The toy that forced a name change to avoid being called a doll
In short: In the 1960s, the toy industry faced a cultural hurdle: should boys be playing with dolls? To bypass this stigma, British manufacturers launched a rugged action figure. They even banned the word "doll" from their marketing, creating a masculine identity for a plastic soldier.
Launched in 1966 by Palitoy, Action Man was originally a licensed copy of Hasbro's American G.I. Joe. The brand emerged from a chance encounter when Sales Director Hal Belton brought a G.I. Joe toy back from the US as a gift for his grandson. Recognizing its appeal, Palitoy secured a licensing deal to produce the figure using Hasbro's tooling and Far East sourcing. To navigate the era's gender norms, the company intentionally avoided the term "doll" in all discussions and marketing.
While it began as a US-centric military figure, Palitoy pivoted in 1970 to distinguish its product. They shifted the theme toward British forces, adventurers, and sportsmen. This era saw significant technical innovations, such as the introduction of "flocked" fuzzy hair and "gripping hands" designed by Bill Pugh and Bob Brechin. These features were so successful they eventually crossed the Atlantic and were adopted by Hasbro for the original G.I. Joe line.
The brand's evolution was marked by distinct physical changes. Figures from 1970 to 1977 featured chromed rivets and smaller limbs, while the 1978 "Dynamic Physique" introduced a muscular tone and a blue pelvic section to move away from a "sexless mannequin" look. Despite its long history, the name "Action Man" has also been used as a nickname for the Sicilian mafia boss Salvatore Riina (1930–2017).
The toy's legacy is cemented by its survival against competition like the British Tommy Gunn. While Tommy Gunn was initially praised for higher quality accessories, it could not compete with Palitoy's superior injection and rotational moulding processes, leading to its discontinuation in 1968.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Action Man
- Also: Salvatore Riina
- Also: Wikidata — Action Man · CC0
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