Action Man thumbnail 1
Action Man thumbnail 2
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Not currently on display at the V&A

Action Man

Figure
1966-1984 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

1. body and head; pink polypropylene; first body style with metal jointing pins at neck; shoulders; elbows; wrists; tops of legs; knees and ankles. With this version the upper arms are jointed between shoulder and elbow; the chest is broader and shorter with the lower torso extended up to the waist line; jointed through the waist with elastic. Head is the dark yellow red; with eagle eyes and brown flock hair. The facial features are painted. The 'gripping' hands are soft rubbery vinyl; discoloured to a tan colour.
*Marks; lower back - MADE IN ENGLAND/BY PALITOY/UNDER LICENCE FROM/ HASBRO © 1964.
2. body and neck stem; pink polypropylene; first body style adapted for the sound mechanism with holes in the front chest and the pull string protruding from the upper chest just below the neck. The string is attached to a grey plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY. The hands are rigid. Made and marked as (1).
3. body and neck stem; tan polypropylene; first body style as (1) but the
metal jointing uses metal eyelets rather than rivets and the skin tone is much darker. Only the right hand is present.
*Marks on back chest - GEYPER; in an oval;/MADE IN SPAIN. Also written in back pen SEPT/75.
4. body; pink polypropylene; second style body with longer body which is narrower. Lower torso is formed from green moulded trunks. Jointing uses plastic pegs except for two screws holding the upper chest and back together. The 'gripping' hands are soft vinyl; slightly darker in colour than the body. NO MARKS
5. body; tan polypropylene; second style body with long body which is narrower. Lower torso is formed from navy blue moulded trunks. Jointing uses plastic pegs. The 'gripping' hands are soft vinyl; lighter in colour than the body. NO MARKS.
6. body; white polypropylene torso and half of upper arm with the rest of the arm and legs the tan colour; third style of body with the lower torso formed from mid blue moulded trunks with the letters A above T moulded on the belt buckle. The 'gripping' hands are a cream vinyl. The body and arm are held together with cellotape.
*Marks on lower back - ©1975 HASBRO IND INC/PAWTUCKET RI 02861/PAT PEND/MADE IN HONG KONG.
7. lower left arm and hand belonging to (6); white polypropylene.
8. upper arm half belonging to (6); top part tan with the lower part white.
9. body; tan polypropylene; third style of body with the lower torso formed from mid blue moulded trunks.
*Marks on lower back - © 1975 HASBRO IND INC/PAWTUCKET RI 02861/PAT PEND/MADE IN HONG KONG. (It is the production model of 6).
10. note with (9); ACTION MAN WITH EAGLE EYES 13/7/76
11. Action Man figure; tan polypropylene; second style of body with the lower torso formed from petrol blue moulded trunks with the name ACTION MAN on the belt buckle. The head is the red version replaced in production by a more tanned colour. The facial features are painted; the hair is brown flocking and the 'eagle' eyes are blue. The 'gripping' hands of soft vinyl match the body colour.
*Marks on lower back - © CPG PRODUCTION CORPORATION/1978 marks on back of neck- HONG KONG
12. Action Man figure as (11) with the head colour the final yellow/red which nearly matches the body. The hair is blond flocking. The markings

of the head and the body are the same as (11).
13. Talking Commander Action Man body; tan polypropylene; third style of the body with the lower torso formed from petrol blue moulded trunks and the body adapted for a sound mechanism with the holes in the back and the pull string protruding from the left shoulder. The string is attached to a khaki plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY.
*Marks on lower back - GENERAL MILLS/TOY GROUP/EUROPE
©1975/PAT NO 1458647.
14. Talking Commander Action Man; tan polypropylene with brown flocked hair; third style of body with the lower torso formed from petrol blue moulded trunks and the body adapted for a sound mechanism with the holes in the back and the pull string protruding from the left shoulder.
The string is attached to a khaki plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY.
*Marks on lower back - © 1975 HASBRO/PAT PEND PAWT RI/MADE
IN JAPAN
*on the back is a green approval label - Code No. INITIAL PRODUCTION WITH NEW HIP BALL SWIVEL FROM TEMP. TOOL. Approved by RB Date 11-3-81
15. Action Man figure as (11) with the head the red version. The head has been cut away to show the `eagle eye' mechanism. On the chest has been painted a series of small dark lines to give the impression of body hair. There are two label attached to the figure with elastic bands.
16. label, cream card on which is hand printed in black EAGLE EYES WITH PAINTED HAIR.
17. label, cream card on which is hand printed in black HANDLE WITH CARE PAINT MAY FLAKE OFF BODY.
18. Action Man Head, with dark brown flocking hair and beard. THE EYES ARE PAINTED BLUE
19. Action Man Head, tan with dark brown flocking hair and beard. THE EYES ARE BLUE EAGLE EYES. Marked HONG KONG.
20. Action Man Head, dark tan with dark brown flocking hair and beard which has been trimmed. THE EYES ARE BROWN EAGLE EYES. Marked HONG KONG.
21. Action Man EAGLE EYES, white plastic with brown pupils. they are linked by the joining block which fits the mechanism.
22. preproduction shot of Action Man lower torso/pants, pink vinyl.


