The curse of Robert the Doll is a chilling and infamous urban legend that has captivated people's imaginations for decades. According to the story, the origins of this curse can be traced back to a young boy named Robert Eugene Otto and a doll that was given to him as a gift in the early 20th century. This supposedly innocent-looking toy, with its piercing eyes and eerie smile, has become synonymous with supernatural occurrences and misfortune. As the legend goes, strange and unexplained events began to unfold soon after Robert received the doll. His behavior reportedly changed dramatically, becoming increasingly aggressive and unpredictable. There were whispers that the doll was possessed by an evil spirit or perhaps even cursed by voodoo practices.

The curse of robert the doll 2022

Dolls utilized in the supernatural are not new, but have gained a renewed interest due to the story of Annabelle and the TV series “Chucky.” Their background stories vary, some claim to be true, but they always garner a response from viewers. While Annabelle is indeed a real doll that is blamed for some scary instances, the movies take it to a whole other level by creating sequels of completely fictional events and even changing her overall look. Chucky is probably the most famous doll, possessed by a fictional serial killer seeking a human host via voodoo antics.

Throughout several sequels and an upcoming second season on television, he has been included in a much larger mythology and involved other memorable characters including his female counterpart, Tiffany. There are many other examples of supernatural dolls or puppets that can be explored, but one that isn’t as well known is Robert the Doll.

Travel Channel and Discovery+ are delving into this history with their latest entry of “Shock Docs” entitled THE CURSE OF ROBERT THE DOLL. The lore is similar to others like him where supposed accidents or extreme cases of bad luck occurred after interactions with Robert. The documentary succeeds more when discussing the history of the Otto family, residents of Key West who owned the doll after bringing it to Florida from Germany. The doll stayed in the family and we get to indulge in rumors of how the doll came to be possessed.

What falters and takes away any credibility are the reenactment sequences. While these would be effective in a Hollywood production, these supposedly true stories rely on jump scares and outrageous events that only the heavily intoxicated would believe. Some of the people interviewed are referred to as victims of Robert without providing any evidence to support these theories.

This may be a fun, late-night viewing, but only to be enjoyed if not taken seriously.

SHOCK DOCS: THE CURSE OF ROBERT THE DOLL premiered Friday, September 30 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Travel Channel and is streaming on discovery+.

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Jovy grew up loving all kinds of horror movies which is ironic because his parents hated them. CANDYMAN still scares the shit out of him and it doesn’t help that he lives in the Chicago suburbs. He loves venturing into lesser-known exploitation films of the 70s and being introduced to new movies. Along with movies, Jovy loves horror video-games and books, including comics. Some of his favorite franchises include SILENT HILL, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, and the RESIDENT EVIL games.

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The Story Behind the World’s Most Terrifying Haunted Doll

Here is something that most people would agree is true about Robert the Doll: He’s terrifying.

Ostensibly a little boy in a sailor suit, his careworn face is only vaguely human. His nub of a nose looks like a pair of pinholes. He is covered in brown nicks, like scars. His eyes are beady and black. He wears a malevolent smirk. Clasped in his lap he’s holding his own toy, a dog with garish, popping eyes and a too-big tongue lolling crazily out of its mouth. Here are some other things that people also agree is true about Robert: That he’s haunted and that he has caused car accidents, broken bones, job loss, divorce and a cornucopia of other misfortunes.

Robert is now 117-years-old and lives at the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida, in a new display case which was recently donated by someone “who is a fan of Robert’s,” says Cori Convertito, curator of the museum. But the comfortable new digs—complete with humidity control and UV-filtering glass to preserve the artifact—do not seemed to have reformed Robert. The museum still gets regular reports of evils attributed to the doll.*

Before Robert came to the museum in 1994, he was the property of Robert Eugene Otto, an eccentric artist and member of a prominent Key West family. (Yes, the doll and the owner had the same name, but the boy answered to “Gene.”) Robert was a childhood birthday gift from Otto’s grandfather, who bought the doll during a trip to Germany. Otto’s relationship with the doll continued into adulthood.

The Steiff Company, which manufactured Robert, thinks he started life as part of a set of dolls fabricated for a window display of clowns or jesters. Courtesy Key West Art & Historical Society

“What people really remember is what they would probably term as an unhealthy relationship with the doll,” says Convertito. “He brought it everywhere, he talked about it in the first person as if he weren’t a doll, he was Robert. As in he is a live entity.”

After some digging, the museum traced Robert’s origins to the Steiff Company, the same toy maker that first manufactured a Teddy bear in honor of Theodore Roosevelt. Robert was most likely never intended to be sold as a toy—a Steiff historian told the museum that Robert was probably part of a set fabricated for a window display of clowns or jesters.

“Which is kind of adorable,” says Convertito, “Especially with his impish behavior it kind of suits his personality really well.” Robert’s little sailor suit was not supplied by the company; it was probably an outfit that Otto himself wore as a child.

According to legend, young Otto began to blame mishaps on the doll. While this could have been laughed off as childish storytelling, adults also started noticing odd occurrences, especially as Otto and Robert grew older. As an adult, Otto lived in a stately home he called “The Artist House,” where Robert could be seen positioned at the upstairs window. Schoolchildren swore that he would appear and reappear, and they avoided the house. Myrtle Reuter purchased the Artist House after Otto’s death in 1974, and also became Robert’s new caretaker. Visitors swore they heard footsteps in the attic and giggling. Some claimed Robert’s expression changed when anyone badmouthed Otto in his presence. Rueter said Robert would move around the house on his own, and after twenty years of antics, she donated him to the museum.

Robert’s sailor suit is not original to the doll. It may have first belonged to one of his former owners, Robert Eugene Otto. Courtesy Key West Art & Historical Society

But far from banishing Robert to obscurity, his arrival at the museum marked a turning point for the doll.Since Robert arrived, visitors have flocked to the museum to get a look at the mischievous toy. He has appeared on TV shows, he has had his aura photographed, he is a stop on a ghost tour, and he’s inspired a horror movie. He has a Wikipedia entry and social media accounts. Fans can buy Robert replicas, books, coasters and t-shirts, and the most adventurous can even volunteer to be locked in with Robert after dark.*

And they can—and do—write to him. “He gets probably one to three letters every day,” says Convertito. But they aren’t typical fan letters; they’re often apologies. Many visitors attribute post-visit misfortunes to failing to respect Robert (or even openly disrespecting him) and they write begging forgiveness. Others ask him for advice, or to hex those who have wronged them. Convertito says they have received more than a thousand letters, which they keep and catalog.

Robert also receives emails and homages. At some point, it became known that Robert had a sweet tooth so people leave and send him candy. Once he received a box containing eight bags of peppermints, a card, and no return address. (Exercising caution, the museum staff does not consume treats sent to Robert.) Guests leave him sweets, money and, occasionally, joints. “It’s completely inappropriate,” says Convertito. “We are still a museum.”

Convertito is Robert’s caretaker—once a year she administers a check-up, taking him out of the case and weighing him to assess whether the humid Florida weather has adversely affected his straw-filled body. She is also his proxy, receiving and reading all his emails and letters and running his social media feeds.

The Fort East Martello Museum in Key West has been Robert’s home since 1994. Courtesy Key West Art & Historical Society

Several years ago she photoshopped Robert’s knobby face onto the now-famous picture of Kim Kardashian popping a bottle of champagne into a glass balanced on her behind. It was in order to attract attention to a campaign that would score the museum a grant if they garnered enough votes. Through the combined forces of Kardashian’s and Robert’s celebrity and the doll’s social media reach—he has almost 9,000 Facebook likes—the museum won by a “landslide.”

Occasionally, Convertito corresponds on Robert’s behalf. She tries to send something to every child who writes him (“Gene always had that childlike temperament around him and we feel like Robert would want to be kind to children.”) and she has also responded to more poignant ones, such as an email from a girl who was being bullied at school.

So, does Convertito think Robert is haunted?

“I don’t know. I really don’t,” she says. “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.”

