Exhibitions

G.I. Joe: America’s First Action Figure

August 31, 2024 – March 9, 2025

For centuries, children have collected and played with toy soldiers. Early examples of soldiers made from stone, clay, or metal can be traced back to the time of ancient Egypt.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, mass-produced toy soldiers made of lead, tin, cardboard, or molded plastic could be found on the market. These soldiers were favorites of children who set them up and moved them as army groups. But as fun as they were, there was a problem. None of these soldiers could actually move their arms or legs and be posed in different positions.

Then, in 1964 Hassenfeld Brothers (HASBRO) introduced the G.I. Joe action figure. G.I. Joe represented soldiers from the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines and were a huge step up from anything else on the toy soldier market at that time. Their bodies featured 21(!) moving parts and joints. They could kneel, sit, lay down, stand, and bend their knees and elbows. Not only that, each figure came with basic fatigues, boots, cap, and dog tags while the packaging showed images of additional uniforms, accessories, and vehicles that could be added to make them even more realistic and fun. By 1966, sales of G.I. Joe accounted for 66% of HASBRO’s profits.

As successful as G.I. Joe was, he was also a reflection of culture and tastes. As the Vietnam War escalated in the late 1960s, sales of the action figure dipped as people turned away from things military in nature. In response, Joe took a training hiatus for a few years then returned in the 1970s ready for a life of action and adventure rather than a strictly military one.

From the beginning, G.I. Joe action figures allowed children to explore all kinds of heroic and daring adventures. Kids could create their own scenarios using their imagination rather than being told how to play as in scripted video games. This kind of creative and imaginative play has been important for every generation, and for the past sixty years the G.I. Joe action figure has been leading the charge.