Object details

Object type
Parts
This object consists of 22 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 Prototype Figure
  • Action Man Prototype Figure Label
  • Action Man Prototype Figure Label
  • Action Man Prototype Head
  • Action Man Prototype Head
  • Action Man Prototype Head
  • Action Man Prototype Eyes
  • Action Man Prototype Lower Torso
TitleAction Man (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
injection moulded plastic
Brief description
Action Man Prototypes; English/Hong Kong; 1966-84
Physical description
1. body and head; pink polypropylene; first body style with metal jointing pins at neck; shoulders; elbows; wrists; tops of legs; knees and ankles. With this version the upper arms are jointed between shoulder and elbow; the chest is broader and shorter with the lower torso extended up to the waist line; jointed through the waist with elastic. Head is the dark yellow red; with eagle eyes and brown flock hair. The facial features are painted. The 'gripping' hands are soft rubbery vinyl; discoloured to a tan colour.
*Marks; lower back - MADE IN ENGLAND/BY PALITOY/UNDER LICENCE FROM/ HASBRO © 1964.
2. body and neck stem; pink polypropylene; first body style adapted for the sound mechanism with holes in the front chest and the pull string protruding from the upper chest just below the neck. The string is attached to a grey plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY. The hands are rigid. Made and marked as (1).
3. body and neck stem; tan polypropylene; first body style as (1) but the
metal jointing uses metal eyelets rather than rivets and the skin tone is much darker. Only the right hand is present.
*Marks on back chest - GEYPER; in an oval;/MADE IN SPAIN. Also written in back pen SEPT/75.
4. body; pink polypropylene; second style body with longer body which is narrower. Lower torso is formed from green moulded trunks. Jointing uses plastic pegs except for two screws holding the upper chest and back together. The 'gripping' hands are soft vinyl; slightly darker in colour than the body. NO MARKS
5. body; tan polypropylene; second style body with long body which is narrower. Lower torso is formed from navy blue moulded trunks. Jointing uses plastic pegs. The 'gripping' hands are soft vinyl; lighter in colour than the body. NO MARKS.
6. body; white polypropylene torso and half of upper arm with the rest of the arm and legs the tan colour; third style of body with the lower torso formed from mid blue moulded trunks with the letters A above T moulded on the belt buckle. The 'gripping' hands are a cream vinyl. The body and arm are held together with cellotape.
*Marks on lower back - ©1975 HASBRO IND INC/PAWTUCKET RI 02861/PAT PEND/MADE IN HONG KONG.
7. lower left arm and hand belonging to (6); white polypropylene.
8. upper arm half belonging to (6); top part tan with the lower part white.
9. body; tan polypropylene; third style of body with the lower torso formed from mid blue moulded trunks.
*Marks on lower back - © 1975 HASBRO IND INC/PAWTUCKET RI 02861/PAT PEND/MADE IN HONG KONG. (It is the production model of 6).
10. note with (9); ACTION MAN WITH EAGLE EYES 13/7/76
11. Action Man figure; tan polypropylene; second style of body with the lower torso formed from petrol blue moulded trunks with the name ACTION MAN on the belt buckle. The head is the red version replaced in production by a more tanned colour. The facial features are painted; the hair is brown flocking and the 'eagle' eyes are blue. The 'gripping' hands of soft vinyl match the body colour.
*Marks on lower back - © CPG PRODUCTION CORPORATION/1978 marks on back of neck- HONG KONG
12. Action Man figure as (11) with the head colour the final yellow/red which nearly matches the body. The hair is blond flocking. The markings

of the head and the body are the same as (11).
13. Talking Commander Action Man body; tan polypropylene; third style of the body with the lower torso formed from petrol blue moulded trunks and the body adapted for a sound mechanism with the holes in the back and the pull string protruding from the left shoulder. The string is attached to a khaki plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY.
*Marks on lower back - GENERAL MILLS/TOY GROUP/EUROPE
©1975/PAT NO 1458647.
14. Talking Commander Action Man; tan polypropylene with brown flocked hair; third style of body with the lower torso formed from petrol blue moulded trunks and the body adapted for a sound mechanism with the holes in the back and the pull string protruding from the left shoulder.
The string is attached to a khaki plastic tag marked ACTION MAN PALITOY.
*Marks on lower back - © 1975 HASBRO/PAT PEND PAWT RI/MADE
IN JAPAN
*on the back is a green approval label - Code No. INITIAL PRODUCTION WITH NEW HIP BALL SWIVEL FROM TEMP. TOOL. Approved by RB Date 11-3-81
15. Action Man figure as (11) with the head the red version. The head has been cut away to show the `eagle eye' mechanism. On the chest has been painted a series of small dark lines to give the impression of body hair. There are two label attached to the figure with elastic bands.
16. label, cream card on which is hand printed in black EAGLE EYES WITH PAINTED HAIR.
17. label, cream card on which is hand printed in black HANDLE WITH CARE PAINT MAY FLAKE OFF BODY.
18. Action Man Head, with dark brown flocking hair and beard. THE EYES ARE PAINTED BLUE
19. Action Man Head, tan with dark brown flocking hair and beard. THE EYES ARE BLUE EAGLE EYES. Marked HONG KONG.
20. Action Man Head, dark tan with dark brown flocking hair and beard which has been trimmed. THE EYES ARE BROWN EAGLE EYES. Marked HONG KONG.
21. Action Man EAGLE EYES, white plastic with brown pupils. they are linked by the joining block which fits the mechanism.
22. preproduction shot of Action Man lower torso/pants, pink vinyl.
DimensionsHeight: 11in
Marks and inscriptions
see each
Object history
group to show the development and changes to the bodies and heads
Collection
Accession number
B.1127:1-1993

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Record createdApril 17, 2000
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest