Hasbro's G.I. Joe set for 50th birthday
Toy created to honour servicemen survives a severe shrinking and change in public opinion
G.I. Joe, the world's first action figure, is celebrating its 50th birthday this month.
Since Hasbro brought it to the world's attention at the annual toy fair in New York in early 1964, G.I. Joe has undergone many changes, some the result of shifts in public sentiment for military-themed toys, others dictated by the market.
Still, whether it's the original "movable fighting man" decked out in the uniforms of the four branches of the US military, or today's scaled-down products, G.I. Joe remains a popular brand.
"Joe stood for everything that was meant to be good: fighting evil, doing what's right for people," said Alan Hassenfeld, former chief executive at Hasbro, whose father, Merrill, oversaw G.I. Joe's development in 1963.
But it's Don Levine, then the company's head of research and development, who is often referred to as the "father" of G.I. Joe for shepherding the toy through design and development.
Levine and his team came up with a 30cm articulated figure with 21 moving parts, and since the company's employees included many military veterans, it was decided to outfit the toy in uniforms and such accessories as guns, helmets and vehicles.
Levine, who served in the army in Korea, said he got the idea for the moveable figure as a way to honour veterans. But he and his team knew the product wasn't in Hasbro's usual range, and it took years before it got the company's full backing.