The original G.I. Joe action figure line was launched in 1964.
Hasbro introduced the toy as G.I. Joe: America’s Movable Fighting Man, a military-themed figure designed for boys at a time when companies generally marketed dolls to girls. The original figure stood about 12 inches tall and represented a generic American serviceman rather than a superhero or a named fictional character.
The first release included versions representing four military branches: Action Soldier, Action Sailor, Action Pilot, and Action Marine. Each figure could be equipped with separate uniforms and accessories, allowing children to create different missions and roles. The line’s movable joints also helped popularize the term “action figure” as a replacement for “doll.”
The 1964 launch is often confused with the later G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero line, which debuted in 1982. That revival used 3.75-inch figures, vehicles, a comic-book mythology, and the ongoing conflict between the G.I. Joe Team and Cobra. The original 12-inch line established the brand nearly two decades earlier.