The Story

This is the story about a crazy idea, that became one of the biggest toy successes ever.

The idea was Don Levine's, it came to him in 1963, looking at a wooden model of a human body in 1/6 scale, with movable parts and joints.!

He bought a couple, using them as models, he and the engineers at Hasbro Inc. made some prototypes and put some military clothes on them and introduced them for the board and the president of Hasbro Inc., Merrill Hassenfeld from Hassenfeld bros.

The idea was not a success at once, there were to be some persuasion. But in the end they gave in and Don Levine and the engineers at Hasbro, Hugh O'Conner and Samuel Speers and many others, got the money to start the production.

Here is a commercial from the 60´s   

In 1964 the boys of America got a new mate ! A toy Action figure not a ordinary action figure, but a fighting 12” macho man ! GI JOE was born ! (This is NOT a doll, but a action figure)

He was introduced as ACTION SOLDIER, ACTION SAILOR, ACTION MARINES and ACTION PILOT.

The crazy idea, was now a crazy concept, and if there were any doubts about this concept coming success, they were put to shame, it was a blazing success !

The 12” line was discontinued in 1976, and the new 8 1/2 “ Supper Joe was introduced, later the 3 1/4” hard plastic Gi Joe's came. In 1991 the 12” Gi Joe was reintroduced.

In 1965/66 Action Man was introduced by the toy company Palitoy under license from Hasbro, he was made in the same series except the ACTION MARINES.

So the boy’s in England ,Scotland, Ireland and Scandinavian and other countries in Europe, got the chance to play with the amazing boy action figure from US.

In the coming years, several countries made they own version of GI JOE, all under license so the figures was very much alike, in Germany his was named ACTION TEAM, in Spain his was GEYPERMAN. And in France he was GROUP ACTION JOE and in Italy, Polistil made a GI Joe

Many collectors, as my self, thing of the British line as the best.

They are the must detailed, they have the must variations in the uniform line. And the best, Palitoy didn't stop the 12” line before 1984.

The variations in the uniforms, is the drive in collecting these items, the American version had the black Gi Joe, the Japanese etc. The British had the Blues and royals, The lifeguard, 17th Lancers etc.

But even in the uniforms that was in a similar line, had is differences, ex. In the SOLDIERS OF THE WORLD (US version) or THE SOLDIERS OF THE CENTURY (UK Version) colour and variations in accessories.

One thing the British made as well, was the sports line, Football outfits, cricketer, judo, Olympic etc.

When the Palitoy company stopped the line in 1984 (They did tried to make a success out off the 3 1/4” series as the Americans did it in 1976) The Action Man, Gi Joe, Geyperman or what he was called all over the world, had won many prizes, and was and may be the must famous toy ever made.

The patent