1975 Marx Johnny West Catalog

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Like G.I. Joe, Johnny West was one of the few hold over action figure lines from the 1960's. This durable (hell, indestructable) cowboy figure line was looking a little strange on a shelf now populated by superheroes, aliens and talking apes but he managed to kick around for at least one more year.

The line was bulging with characters this year and the figures now had "Quick Draw Action" which was pretty neat. Someone still needs to explain how they got a jeep back in the old west?

Marx 1975 Johnny West Catalog

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[HardyGirl]

That jeep looks like the one in the Marx Safari Adventure series. (leftovers?) And the heads for squirt guns was, in my opinion, pretty lame. I mean, these guys were GUNfighters, so why not use, I dunno, GUN shaped squirt guns? My cousin used to have Johnny West, but I don't think it was new when he got it, b/c he didn't know his name. So we used to call him John Wayne. (do you see the resemblance?)

[toys2cool]

those figures just always look to stiff to me

[Evel KMego]

I gotta get me a Sam Cobra.

[Captain]

The Jeep was a leftover from the Stony Smith action figure. Quaker Oats had recently purchased Marx, after Louis himself finally decided to retire, and were looking for ways to punch up the Best of the West line. It was decided to try inject more color into the figures...done by making the accessories in oddball colors, creating the Quick Draw feature,and add some new character--first was Princess Wildflower, and the second was Jed Gibson. This was still the age of catalog shopping, and Sears (and I would assume others?) had asked for something new and unique from Marx. Marx responded with a somewhat generic (wasnt part of an established line)Jeep, trailer, and Horse set. The jeep mold was a reuse of the old Stony Jeep. The set sold well,so Marx made more generic sets like this (usually seen on the Barbie pages of old toy catalogs. Since the sets sold well for girls, a set was made for Johnny (seen here) along with a generic set, sold with some accessories that was also sold in the boys section.I recall seeing it in a Sears Canada catalog...The 12" Steve Austin figure was pictured with it.

A second Johnny West Adventures Jeep set (with the horse trailer I believe) was rumored to be in the pipeline as well, but at the last minute Quaker Oats...toy experts that they were, decided to retire Johnny....replacing him in 78' with the very Mego-esque 8" Ready Gang line. Of course by now Star Wars was king, and the line (which was very well done) died quickly.
Deciding they better stick to breakfast cereals, Quaker Oats sold the Marx Toy company to Dunbee-Combex, who went broke shortly thereafter.
American Plastics bought the remains of Marx from a bank auction....and from here the story gets really wild, so I wont get into it. .......Lets just say the fate of what was once the greatest toy company in the world lays in the hands of the US Courts.....Hopefully, Johnny will get the chance to ride again...soon!!!

[misterdroid]

Great stuff. JW/JWA is one of my faves. I only need two of the "mod" color ranch kids (blue Jamie, green Josie) and I will have everyone pictured in the catalog...