Searching for name of manufacturer and/or doll dealers who would know
of  “Marilyn the Walking Doll” 36 inches.  Dark brown short curls. 
Red cheeks.  The original outfit was a red dress with polka dots. 
White trim on sleeves.  White ankle socks.  Black dress shoes.  Had
white sash across her chest that likely said the doll’s name.  White
bow in
hair.  Purchased in Massachusetts for X-Mass 1960 for my sister.
(Probably purchased on the North Shore – May have been purchased at a
Zayre, Grants, Child World, or some other department or toy store in
Lynn, Saugus, Revere or Peabody area.) Sister is 100 percentconvinced
she has the name of the doll correct – states she would never have
thought of the
name Marilyn.  She was 6 at the time.  Mother states doll was not a
PlayPal but a knock-off. Also may have been promoted as doll that is
size of a 3 year old.  I did find a doll on E-bay that looked quite
similar to the one I am looking for.  Hard to tell by photograph if
this was the same doll as the doll was dressed much differently.  It
is possible manufacturer dressed the dolls in different outfits. The
E-bay auction number was 2919555462.

Window http://www.vintagedollcollector.com/fashionable-ladies/valentine/valtine.html
 http://treasuretrove-antiques.com/dolls4.html
http://www.dreamdollsgallery.com/other%20dolls/richard_simmons_by_ll_knickerboc.htm

Best  I could  find I am afraid.

Good luck with the  search:)

I had a Patty Playpal doll at about that time, but she had straight,
shoulder length hair, a red and white checkeded dress, black shinky
shoes and white anklets. She was as tall as me, and I absolutely loved
her. For some reason, my mom gave her away as I grew up. Boy, do I
regret that!!!!!

Oops...."checkeded" dress and "shinky" shoes sounds like I am still about that age!

Thanks for the comments.  I would even be happy to find the name of
the manufacturer that made walker dolls with the white sash across the
chest stating the doll's name or I am a walker doll.  I am sure the
knock-off manufacturers gave several different names to basically the
same dolls.  For example, the one in the e-bay link looks so much like
the one I am looking for but ours definitely was dressed with the red
polka dot dress.  I wonder if I did not offer enough money for the
research involved for this question.