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Action Man thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Action Man

Toy Body Parts
1966-1984 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Each card sheet has parts needed to form the Action Man figure glued to its surface. The body is that of the pink high density plastic with the green moulded trunks. This was the second form of the body used until about 1972.
1. all component parts are individually lettered to correspond with a printed sheet, glued to right lower corner, which lists each part by its drawing number, description, material type, weight, tool required to form it and the number of pieces made in one casting. Two parts are missing - the lower arm 'outer locking sleeve' and the upper arm 'inner connecting sleeve'.
2. fully exploded figure of Action Man. The head, the back of which has been cut away, is that of the dark haired bearded face using the 'real' hair devised by Brian Turner about 1971/2. The eyes are painted blue.
3. partly formed body, showing the back half of the body and limbs and how the parts are linked together to form the whole. Because the rubbery neck connector has dried and broken the neck fitting itself is not attached to the body part - if displayed it would need to be attached to the body or card to show the positioning. Prototype castings of various parts, mainly in polypropylene.
*Items 4 to 10 have reverse socket necks while 11, 12 and 13 have socket necks.
4. A/M CHEST FRONT, light pink colour with a disc shape and a ridge at waist level, and 8 peg holes and one peg moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
5. A/M CHEST BACK, light pink colour with a waist level ridge and 9 peg holes moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
*These two parts were actually in envelopes marked A/M CHEST FRONT and A/M CHEST BACK.
6. Chest shot for an Action Man figure, mottled pink with black; 2 peg holes and 8 pegs moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
7. Chest shot for an Action Man figure where the back is screwed to the front, pink with very slight black mottling; 3 peg holes and 5 pegs moulded on the inner surface. Other than the top peg, the pegs are very small. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
8. Back shot for an Action Man figure, mottled pink with black; 10 peg holes moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
9. Back shot for an Action Man figure where the back is screwed to the front, pink with very slight black mottling; 5 peg holes, one top peg and two screw holes. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
10. Front and Back shots for an Action Man figure where the back is screwed on, the two parts are together but not screwed, at present tied with cellotape.
11. early Chest shot, broader with a deeper waist taper forming the swivel. L. 3¼in (8.3cm)
*It formed the basic design of the 'talking mechanism' chest.
12. Talking Mechanism Chest shot, moulded with a circle of 12 outer holes; 6 inner holes and one in the centre together with a hole with a metal eyelet on the upper right chest just below the throat. L.3¼in(8.3cm)
13. early Back shot, broader with a deeper waist taper forming the swivel and designed to be screwed to the chest. It has been placed with (12) but not formally attached. Marked MADE IN ENGLAND BY PALITOY UNDER LICENCE FROM HASBRO ©1964.
14. Talking Mechanism, second version back shot with the openings for the sound moulded into the back rather than the front. The mechanism

is operated by a pull string which protrudes from the body on the left shoulder. The example is actually for the Space Ranger Action Man (talking commander). Marked GENERAL MILLS TOY GROUP EUROPE
© 1975 PAT. NO. 1458647.
15. Talking Mechanism, second version back, complete to show the neck, arms and torso/hip swivel joint. Action Man Talking Commander with the pull string protruding from the left shoulder and ending with a dark green plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY. Marked on back - © 1975 HASBRO Pat Pend Pawt RI Made in Japan.
*With green approval label marked in pen FROM 108 FOR SOUND/(Code No./Product)ACTION MAN COMMANDER CHEST/Approved by ROBERT BRECHIN/Date 4/4/78.
16. Shoulder Connector Pink Nylon 6, rigid
17. Shoulder Connector Poylurethane, slightly movable
18. Torso/Thigh Connector Nylon, rigid
19. Torso/Thigh Connector Polyurethane, slightly movable
20. Conn(ector) Sleeve Pink Acetal
21. Sleeve Acetal, larger size than (20)
22. Thigh half shot, polypropylene, mottled pink with black; half with two small pegs. L. 2¼in (5.7cm)
23. Thigh half shot, as (22) but with two peg holes
24. Lower Leg - outer casing shot, polypropylene. L. 2½in (6.3cm)
25. Labelled bag for (24), green approval label Code No. D2648/Product A/M Commander/Approved by L J C.../Date 11.9.78
*26-32. ACTION MAN NEW HIP BALL SWIVEL FEB/MARCH 1981 signed ROBERT BRECHIN.
26 - single ridge pink; 27 - single ridge beige; 28,29 - double ridge light beige each forming half a round hole; 30,31 - double ridge light beige each forming half a long slot; 32 - two halves together forming the long slot, pegged, dark pink
33. Ball Swivel, pink styrene, half round with long slot. Early form of the thigh swivel.
*34-38. Upper and Lower Arms, outer locking sleeves, polypropylene together with clear plastic bag with a green approval label. (34,35 upper; 36,37 - lower; 38 bag - label reads Code No. D2645; D2646; D2647 Product A/M Commander; Approved By L J Codrington; Date 20.9.78 39-42. 'Latest A/Man Cup', waist line swivel; contained in original clear plastic bag with white label also marked '9.6.78 Approved for 1;000 mouldings only. 12 only'.
*43-46. Action Man trunks, samples in pink, black and blues
43. sample in pink polypropylene; marked in pencil SAMPLE at the front and DO NOT PINCH on the back 44. sample in pink polypropylene spray painted in indigo blue 45. sample moulded in black polypropylene 46. sample moulded in the petrol blue with ACTION MAN on the waist buckle; this was the final choice.


Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 46 parts.

