catalogs all of the letters. You can read a few of them below:

April 22, 2022

“Dear Robert,

I came to visit you last spring (2021). I was so excited to finally come to see you in person! I came alone and there was no one else in the area of the museum that day so I was able to talk to you quietly alone. I read the letters that were framed inside you case and was so impressed that you were addressed by the President of the United States! You sure are a popular boy! I had told you that I had traveled such a long way to see you. I came all the way from Michigan. I had seen and heard so much about you that I couldn't wait to finally meet you. I remember telling you how handsome you were. I have the utmost respect for you and always have. During my visit I did ask if it was ok to take pictures of ONLY the area and objects around you and that I promised I wouldn't take any of you. If for some reason any reflections happen to appear in any photo of you, I would not ever intentionally try to get them. I reviewed my pictures and never did see you in any of my photos. I respect your privacy. I was so impressed with the area and how the museum has designed your room with multiple letters and even a board to leave message on for you.

I don’t know if my visit upset you as it was never meant to be. I even bought a small stuffed replica of you from the gift shop to take home because I think you are so handsome. Since my visit to Key West I have experienced some very horrible events. I just hope they are not connected in any way to my visit. But if they are, please accept my humblest apologies for anything that may have offended you during my time there. I have such respect for you that I would never purposely do anything to offend you. So please accept my apologies. You are an amazing boy and I'm so happy to have been able to meet you in person.

Admirably yours,

Tracy S. from Waterford, MI"

Dear Robert, I accidentally took footage of you. I am sorry. I should of asked permission. I will delete the video ASAP. I hope you can forgive me.

– Unknown

“My husband and I visited the museum December of 2019. My husband took your picture without asking. When we were leaving the museum as I was going through the door, I felt a shock go across my shoulders. In January 2020, I was diagnosed with a severe illness and have not been well since. Things keep going wrong for me. I want to say we are sorry we took your picture without asking. Please forgive us.”

– Cathy C.

"Dear Robert,

I hope you are well. Me and my family went to visit you last year. I am sorry I was startled to see you and did no intend to disrespect you. Our lives have been upside down this year. Please forgive me during my visit.

Thank you and take care.

Brian. K.”

September 4th, 2023

“Dear Robert the Doll,

My name is Katie and my fiance and I visited you at the museum in early 2022. We visited and learned about your story and we deeply apologize if we have disrespected you in any way. I sincerely apologize for coming into your space without asking permission. We never intended to offend you and I am very sorry if we have.

We have been experiencing back luck ever since such as me having cancer and financial issues and wanted to apologize for any disrespect and hope that you can accept our apologies.

Thank you, Katie"

“I am writing to apologize for my attitude and behavior toward you in the past. I belittled, demeaned and ridiculed you and have accepted the consequences that you have rendered on my friends and me.

“It is time to make amends and I ask you to accept my sincerest apology.”

– Carol

“Dear Robert,

About 11 years ago I visited you and I made the worst mistake of my life. I thought it would be funny to take your picture without your permission. Boy….was I wrong. So much bad has happened in my life and I know it’s because I disrespected you and I’m so sorry I did that I really hope you can forgive me Robert.

Sincerely, Andrea

P.s. I saw you on Zach Baggins show. You were great!"

“Dear Robert,

I would like to start off by apologizing to you for being rude and taking your picture without having your permission. When I initially asked you for permission and almost immediately started having chest pains, I should have known that it wasn’t okay to take your picture. Again, I am truly sorry for not listening to you.

Since visiting you about three years ago, my house has been struck by lightning, three times. Also, a rental home I was scheduled to vacation at caught fire the night before I was to check in. Two nights later, the rental home we were able to stay at was struck by lightning as well.

Beginning with the flight home from Key West, after visiting you, my wife and I have begun to have problems with flying. Our problem is that any time we fly somewhere together, one of our flights will be delayed. This has happened at least four times now. Also, our luggage has been destroyed once as well.

I am very sorry for disrespecting you.

Sincerely,

Eric D."

“I came to visit you with my grandmother, aunt and cousin this past September. Its understood that you must ask for your permission before taking your picture which was done so accordingly both by my grandmother and aunt. Although, I believe that the seriousness in respecting you and your wishes wasn’t taken all that serious while visiting. I have had a series of very unfortunate events since meeting you. Which again like I mentioned is due to the lack of respect when addressing you. I want to apologize if I offended you in any sort of way when I came to visit, it was not at all my intention.

– Cameron

“Dear Robert,

I just wanted to apologize for taking a photo before I asked permission. I must not have heard the instructions correctly before I photographed you.

Since our meeting, I have suffered a series of heartbreaking misfortune. Please forgive me.

Again please accept my sincere apologies and if you see fit to forgive and end the bad luck, I would appreciate it, as would my family. Thank you.

Your friend & admirer,

James"

Cory Convertito, Robert's caretaker in the museum takes him out of the case once a year and weighs him to see if his body has been effected by the climate. She also reads all of Robert's emails and letters, plus runs his social media accounts. Sometimes she replies on Robert's behalf. Regarding if Cory thinks Robert is haunted, she has said the following:

"I don't know I really don't... I've never had a bad experience with him. I've never felt uncomfortable. It's always been a very basic relationship and I have a job to do and I go and do it. And whether there's something to it or not, he just allows me to get on with my job."

My Thoughts

Personally, I believe Robert the doll is a perfect example of how a story can be blown out of proportion and how facts can be both twisted and dragged into legend. There are clearly many inconsistencies and pieces of warped history involved in the story of Robert the doll. There are clearly also commonly believed pieces of information which are false. My own belief from this research is that Otto used the doll as an excuse to try and get out of punishment whenever he misbehaved as a child. The doll does look somewhat creepy and unsettling, and this likely has built up the legend around people naturally taking a dislike to the doll. The natural dislike of the doll combined with what was most likely just childish fibs to get out of trouble could very well have led to the greater legend of Robert the doll.

A fascinating detail to have found is that the museum only seems to have displayed the doll after they learned about the rumours and stories. The doll has since become iconic, not to mention profitable. The doll is so well-known that it even recieves fan mail. This all indicates a clear tourism element is at play, and so money will be a driving force to this legend being interpreted as true. If it was just an old doll, then people wouldn't care anywhere near as much about it. However, if you create a whole backstory, a whole mythology, and a whole personality around the doll; suddenly the doll goes from being a dusty old item to being an internet sensation.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading this article! Robert the doll is an item which, before researching it for this article, I had heard people discuss but I didn't know about it in detail. From what I had heard, I knew it was a well-known doll, and I vaguely knew about forgiveness letters along with the doll not liking it's picture taken; but I didn't know anywhere near enough to make my mind up on the doll's haunted validity as I have done in this article. It was very interesting to research. The next article will be published on Monday the 9th of December, and will be about a haunted location in County Durham. The following location will be published on Friday the 13th of December and will be about a paranormal influencer.

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Sources I Have Used

1. The Artist House

2. Ghosts and Gravestones

3. Atlas Obscura

4. Haunted Rooms

5. Robert The Doll

6. Robert The Doll: Story

7. Haunted Key West

8. Southernmost Ghosts

9. All That's Interesting

10. Atlas Obscura: Doll

11. Spiritshack