Action figure:The Johnny West Series | Johnny West

In the 1960s when Hasbro's G.I. Joe figures proved that boys would play with manly looking "dolls" if they were called action figures, several toy companies rushed their own line of figures into production. Louis Marx & Company first offered Stony Smith in 1965, a World War II-era soldier with molded uniform and no joints to make his legs move. Redesigning Stony with moveable joints at his hips and knees did not much cut into G.I. Joe's dominance of the action figure market. Even replacing Stony with a closer imitation of G.I Joe that Marx called Charlie Buddy did not improve Marx's market share. Finally, Marx gave up on figures of 20th century-warfare and promoted its Best of the West series of figures which included Johnny West and cowboys; Geronimo, Chief Cherokee, Fighting Eagle, and Indians; Sam Cobravillains, horses, and a special line of figures called the Fort Apache Fighters. To appeal to girls as well as boys, Marx added cowgirls and teenagers, their horses, and the family dogs, Flick an English setter, and Flack, a German shepherd.