Pop-Pie a la Mode

Last updated

Pop-Pie a la Mode
Directed by I. Sparber
Animation Director:
Joe Oriolo (uncredited)
Story by Dave Tendlar
Produced by Seymour Kneitel
I.Sparber
Executive Producer
Sam Buchward
(all uncredited)
Starring Jack Mercer (uncredited)
Jackson Beck (uncredited)
Music by Winston Sharples (uncredited)
Animation byJoe Oriolo
Morey Reden
Uncredited Animation:
John Gentilella
Jim Tyer
Color process Technicolor
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • January 26, 1945 (1945-01-26)(US)
Country United States
LanguageEnglish

Pop-Pie a la Mode is a 1945 Popeye theatrical cartoon short, starring Jack Mercer as Popeye. Produced by Famous Studios and directed by Isadore Sparber, it was the 132nd cartoon in the Popeye series of theatrical cartoons released by Paramount Pictures. [1]

Contents

The cartoon has been criticized for its racist depictions of African-Americans. [2]

Plot

Popeye, shipwrecked and riding a small raft, is overjoyed to come across a tropical island where Joe's Always Inn stands. He is received by Joe himself, who is in fact the king of the island's cannibal tribe. Seeing the delectable newcomer makes him visualize a meaty dish and, after Popeye is given service, Joe turns to his cookbook for ideas. To fatten him, he has the sailor rest comfortably on a hammock while being served various types of potato and starchy sweets. When a little cannibal tries to sandwich one of the guest's legs, Joe turns him away. Later, Joe says to Popeye he is to be initiated into the Secret Order of the Midnight Well.

The ceremony involves Popeye taking a hot tub bath in the island clearing, at night. Drums sounding, Popeye enters the tub – which is soon dismantled to reveal he is really in a large cauldron. After the young cannibal makes another sandwich out of Popeye's meaty arm, and takes a bite this time, the hero acknowledges his predicament as he sees every native is holding a meat ration book and looking at him hungrily. It takes a horde of natives to overcome Popeye's resistance. They then proceed to flatten him into the shape of a juicy steak ready to be grilled. The sailor-steak manages to get out and eat his spinach, promptly defeating all the tribesmen then going after Joe, who takes shelter in a building from which he shoots many cannons at the hero. Popeye turns his own projectiles against him, however. Joe is sent flying to the water, where two hungry sharks await, only he is hungrier and chases them over the sea. Popeye becomes the tribe's new king, although he has to put up with the boy cannibal trying a Popeye-leg sandwich once again.

Availability/Censorship

The short has not been shown on broadcast television for decades, due to the portrayal of the island natives/cannibals, although the cartoon Spinach vs Hamburgers shows clips from this cartoon. This short is on the Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 Blu-ray/DVD set released by Warner Archive Collection on December 11, 2018. It is not on the streaming release of the collection.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluto</span> Fictional character from Popeye

Bluto, at times known as Brutus, is a cartoon and comics character created in 1932 by Elzie Crisler Segar as a one-time character, named "Bluto the Terrible", in his Thimble Theatre comic strip. Bluto made his first appearance on September 12 of that year. Fleischer Studios adapted him the next year (1933) to be the main antagonist of their theatrical Popeye animated cartoon series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E. C. Segar</span> American cartoonist (1894–1938)

Elzie Crisler Segar, known by the pen name E. C. Segar, was an American cartoonist best known as the creator of Popeye, a pop culture character who first appeared in 1929 in Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre.

<i>Popeye</i> (film) 1980 film by Robert Altman

Popeye is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by Robert Altman and produced by Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions. It is based on E. C. Segar's Popeye comics character. The script was written by Jules Feiffer, and stars Robin Williams as Popeye the Sailor Man and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl. Its story follows Popeye's adventures as he arrives in the town of Sweethaven.

<i>Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor</i> 1936 animated short film directed by Dave Fleischer

Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor is a 1936 two-reel animated cartoon short subject in the Popeye Color Specials series, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on November 27, 1936, by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by Max Fleischer for Fleischer Studios and directed by Dave Fleischer, with the title song's music composed by Sammy Timberg and lyrics written by Bob Rothberg. The voice cast includes Jack Mercer as Popeye, Gus Wickie as Sindbad the Sailor, Mae Questel as Olive Oyl and Lou Fleischer as J. Wellington Wimpy.

<i>The Popeye Show</i> American animation anthology series

The Popeye Show is an American cartoon anthology series that premiered on October 29, 2001, on Cartoon Network. Each episode includes three Popeye theatrical shorts from Fleischer Studios and/or Famous Studios. The show is narrated by Bill Murray, who gives the audience short facts about the history of the cartoons as filler material between each short. Animation historian Jerry Beck served as a consultant and Barry Mills served as writer and producer. A total of 45 episodes were produced, consisting of a total of 135 shorts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poopdeck Pappy</span> Fictional character from Popeye

Poopdeck Pappy is a fictional character featured in the Popeye comic strip and animated cartoon spinoffs. Created by E. C. Segar in 1936, the character is Popeye's father, who is between the ages of 85 and 99.

Swee'Pea is a character in E. C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre / Popeye and in the cartoon series derived from it. His name refers to the flower known as the sweet pea. Before his addition to the animated shorts, the name "Sweet Pea" was a term of affection used by main character Popeye. In the cartoon We Aim to Please, he addressed girlfriend Olive Oyl that way.

