Hans Beck Hans Beck Hans Beck (6 May 1929, Greiz – 30 January 2009, Markdorf) was the German inventor of Playmobil toys. He is thus often called "The Father of Playmobil". Born in Greiz, Thuringia, Beck grew up in the town of Zirndorf. He trained as a cabinet maker and made small toy vehicles and figures for his younger siblings. He presented his model airplanes to Horst Brandstätter, owner of local toy company Geobra Brandstätter, who took him on, and asked him to develop toy figures for children. As a hobby Beck built ultra-lightweight model aircraft for flying indoors. He competed in
Action Jackson (toy) on its 1971 launch, but by 1974 had faded in popularity. Action Jackson (toy) Action Jackson was a line of action figures and accessories manufactured by Mego Corporation in the early 1970s. Mego's first foray into action figures, the line was an initial success but then lost out in sales to Hasbro's G.I. Joe line. Nonetheless, Action Jackson laid the template for Mego's popular later lines of 8-inch action figures based on licensed characters from such franchises as DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and "Star Trek". Similar in theme to the G.I. Joe line of toys manufactured by Hasbro, Action Jackson