Stanley Weston (inventor)

Stanley Weston
Born
Stanley Alan Weinstein

(1933-04-01)April 1, 1933
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 2017(2017-05-01) (aged 84)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma materNew York University
OccupationInventor
Children3
RelativesJay Weston (brother)
Jake Winebaum (son-in-law)

Stanley Weston (born Stanley Alan Weinstein; April 1, 1933 – May 1, 2017) was an American inventor and licensing agent who created the G.I. Joe toy line in 1963, as well as the very concept of the action figure.[1][2][3] Weston later sold the rights to his invention, which he called "outfitted action figures", to Hasbro for just $100,000.[1]

He later created his own company, Leisure Concepts, which represented and licensed products based on the likeness of Farrah Fawcett, Star Wars, and Nintendo. During the 1980s, Weston oversaw the creation of the ThunderCats animated series (1985–1989), which spawned the successful ThunderCats toyline.[3]

  1. ^ a b Marble, Steve (May 8, 2017). "Stanley Weston, who conceived of G.I. Joe but reaped few financial rewards, dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  2. ^ Good, Owen S. (May 10, 2017). "Stanley Weston, creator of action figures, dies at 84". Polygon. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Fuster, Jeremy (May 8, 2017). "Stanley Weston, Creator of 'GI Joe,' and 'Thundercats,' Dies at 84". The Wrap. Retrieved May 28, 2017.