Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy

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Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy
PopeyeDVDcover.jpg
DVD cover
Based on Popeye
by Elzie Crisler Segar
Written by Paul Reiser
Jim Hardison
Directed byEzekiel Norton
Voices of
Composers Mark Mothersbaugh
Kevin Kliesch
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersGio Corsi
Barbara Zelinski
EditorColin Adams
Running time47 minutes
Production companies King Features Entertainment
Mainframe Entertainment
Nuance Productions
Original release
Network Fox
ReleaseNovember 9, 2004 (2004-11-09)

Popeye's Voyage: The Quest for Pappy is a 2004 animated Christmas television special produced by Mainframe Entertainment for Lions Gate Entertainment and King Features Entertainment, in association with Nuance Productions. The special, created to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Popeye the Sailor comic strip character from E. C. Segar's Thimble Theatre, first aired on Fox on December 17, 2004, and was rebroadcast on the same network on December 30, 2005.

Contents

Plot

Popeye is on a quest to find his missing father Poopdeck Pappy. Popeye is dogged by nightmares warning him that his Pappy, who abandoned him as a child, is in danger and needs him, so he bravely sets out on the open sea to find his long-lost father and reunite with him for the Christmas holidays. Accompanied by the admiring Olive Oyl, the brawny Bluto, the hungry Wimpy, and little Swee'Pea, he heads for the Sea of Mystery, which happens to be in the evil Sea Hag's domain. Strange things begin to happen along the way, as the group encounters sirens, serpents, and menacing mists. This was clearly all of the Sea Hag's attempts to destroy Popeye for good.

Cast

Production

Originally this special was set to be produced by Will Vinton, but when Vinton lost his studio in 2002, it was taken over by Mainframe Entertainment. [1] Prior to the release, animator Joel Brinkerhoff wrote about Vinton's initial version of the CGI special (in response to an April 12, 2004 Cartoon Brew post which showcased an image from MainFrame's production):

"I have mixed emotions looking at the Popeye still you posted. It was a project that I personally had worked on with great anticipation; it was also the project that helped remove Will Vinton from his studio after 27 years.

It's true that Paul Rieser [sic] wrote a version of the script, and not to discredit his input, he is a name that people will recognize. Jim Hardison wrote the last draft that I am aware of and I know he went back to the original Thimble Theater strip that Segar created for his characterizations.

I would have been a lead animator and co-animation director had the projected [sic] stayed with Vinton. I did models from the Fleischer models sheets and mouth charts for the cg modelers so the look would have the same integrity as the classic cartoons, (see below). I don't know if any cg models from Vinton are being used.

Time will tell how successfully MainFrame made their translation; it's all speculation as to what Will Vinton Studios would have done." [2]

Billy West described the production as "the hardest job I ever did, ever" and the voice of Popeye as "like a buzzsaw in your throat." [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive Oyl</span> Character from Popeye

Olive Oyl is a cartoon character created by E. C. Segar in 1919 for his comic strip Thimble Theatre. The strip was later renamed Popeye after the sailor character that became the most popular member of the cast; however, Olive Oyl was a main character for a decade before Popeye's 1929 appearance.

<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">J. Wellington Wimpy</span> Fictional character from Popeye

J. Wellington Wimpy, generally referred to as Wimpy, is a character in the comic strip Popeye, created by E. C. Segar, and in the Popeye cartoons based upon the strip. Wimpy debuted in the strip in 1931 and was one of the dominant characters in the newspaper strip, but when Popeye was adapted as an animated cartoon series by Fleischer Studios, Wimpy became a minor character; Dave Fleischer said that the character in the original Segar strip was "too smart" to be used in the film cartoon adaptations. Wimpy appears in Robert Altman's 1980 live-action musical film Popeye, played by Paul Dooley.

<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>Popeye and Son</i> 1987 American TV series or program

Popeye and Son is an American animated comedy series based on the Popeye comic strip created by E.C. Segar and published by King Features Syndicate. Jointly produced by Hanna-Barbera and King Features subsidiary King Features Entertainment, the series aired for one season of thirteen episodes on CBS from September 19 to December 12, 1987. It is a follow-up to The All New Popeye Hour. Due to Jack Mercer's death in 1984, Maurice LaMarche voiced Popeye, while much of the cast of The All New Popeye Hour reprised their respective roles, with the exception of Daws Butler. However, Nancy Cartwright, who was trained by Butler, voiced Woody in the series.

<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.

Alice the Goon is a fictional character in E. C. Segar's comic strip Thimble Theatre and in the Popeye cartoon series derived from it.

<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>The All New Popeye Hour</i> American animated television series

The All New Popeye Hour is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and King Features Entertainment. Starring the comic strip character Popeye, the series aired from 1978 to 1983 Saturday mornings on CBS. Despite the series' mixed reception, it was a hit for King Features Entertainment.

<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.

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

The Sea Hag is a fictional character owned by King Features Syndicate. She is a tall, masculine-looking witch featured in comics/cartoons as a nemesis to the character Popeye. The Sea Hag was created by Elzie Crisler Segar in 1929 as part of the Thimble Theatre comic strip.

<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>Popeye: Rush for Spinach</i> 2005 video game

Popeye: Rush for Spinach is a Game Boy Advance video game based on the comic strip of same name created by E. C. Segar, licensed from King Features Entertainment. It was developed by French studio Magic Pockets and published by Namco Hometek in 2005, and Atari Europe in 2006.

References

  1. "VINTON'S POPEYE". Cartoon Brew. April 13, 2004. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  2. "THE CG POPEYE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN!". Cartoon Research. April 13, 2004. Retrieved June 2, 2004.
  3. Penn's Sunday School (August 9, 2012). "The many voices of Billy West". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2019.