Since Hasbro introduced the G.I. Joe 50 years ago in 1964, the first "movable fighting man" has undergone a couple changes but is still a wanted and popular brand, according to the Associated Press.
Hasbro brought G.I. Joe to the annual toy fair in New York City in the beginning of 1964, and became an immediate hit, the AP reported. When the new military-inspired doll for boys hit the shelves in 1964, it became an immediate seller during the Christmas season and sold for $4 each, the AP reported.
Since then, different sizes, clothes and even a little rebranding of the name have been applied to the classic G.I. Joe, according to the AP.
Hasbro's popular toy remained so throughout the 1960s, but quickly lost hype after the Vietnam war began and parents began shying away from military based toys, the AP reported.
"Most boys in the '60s had a father or a relative who was or had been in the military," Patricia Hogan, curator at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, home to the National Toy Hall of Fame, t old the AP. "Once you've bought Joe, you need to buy all the accessories and play sets and add-ons, which was great for business."
In the 1970's Hasbro released the "Adventure Team" G.I. Joe which they hoped would play down some of the military connections to the doll, according to the AP.
G.I. Joe was given "lifelike hair" and a "kung-fu grip" during the 1970s, and was even given scuba gear in order to explore oceans and an explorer outfit to discover mummies, the AP reported.
By the 1980s, Hasbro decided they should shorten the doll by almost four inches, more similar to the "Star Wars" doll size, and have kept him at that size ever since, according to the AP. For special editions, the G.I. Joe is sometimes released in a larger size.
"Joe stood for everything that was meant to be good: fighting evil, doing what's right for people," Alan Hassenfeld, the 65-year-old former CEO for Pawtucket, R.I.-based Hasbro Inc., told the AP.
The G.I. Joe has inspired comic books, cartoons and two movies starring Channing Tatum since its releases in the 60's, according to the AP.
