Chucky, Now Part of the Family A quarter-century after the evil doll Chucky made his film debut, he has morphed into an object of affection, a plaything (or collectible) for children and their parents alike. Erik Piepenburg writes: "With a new direct-to-video feature, "Curse of Chucky," directed by Mr. Mancini (it's the fifth sequel, with an innocent Summer H. Howell, left), and a just-released franchise boxed set, here's a look at Chucky-inspired novelties based on a monster that has become part of the family."