The original Action Man was based on a real soldier in the British army and came complete with a scar on his cheek.Action Man is the iconic British boy's toy of the 1960s and 70s. He was designed and produced in Coalville, Leics. by Palitoy Ltd. However he was based on a toy, GI Joe, produced by the USA company Hasbro and many of his parts were manufactured in the Far East. He exemplifies the move towards a globally based system of mass production in the 1960s.
As a postscript, although Palitoy ceased production of Action Man in the early 1980s and indeed went out of business in 1986, Hasbro went on to produce Action Man, based on the British idea!
This particular Action Man is the 'Combat Soldier' produced in the late 1960s and based on the British infantry soldier uniform of the time. He comes with a host of accessories including weapons, a knapsack, a sleeping bag and his own dog tags.
Action Man figure made by Palitoy Ltd.
Contributed by Snibston Discovery Park
Most of the content on A History of the World is created by the contributors, who are the museums and members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú or the British Museum. The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site’s House Rules please Flag This Object.
About this object
Click a button to explore other objects in the timeline
- Location
- Culture
- Period
-
1968
- Theme
- Size
-
- H:
- 30cm
- Colour
- Material
View more objects from people in Leicester.
Find out more
Podcast
Highlights from the collection
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú iD
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú navigation
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú links
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú © 2014 The Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.
This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.
Comments
I grew up playing with these (G.I.Joe) and have them today. The same toys, diffrent histories. Copyright 1964 by HASBRO - patent pending, and HASSENFELD BROS. INC patented 1966. Both made in Canada. Uniforms made in Hong Kong and Japan. I was to old to play with talking G.I.Joe, Kung Fu grip, life like hair and Action man. G.I.Joe was a warrior, then space exploration. Action Man in Canada was more of a cold war 007 theme. Spy, Bomb disposal, Jungle expidetion, etc. Economics and the cost of plastic was to much for him and the 30cm. toy became a painted 15cm. toy.
He isn't wearing a British uniform. The basic 60s Action Man came with a very basic American GI uniform, and that's what this one is wearing, without his cap. The basic Action Man, without optional accessories, didn't even have a helmet. All the uniforms were American, and your basic Action Man came as Army, Navy or Air Force, but all were American uniforms. And all the accessories were American too. Only in the late 60s did Palitoy produce a range of uniforms, to be bought as accessories, of different WWII armies. There was a British rival, made by Pedigree and called Tommy Gunn, but he was never as successful as Action Man, and didn't have such a big range of accessories.