<i>Popeye the Sailor</i> (film) 1933 American film

Popeye the Sailor is a 1933 animated short produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Publix Corporation. While billed as a Betty Boop cartoon, it was produced as a vehicle for Popeye in his debut animated appearance.

<i>I Yam What I Yam</i> 1933 film

I Yam What I Yam is the second Popeye theatrical cartoon short, starring William "Billy" Costello as Popeye, Bonnie Poe as Olive Oyl and Charles Lawrence as Wimpy. The source of the quote is the comic strip, Thimble Theatre by E. C. Segar, in which Popeye first appeared. This is a paraphrase of words spoken by Popeye in the comic strip.

<i>Popeye the Sailor</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Popeye the Sailor is an American animated television series produced for King Features Syndicate TV starring Popeye that was released between 1960 and 1963 with 220 episodes produced. The episodes were produced by a variety of production studios and aired in broadcast syndication until the 1990s.

<i>Popeye the Sailor</i> (film series) 1933 American film

Popeye the Sailor is an American animated series of short films based on the Popeye comic strip character created by E. C. Segar. In 1933, Max and Dave Fleischer's Fleischer Studios, based in New York City, adapted Segar's characters into a series of theatrical cartoon shorts for Paramount Pictures. The plotlines in the animated cartoons tended to be simpler than those presented in the comic strips, and the characters slightly different. A villain, usually Bluto, makes a move on Popeye's "sweetie", Olive Oyl. The villain clobbers Popeye until he eats spinach, giving him superhuman strength. Thus empowered, Popeye makes short work of the villain.

Spooky Swabs is a Popeye theatrical cartoon short, starring Jack Mercer as Popeye, Mae Questel as Olive Oyl and Mercer, Jackson Beck, Sid Raymond and Gilbert Mack as the ghosts. Produced by Paramount Cartoon Studios and directed by Isadore Sparber, it was released in 1957 and is the final cartoon in the Popeye series of theatrical cartoons released by Paramount Pictures.

Popeye Meets the Man Who Hated Laughter, also known as The Man Who Hated Laughter, is a 1972 American animated one-hour television special that was part of The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie. This film united characters from almost every newspaper comic strip then owned by King Features Syndicate in one story. The show aired on October 7, 1972, and was repeated in February 1974.

<i>Youre a Sap, Mr. Jap</i> 1942 film by Dan Gordon

You're a Sap, Mr. Jap is a 1942 one-reel anti-Japanese Popeye the Sailor animated cartoon short subject released by Paramount Pictures on August 7, 1942. It was the first cartoon short to be produced by Famous Studios. It is one of the best-known World War II propaganda cartoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Popeye</span> Fictional character

Popeye the Sailor is a fictional cartoon character created by Elzie Crisler Segar. The character first appeared on January 17, 1929, in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was in its tenth year when Popeye made his debut, but the one-eyed sailor quickly became the lead character, and Thimble Theatre became one of King Features' most popular properties during the 1930s. Following Segar's death in 1938, Thimble Theatre was continued by several writers and artists, most notably Segar's assistant Bud Sagendorf. The strip continues to appear in first-run installments on Sundays, written and drawn by R. K. Milholland. The daily strips are reprints of old Sagendorf stories.

<i>Seasins Greetinks!</i> 1933 American film

Seasin's Greetinks! is a Popeye theatrical Christmas-themed cartoon short, starring William "Billy" Costello as Popeye and Bonnie Poe as Olive Oyl and William Pennell as Bluto. It was released on December 17, 1933 and is in the Popeye the Sailor series of theatrical cartoons released by Paramount Pictures.

<i>Lets You and Him Fight</i> 1934 American film

Let's You and Him Fight is a Popeye theatrical cartoon short released in February 16, 1934, starring William "Billy" Costello as Popeye, Bonnie Poe as Olive Oyl, William Pennell as Bluto and Charles Lawrence as the announcer.

<i>Spinach Fer Britain</i> 1943 film

Spinach Fer Britain is a 1943 anti-Nazi propaganda cartoon, produced by Famous Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film centers around Popeye the Sailor trying to deliver a shipment of spinach to 10 Downing Street in London, while fighting off Nazi Kriegsmarine soldiers pursuing him in a U-boat. The short was released on January 22, 1943.

Campsicnemus popeye is a species of carnivorous fly described in 2013. It was discovered from the Society Islands in French Polynesia. The species is named after the famous cartoon character Popeye the Sailor Man because of the enlarged tibia. The species is in fact among a group of six new species described as "Popeye flies". The specimen was collected in 2006 during an expedition to Tahiti.

<i>Popeye, the Ace of Space</i> 1953 American film

Popeye, the Ace of Space is a 1953 3D theatrical cartoon released as a Stereotoon. It was produced by Famous Studios for the Stereotoon series featuring Popeye and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was the first of two Paramount cartoons to be created in 3D format but with unsatisfying results. The other was Boo Moon with Casper the Friendly Ghost. Aiming to make a big impression on audiences, Paramount allocated additional funding for the Stereotoons which more than doubled the amount usually budgeted for Famous Studios cartoons of the day.

References

  1. Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. pp. 123–124. ISBN   0-8160-3831-7.
  2. Behnken, Brian D.; Smithers, Gregory D. (2015). Racism in American Popular Media: From Aunt Jemima to the Frito Bandito. ABC-CLIO. p. 111. ISBN   9781440829772 . Retrieved June 13, 2020.