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| Images from www.actionmanhq.co.uk |
Years ago, I remember reading - as part of ACTION MAN's official history - that when he first appeared in the UK in 1966, he was merely a renamed and repackaged GI JOE - until PALITOY acquired their own moulds and started manufacturing him in Britain. Now it seems that the story isn't quite accurate, and that Palitoy produced him from the start, but at some stage had to supplement their stock with Canadian GI Joe figures to meet orders from shops around the British Isles.
The fact remains though, that some Action Man boxes contained figures with GI Joe stamped on their bums. As to whether they're regarded as being more collectable or not, I couldn't say, but there were some interesting variations in the Palitoy Action Man within a very short time. The first figure had a hard head and his rivets were painted flesh. His feet were longer too, but soon his head was of softer plastic, his rivets remained unpainted, and his calves were shortened slightly, as were his feet.
Interestingly, it was Palitoy who came up with the idea for gripping hands and flocked hair, though it was Hasbro who introduced the 'eagle-eyes' and talking figures. GI Joe sort of disappeared in the States around 1977 or so, leaving Palitoy's Action Man as the more successful and long-running toy of the two. Hasbro stands for HASSENFELD BROTHERS, who introduced GI Joe in 1964, and it's Hasbro who now own the Action Man copyright. In 2006, they licensed the name to MODELLERS LOFT for a 40th Anniversary facsimile edition of Action Man, and ART & SCIENCE currently have permission to produce the toy.
Did you have an Action Man (or GI Joe) when you were a boy? Then regale your fellow Crivs with your fond memories of this toy from childhood.
Posted in: Cartoons
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