1975 Big Jim Catalog
Exit sportsman, enter Super Spy
In 1975, things had started to wind down for the good natured adventures of sportsman Big Jim and his crew. A hasty insert to the toyfair catalog this year gives the first traces of the P.A.C.K and the direction that Big Jim would take for the remainder of his shelf life in North America.
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It was during one of those annual summer trips to visit my grandfather's family back in the small towns of Missouri where he grew up that my grandmother bought me a Big Jim at theTG&Y. It was awesome, and I got lots more from the line for birthdays and Christmas's that followed. Sure, it was a drag they were not to the same scale as GI Joe, but oh, well.
I remember one Christmas I wanted a Big Jim fire rescue truck so bad I could taste it. I'm sure I almost passed out with excitement when they brought out the giant wrapped package. Then I unwrapped it to find… the RV camper. I was crushed. Oh, well, still played with it a lot.
Then the PACK stuff came out and I got the mobile command station or whatever (which I now learn from that catalog was the old camper molded in black instead of white and shipped with different stickers) and all was good again.
Many, many years later I stumbled upon a "70s Kung-Fu figure" being sold at one of those antique flea market/"mall" type places. Fools. Clearly Dr. Steel. Get a clue, antique mall seller.
Got a double trouble Big Jim near the end of the line. It was okay–the rotating head was cool. Couldn't get passed the idea that I was playing Big Jim action stuff with Laura's dad from Little House on the Prairie, though.
We had the TG&Y here in Iowa too. Great store where you could get all your kid goodness. Toys, halloween costumes, etc.