U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 5

U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 5

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5: G.I. JOE

Profile America Tuesday, February 5th. It may seem hard to believe, but it was 44 years ago this week that G.I. Joe action figures first went on sale. G.I. Joe was the first mass-market doll intended for boys, and it was a huge success. It sold for $2.49. The figure's name came from the movie, "The Story of G.I. Joe," starring Robert Mitchum and Burgess Meredith. For several decades, families all over America found parts to G.I. Joes hidden under couch cushions, behind refrigerators and stuck in vacuum cleaner hoses. Today, making dolls and stuffed animals is a $328 million a year business in the U.S., employing some 2,300. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau on the Web at <www.census.gov>.

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments ready to air on a monthly CD or on Internet at http://www.census.gov/ (look under the "Newsroom" button). For further information, contact Rick Reed at +1-301-763-2812, fax at +1-301-457-3670, or e-mail at rreed(At)census.gov.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

CONTACT: Rick Reed of the U.S. Census Bureau, +1-301-763-2812

Web Site:

http://www.census.gov/

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