Madelman Live Action sets. Featuring: Trapper, Canadian Mountie, Polar Expedition. FAO Schwarz. 1973_74. US.

Greetings vintage mates! TVTA is pleased to add a new toy entry to the archives – Madelman action figures, from Spain. I hadn’t come across these toys before, and when I first saw the adverts for them I believed they might be 12 inch scale (approx 32 cm) Action Man / GI Joe spin-offs of the 1960s. But no, although similar in design and play themes, Madelman figures stand up at approximately 7 inches tall (17 cm), meaning that the production costs for the figures, accessories and vehicles would have been far lower than their taller contempories back in the day.

Madelman was produced in Spain, and saw successful exports to countries like Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy and the US. The original production years covered between 1968 to 1983. The line was revamped by the longstanding Spanish toy company Exin around 1988, but fell out of toy fashion by 1990.

Madelman Buzo Deep Sea Diver and Polar Explorer set. FAO Schwarz. 1973_74. US.

Madelman Catalogue entries. FAO Schwarz. 1973_74. US.

Madelman Live Action sets. FAO Schwarz 1974_1975 Catalogue. US.

Madelman figures space toys. FAO Schwarz 1981 1982 catalogue.

Thanks for looking!