Remember the American boy band, New Kids on the Block (NKOTB)? Donnie, Danny, Jonathan, Jordan and Joey sent teenyboppers screaming whenever they took to the stage, did their dance grooves as they belted out their hit songs that included Step-by-Step, Please Don't Go Girl, Baby I Believe In You, Hangin' Tough and This One's For Children. By the1990s, they were one of the most popular acts in music, even beating out Madonna and Prince. Their merchandising machine churned out books, comics, buttons, lunch boxes--and this set of NKOTB dolls manufactured by Hasbro. But by 1995, rocked with allegations of lip synching and diverging interests, the group started to break-up until they disbanded. These 2 dolls (Jordan and Danny) --found in a used toy shop--are mementos of their heyday--when they were at the top of their game ast international hitmakers. I am missing the 3 other boys though.  Things are looking up for NKOTB fans when, in 2008, they had reunion concerts, and by 2013, the group was on tour again, in a new attempt to try to regain their popularity--Step-by-Step!

Now here's an interesting tin calendar I got in Bangkok, while I was working there. It is actually a relatively recent calendar from the 1995, but with a vintage feel--courtesy of the period picture of the lady who, I believe was Miss Thailand of 1954--Khun Sucheela Sinsomboon, (thanks, my dear Thai friend, K. Oraya Imchuen for the ID!). 
A quick online search yielded an actual photo of the beautifu; Sucheela. Does she know she is being used to endorse a modern shop? Or maybe she is the shopowner's relative. We will never know.
Likewise, the shop from where this calendar came from has been also identified--Seng Sieang Li--a gold jewellery store. Twenty one years after I got this, I wonder if the shop is still around. Or if MissSucheela is still around after all these years. That's for another friend in Bangkok to find outfor me!

Remember the NKOTB? (New Kids On The Block)? Not too long ago, this American boy band from Boston took the music world by storm in the late 80s and early '90s with their record-breaking songs (80 million sold worldwide) and a slew of American Music Awards. The band members included Donnie Wahlberg (Marky Mark's sibling), Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood, Jonathan andJordan Knight--whose 1991 dollified likeness is featured here. This 12" Jordan 'action fashion figure' is from the Collectors Series and made by Big StepCollectibles/Hasbro Inc. I bought this at a discounted price in a Hong Kong toy shop years ago. On ebay, this indivual doll is priced from anywhere between $9.99 to 49.99. A complete 5-doll set goes anywhere from $100-185!!.

After disbanding in 1994, Jordan Knight scored post NKOTB success when he released a self-titled solo album in 1999 that went gold. He also scored a top 10 hit with "Give It to You", which went platinum. His second solo album entitled "Jordan Knight Performs New Kids on the Block: The Remix Album" was also warmly received. Not bad, huh? Even his dolls sell well on ebay!

In the 1990s. the TV show "Family Matters" was an instant hit, largely because of the antics of Steve Urkel. This classic talking doll from the 1991 I found in Cubao. This 20 in. doll is missing his glasses, but he still talks! Pull the string on his back and he says his famous lines--"Did I Do That?", " You got any cheese?" , "Nice work Mikel!". He also laughs and snorts! Made by Hasbro, this vintage Steve Urkel doll, being a celebrity doll, is bound to be more valuable in the next few years, but as of now, he is better off as a scarecrow for my desk, for the moment.

After Shirley Temple, Macaulay Culkin was perhaps the most popular and successful child actor in his prime. Who doesn't remember him as Kevin McCallister in the blockbuster 1990 20th Century Fox film, "Home Alone"? As a child accidentaly left home by his family, Kevin thwarted the plans of two intruders who broke into their house with his kiddie capers. Fans around the world lapped the movie up, and sequels were made in succession: Home Alone 2 (Lost in NY), Home Alone 3, Home Alone 4/Taking Back the House. It also prompted toy manufacturers to cash in on Macaulay's unprecendented fame by issuing this " Screaming Kevin/ Home Alone Doll". The doll has a talking mechanism that allows him to talk--"You guys give up, or are you thirsty for more?"/ "I made my family disappear!"/ AAAHHHHhhhhh!". On ebay, I've seen this relatively new doll priced from 2 dollars (used but working) to $25 (mint in a box). I'm glad I bought this doll new in 1991, so that I don't have to scream.