painting vintage plasticville figures

[Tacomabob]

I just got a set of 1950 era plasticville "citizens" that are unpainted.  I know you can't get the original paint but through many online searches I have not been able to find the type of paint that I can use that will look good and not damage the figures. 
I would appreciate suggestions of what type of paint I should use

[WoundedBear]

Go to your local craft store and pick up Apple Barrel or similar brand craft paint. You may need to thin it a tad for nice brushing. Wash the figures and prime them first though.

Model Master military colors are my personal favorite, but are costlier than the cheapo craft paints.

There is no special "figure" paint. Any paint will work provided the surface is properly prepared to accept the top coat.

I like to use a black or dark grey primer, then slowly build up the color by drybrushing. This technique automatically creates shadows and is very controllable.

Sid

[RAM]

remember to alway wash plastic before you paint it to get rid of any oil film that may be on it.

[on30gn15]

Wounded Bear makes a good point about craft paint - and yes, they work over primer better than on bare plastic since the paint grabs the primer better that it would the bare plastic.
My taste is to use grey or white primer. But, yes, painting and dry brushing over black primer has been a figure painting technique for decades.

RAM has a good point about cleaning the figures before painting. I use liquid dish soap and a soft toothbrush. Of if the model is really grungy, something like Clorox Soft Scrub.

Any model paint, enamel or acrylic, or acrylic lacquers, will work fine.
Old-style solvent lacquers can do annoying things to plastic surfaces.

As for using craft acrylics, their pigment is a little coarser than most model paints but they work fine. I've used them on wargaming miniatures.
Earlier this summer, the magazine Railroad Model Craftsman had an article on how to tweak craft acrylics for good airbrushing.