Action figures have a long and glorious history. From GI Joes to Star Wars figures, these offshoots of dolls came along at just the right time to capture the hearts and minds of children everywhere. Learn all about the partial history of action figures in this classic episode.
AI Summary
# Stuff You Should Know: A Partial History of Action Figures
This episode dives deep into the surprisingly fascinating world of action figures, tracing their evolution from the first twelve-inch GI Joe in 1964 all the way through the iconic three-and-three-quarter-inch figures that defined childhoods in the 1980s. Josh and Chuck explore how Barbie inspired the entire action figure industry, how companies like Mego and Kenner dominated the market, and they get surprisingly political discussing how Ronald Reagan's FTC deregulation led directly to toy-based cartoon franchises like Transformers and the GI Joe animated series that shaped a generation. It's packed with nostalgia, childhood memories, and some genuinely eye-opening revelations about marketing to kids that'll make you rethink those Saturday morning cartoons you loved.
America the Beautiful
2022
TV-PG
★ 7.3
"America the Beautiful takes viewers on a tour of the most spectacular and visually arresting regions — Featured in Disney+ promotional advertisement."
Frozen Planet
2011
TV-PG
★ 8.4
"award winning producers of Planet Earth, Frozen Planet — Mentioned as a reference for the producers of America the Beautiful documentary."
"award winning producers of Planet Earth, Frozen Planet — Mentioned as a reference for the producers of America the Beautiful documentary."
Return of the Jedi
1983
2h 12m
★ 7.9
"Return of the Jedi had just come out. So they were crazy for anything that had anything to do with Return of Jedi. — Chuck discusses when Return of the Jedi came out and its impact on toy sales."
— Chuck
Story of G.I. Joe
1945
1h 48m
★ 6.4
"GI. Joe actually was taken from a 1945 movie called the Story of GI. Joe. — Chuck explains the origin of the GI Joe name came from this 1945 film."
— Chuck
The Gray Man
2022
PG-13
2h 8m
★ 6.9
"The Gray Man. Only on Netflix, july 22, rated PG 13 — Mentioned in a Netflix promotional advertisement featuring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans."
Toy Story
1995
1h 21m
★ 8.0
"It was Toy Story, right, where they had those guys come to life. — Josh references Toy Story when discussing how small plastic army men figures could move, contrasting with his childhood experience."
— Josh
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