1950’s Barclay Pod Foots – The Stay-Puff Marshmallow Men

Made by Barclay Toys in the early 1950’s, the pod-foots were the last of the metal army men.  Barclay developed these club-footed soldiers to save money.  The less metal in a base, the more money we make!  But in reality, who was going to pay metal prices, when cheap plastics were the latest and greatest…plus, little Sammy wouldn’t bust a tooth when he chewed on one for lunch.  With the “rise of the vinyl titans” and the demise of these “iron” midgets, Barclay pretty much went down the tube…ending a long and varied line of cast metal figures…but alas, some of the castings would survive, and live on in plastic form…but that’s a story for another day.

Pixie Dust! Pixie Dust!

Just look at them…little Babes in Warland.  Barclay should have painted on rosy cheeks as well…they look like chubby little cherubs…with guns.  Can you imagine showing up to play war with these?  It’s an invitation for a beating and an excuse to toss the little buggers into the park BBQ.  The casting is just piss poor…what appear to be packs look more like pockets on a dolly outfit.  There is virtually no detail on these army men.  Who in their right mind would bring little Michelin Men to fight against the lean and mean Marx or Tim Mee machines!  The one they call the “bomb thrower” looks like he’s about to toss a little silver ball that’s full of pixie dust.  Really?..”bomb thrower”…what the hell is that?..It’s a friggin’ grenade…you know, as in pineapple…not a “bomb”!  I can pretty much guarantee that bringing these little twinkle toed teletubbies to the sandbox will make a real splash…your hooligan “friends” are sure to approve…

Red Ryder, Carbine Action...
Stick. 

So…do we really want to field an army of Stay-Puff Marshmallow warriors and go home with a black eye, split lip and a handful of nothin’?  Yeah…probably not.  Don’t get me wrong…I game with the stuff from the 1930’s and 40’s.  I really dig the cast metal soldiers and slush cast vehicles…that’s my love…but these late production models?..well, the ones I have (and yes, I do have some in my collection) stay on the shelf.

I guess the one postscript to this tale of small soldier woe would be the red painted pod foots…they are rare…they had red uniforms, white helmets, silver gear and weapon…sounds like something out of Buck Rodgers…doesn’t it? Originally, these were painted red to serve as Opposing Forces…the paint scheme is a little weird, but hey, it was the ‘50’s, Red Scare and all.  I guess if one was willing (okay…you know I’m going to do it…) and industrious, they could acquire some trashed pod-foots and paint them up in little red jumpsuits.  I suppose you could use them as DPRK, ChiComs, OPFOR, COBRA, Commies, Cubans or a gaggle of psychopathic, politically incorrect circus clowns who just escaped the zoo.  Barring that…you could just shoot them to bits with the BB gun and call it a day.

Is that a pack?..or Barbie's  purse