Q 01/05

Which toy company owns and produces G.I. Joe?

A) Hasbro

B) Mattel

C) Kenner

D) Mego

Answer · why

A) Hasbro

The company paid a Manhattan licensing agent $100,000 for the concept in 1963. The name is an old nickname for an American soldier.

Q 02/05

The development of G.I. Joe led to the coining of which now-generic toy term?

A) Playset

B) Action figure

C) Collectible

D) Poseable doll

Answer · why

B) Action figure

Marketing wisdom said boys would not play with 'dolls', so the toymaker banned the word entirely and called it 'America's movable fighting man'.

Q 03/05

In what year was the original 12-inch G.I. Joe introduced?

A) 1969

B) 1966

C) 1964

D) 1972

Answer · why

C) 1964

It launched on February 1, now celebrated as G.I. Joe Day, and was shown at the New York Toy Fair a week later.

Q 04/05

The original 1964 G.I. Joe line represented four military branches. Which figure covered the Air Force?

A) Action Flyer

B) Action Ace

C) Action Airman

D) Action Pilot

Answer · why

D) Action Pilot

The others were the Action Soldier, Action Sailor and Action Marine; an Action Nurse followed later.

Q 05/05

Which Manhattan licensing agent came up with the idea for the G.I. Joe figure in 1963?

A) Stanley Weston

B) Don Levine

C) Merrill Hassenfeld

D) Larry Hama

Answer · why

A) Stanley Weston

Executive Don Levine told him 'You will make a fortune with these' and bought the whole concept for $100,000.