* A version of this story originally appeared on October 26, 2016. It was updated in October 2021 with the latest news on Robert the Doll.

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The Curse of Robert the Doll

Considered the most haunted doll in the world, Robert the Doll lives behind glass in a museum in Key West, Florida, where every year thousands of visitors who fail to follow his rules find themselves cursed. Victims have experienced illness, injury, accidents and even death. But what makes Robert curse his victims? What evil entity lives inside this doll? This latest Shock Docs installment explores the true origin of Robert the Doll, uncovers the story of Robert's first owners in 1905, and seeks to find out why this doll is so nefarious.The Curse of Robert the Doll featuring Quinn Aune and Jenna Sue Berry is streaming with subscription on MAX, and streaming with subscription on Discovery+. It's a documentary and horror movie.

There were whispers that the doll was possessed by an evil spirit or perhaps even cursed by voodoo practices. But it wasn't just Robert's behavior that was affected. Those who encountered the doll claimed to experience feelings of unease and discomfort in its presence.

Where to WatchThe Curse of Robert the DollNow

Best Rent/Buy Free The curse of robert the doll 2022

Some even reported hearing the doll speak and laugh, although no one was physically seen manipulating it. This gave rise to rumors that the doll held some dark, otherworldly power. Over the years, many unfortunate incidents have been attributed to the curse of Robert the Doll. Some believe that anyone who ridicules or disrespects the doll will be visited by misfortune. Stories of car accidents, financial ruin, and even health issues have been linked to these encounters. Even those who merely take a photograph without asking for permission are said to have suffered dire consequences. Incredibly, the legend of Robert the Doll continues to this day. The doll itself is now on display at the Fort East Martello Museum in Key West, Florida. Visitors flock to see the infamous doll, often leaving apology notes and gifts in an attempt to appease whatever malevolent force is believed to be attached to it. While skeptics dismiss the curse as mere folklore or superstition, the fact remains that the curse of Robert the Doll has endured and captured the imagination of many. The power of belief and the allure of the supernatural continue to draw people into the mysterious and chilling world of this cursed doll..

Reviews for "The Curse Continues: Updates on the Haunting of Robert the Doll"

1. Name: Sarah

Rating: 1/5

Review: I am a huge horror movie fan and was really looking forward to watching "The Curse of Robert the Doll 2022," but it turned out to be a major disappointment. The plot was weak and lacked any real scares. The acting was mediocre at best, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. I was hoping for a thrilling and chilling experience, but instead, I was left feeling bored and unimpressed. Overall, I would not recommend this movie to any horror enthusiasts.

2. Name: John

Rating: 2/5

Review: I had high hopes for "The Curse of Robert the Doll 2022," given the intriguing premise surrounding a cursed doll. However, the execution fell flat. The jump scares were predictable and poorly executed, and the overall atmosphere failed to create any sense of suspense. The characters were underdeveloped, and their decisions were often illogical, which took away from the overall viewing experience. While the movie had potential, it failed to live up to expectations and left me feeling unsatisfied.

3. Name: Emma

Rating: 2.5/5

Review: As a fan of horror movies, I was excited to watch "The Curse of Robert the Doll 2022," but unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The storyline felt disjointed and lacked a clear direction, making it difficult to fully invest in the film. Additionally, the acting was subpar and failed to bring the characters to life. While there were a few creepy moments, they were overshadowed by the movie's overall lack of suspense and scares. Overall, "The Curse of Robert the Doll 2022" falls short compared to other horror films and doesn't offer much in terms of originality or entertainment value.

4. Name: Michael

Rating: 1.5/5

Review: "The Curse of Robert the Doll 2022" was a letdown from start to finish. The storyline was confusing and poorly explained, leaving me puzzled and disconnected throughout the movie. The acting was uninspiring, and the characters lacked depth or development, making it difficult to care about their fates. The scares were predictable and cliché, and there was a lack of originality in the way the curse was portrayed. Overall, this film fails to deliver on its promises and left me wishing I had chosen a different horror movie to watch.

5. Name: Jennifer