  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
  • Action Man Prototypes
TitleAction Man (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
injection moulded plastic
Brief description
Action Man Prototypes; English; 1966-84
Physical description
Each card sheet has parts needed to form the Action Man figure glued to its surface. The body is that of the pink high density plastic with the green moulded trunks. This was the second form of the body used until about 1972.
1. all component parts are individually lettered to correspond with a printed sheet, glued to right lower corner, which lists each part by its drawing number, description, material type, weight, tool required to form it and the number of pieces made in one casting. Two parts are missing - the lower arm 'outer locking sleeve' and the upper arm 'inner connecting sleeve'.
2. fully exploded figure of Action Man. The head, the back of which has been cut away, is that of the dark haired bearded face using the 'real' hair devised by Brian Turner about 1971/2. The eyes are painted blue.
3. partly formed body, showing the back half of the body and limbs and how the parts are linked together to form the whole. Because the rubbery neck connector has dried and broken the neck fitting itself is not attached to the body part - if displayed it would need to be attached to the body or card to show the positioning. Prototype castings of various parts, mainly in polypropylene.
*Items 4 to 10 have reverse socket necks while 11, 12 and 13 have socket necks.
4. A/M CHEST FRONT, light pink colour with a disc shape and a ridge at waist level, and 8 peg holes and one peg moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
5. A/M CHEST BACK, light pink colour with a waist level ridge and 9 peg holes moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
*These two parts were actually in envelopes marked A/M CHEST FRONT and A/M CHEST BACK.
6. Chest shot for an Action Man figure, mottled pink with black; 2 peg holes and 8 pegs moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
7. Chest shot for an Action Man figure where the back is screwed to the front, pink with very slight black mottling; 3 peg holes and 5 pegs moulded on the inner surface. Other than the top peg, the pegs are very small. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
8. Back shot for an Action Man figure, mottled pink with black; 10 peg holes moulded on the inner surface. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
9. Back shot for an Action Man figure where the back is screwed to the front, pink with very slight black mottling; 5 peg holes, one top peg and two screw holes. L. 3¾in (9.6cm)
10. Front and Back shots for an Action Man figure where the back is screwed on, the two parts are together but not screwed, at present tied with cellotape.
11. early Chest shot, broader with a deeper waist taper forming the swivel. L. 3¼in (8.3cm)
*It formed the basic design of the 'talking mechanism' chest.
12. Talking Mechanism Chest shot, moulded with a circle of 12 outer holes; 6 inner holes and one in the centre together with a hole with a metal eyelet on the upper right chest just below the throat. L.3¼in(8.3cm)
13. early Back shot, broader with a deeper waist taper forming the swivel and designed to be screwed to the chest. It has been placed with (12) but not formally attached. Marked MADE IN ENGLAND BY PALITOY UNDER LICENCE FROM HASBRO ©1964.
14. Talking Mechanism, second version back shot with the openings for the sound moulded into the back rather than the front. The mechanism

is operated by a pull string which protrudes from the body on the left shoulder. The example is actually for the Space Ranger Action Man (talking commander). Marked GENERAL MILLS TOY GROUP EUROPE
© 1975 PAT. NO. 1458647.
15. Talking Mechanism, second version back, complete to show the neck, arms and torso/hip swivel joint. Action Man Talking Commander with the pull string protruding from the left shoulder and ending with a dark green plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY. Marked on back - © 1975 HASBRO Pat Pend Pawt RI Made in Japan.
*With green approval label marked in pen FROM 108 FOR SOUND/(Code No./Product)ACTION MAN COMMANDER CHEST/Approved by ROBERT BRECHIN/Date 4/4/78.
16. Shoulder Connector Pink Nylon 6, rigid
17. Shoulder Connector Poylurethane, slightly movable
18. Torso/Thigh Connector Nylon, rigid
19. Torso/Thigh Connector Polyurethane, slightly movable
20. Conn(ector) Sleeve Pink Acetal
21. Sleeve Acetal, larger size than (20)
22. Thigh half shot, polypropylene, mottled pink with black; half with two small pegs. L. 2¼in (5.7cm)
23. Thigh half shot, as (22) but with two peg holes
24. Lower Leg - outer casing shot, polypropylene. L. 2½in (6.3cm)
25. Labelled bag for (24), green approval label Code No. D2648/Product A/M Commander/Approved by L J C.../Date 11.9.78
*26-32. ACTION MAN NEW HIP BALL SWIVEL FEB/MARCH 1981 signed ROBERT BRECHIN.
26 - single ridge pink; 27 - single ridge beige; 28,29 - double ridge light beige each forming half a round hole; 30,31 - double ridge light beige each forming half a long slot; 32 - two halves together forming the long slot, pegged, dark pink
33. Ball Swivel, pink styrene, half round with long slot. Early form of the thigh swivel.
*34-38. Upper and Lower Arms, outer locking sleeves, polypropylene together with clear plastic bag with a green approval label. (34,35 upper; 36,37 - lower; 38 bag - label reads Code No. D2645; D2646; D2647 Product A/M Commander; Approved By L J Codrington; Date 20.9.78 39-42. 'Latest A/Man Cup', waist line swivel; contained in original clear plastic bag with white label also marked '9.6.78 Approved for 1;000 mouldings only. 12 only'.
*43-46. Action Man trunks, samples in pink, black and blues
43. sample in pink polypropylene; marked in pencil SAMPLE at the front and DO NOT PINCH on the back 44. sample in pink polypropylene spray painted in indigo blue 45. sample moulded in black polypropylene 46. sample moulded in the petrol blue with ACTION MAN on the waist buckle; this was the final choice.
DimensionsHeight: 23in (58.4cm) Width 2: 19in (48.2cm)
Object history
Three sheets showing the parts required; how they would fit together and partly fitted together.
Collection
Accession number
B.1125:1-1993

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
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