G.I. Joe collection snaps to attention in new Tin City gallery

PHOTO JUSTIN MULLIN G.I. Joe action figures from Brian Keith's collection The owner of a new gallery in Naples has joined forces with a nostalgic collector in Cape Coral to display a diverse selection of G.I. Joe action figures Nov. 8-12 in honor of Veterans Day.

Daniel Linehan opened Six Degrees Exhibitions last month on Sixth Avenue South at Tin City. "There are a lot of artists out there who don't have the resources to show on Fifth Avenue, but who are brilliant," he says. "We want to provide a place for these people to be discovered."

When Linehan "discovered" 43-yearold Brian Keith and his extensive collection of G.I. Joe action figures by Hasbro dating from 1964, the timing was ideal. Together they've assembled "The Veterans Day Tribute" exhibit showcasing some of Keith's favorite dolls representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and marines.

For Keith, collecting G.I. Joes "is like going back in time," to his childhood in Staten Island, N.Y., where he and his buddies waged combat with their G.I. Joes in the back yard. After he lost interest in his 12-inch heroes, Keith's mom stored them all in the attic for safekeeping.

PHOTO JUSTIN MULLIN Brian Keith Keith says he didn't think about his Hasbro soldiers again until 1996, when a friend mentioned a store in Brooklyn was selling vintage G.I. Joes. As soon as he saw them, however, his passion for the action figures came to full attention again. He's been acquiring them ever since, recruiting from other collectors, at trade shows, through the national G.I. Joe Collectors Club and on the Internet.

During the Vietnam War, Keith says, Hasbro caught flack from the public over sensitivities concerning the promotion of war in its toys. To remedy the situation, the company began manufacturing a new line of figures titled "Adventures of G.I. Joe" in 1969.

1976 marked the end for G.I. Joe. From 1982-1990 Hasbro released a 3 ¾-inch doll. Then the 12-inch model made a comeback. Today the G.I. Joe Navy Seal, the Snake Eyes ninja commando, the Military Flint and the Storm Shadow action figures, among others, are readily available at toy stores and online starting at around $15.

Visitors to Six Degrees Exhibitions will be able to see Keith's collection from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, Nov. 9-12. For more information, call the gallery at 348-8852.

'Black Hawk Down' pilot comes to St. Ann's School

Chief Warrant Officer 4 (Retired) Michael J. Durant of the U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment Airborne will appear at St. Ann's School on Monday evening, Nov. 10. Durant was the Blackhawk helicopter Night Stalker command pilot who flew the mission over Mogadishu on Oct. 3, 1993. His helicopter was shot down, and the badly injured Durant was held prisoner for 11 days. Durant's story was told in the movie "Black Hawk Down." Now a motivational speaker, he is also the best-selling author of "In the Company of Heroes" and "The Night Stalkers."

Tickets for Durant's appearance in Naples are $25 in advance and $35 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m. and Durant will speak at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be ordered online at www.stann.net. Call 261-3114 for more information.