The Popeye Show

Last updated

The Popeye Show
The Popeye Show title screen.jpg
Voices ofBill Murray
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes45 (135 segments)
Production
Executive producers Mike Lazzo
Keith Crofford
Producer Barry Mills
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network Cartoon Network
ReleaseOctober 29, 2001 (2001-10-29) [1]  
July 20, 2003 (2003-07-20)
Related
Popeye's Island Adventures

The Popeye Show (Originally titled I'm Popeye) [1] is an American cartoon anthology series that premiered on October 29, 2001, [1] on Cartoon Network. Each episode includes three Popeye theatrical shorts from Fleischer Studios and/or Famous Studios. [2] The show is narrated by Bill Murray (not to be confused with the film actor of the same name), 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.

Contents

Significance

Prior to the premiere of The Popeye Show, most television airings of theatrical Popeye cartoons bore the logos of Associated Artists Productions, the company that bought the films from Paramount Pictures for television distribution. This is due to the films having been sold in the 1950s, when most movie studios did not want to be associated with television. As a result, A.A.P. was required to replace the original Paramount logos with their own. For The Popeye Show, efforts were made to present these films as close to their original theatrical form as possible: some of the cartoons shown were copies that actually had their original Paramount titles intact, while others needed to have their original titles simulated through the process of digital video editing.

The show focused mostly on the Fleischer Popeye shorts and early Famous Studios shorts that were originally filmed in black and white. For all episodes, the first two shorts were from this era. Sometimes the third cartoon would be a color cartoon from Famous Studios, but on many occasions an entire episode would entirely be made of black-and-white cartoons. While selecting the color entries that would air, the only ones that were initially selected were those that were in the Turner vaults with their original titles. The only color cartoons to have their original titles recreated were those shown in the last episode of Season 3, and all episodes of Season 4.

In season 1, an original copy of Popeye, the Ace of Space (1953) with its original titles was shown for the first time on TV. This particular cartoon was originally shown in 3D, and therefore had a unique opening sequence. [3] It also had a unique ending sequence that was not shown on syndication prints because it involved the Paramount logo being formed from the smoke of Popeye's pipe. The black and white short The Hungry Goat (1943) was kept from being shown in earlier seasons because it required extra attention to recreate the ending as close to original as possible. The original ending involved Popeye's nemesis in the short, a goat, laughing at Popeye while watching the end of the very cartoon they were in, and, like The Ace of Space, involved the Paramount logo.

The 1945 short Tops in the Big Top, which did not open with the standard Popeye theme music, but had a rendition with a circus theme, had its original soundtrack restored for the program. Similarly, a version of We're on Our Way to Rio (1944) was prepared with the opening soundtrack restored, but the show was cancelled before it could be included in any episodes.

Cartoons skipped during original run

Two episodes from Season 1 were initially skipped and did not make their TV debut until reruns. The reason was that the two episodes had cartoons that the executives at Cartoon Network would not pass for unedited airings. Episode #10 was originally supposed to have Popeye the Sailor , which was a Betty Boop cartoon in which Popeye makes his theatrical debut. This particular cartoon had a scene at the carnival where Popeye and Bluto play a ball-toss game where the target is an African American stereotype. Episode #11 had the short Happy Birthdaze, in which Popeye murders his suicidal Navy buddy Shorty in a scene that is usually cut from most TV broadcasts. When Episode #10 finally aired, I Eats My Spinach replaced Popeye the Sailor, while Episode #11 aired with no changes made, and Happy Birthdaze was shown uncut.

Ethnic censorship

Several shorts are not seen in or out of this package due to heavy racial stereotyping, despite this Anthological series being aired as part of Adult Swim in later runs. Pop-Pie a la Mode, The Island Fling, and Popeye's Pappy have since been removed from circulation because of African-American stereotyping. You’re a Sap, Mr. Jap, Scrap the Japs, and Seein' Red, White, 'N' Blue are no longer shown on U.S. television due to Japanese stereotyping.

A later episode featured an unedited version of the World War II themed Spinach Fer Britain (1943), a cartoon in which Popeye battles Nazis. This particular cartoon is rarely shown outside of any scheduled airings of The Popeye Show. Another later episode featured stereotypes of Native-Americans in Wigwam Whoopee (1948), which featured Olive Oyl portrayed as an Indian Princess with depicted skin color and some racy subtext in background. This episode is also rarely shown outside of any schedule airings of this anthology series. Wigwam Whoopee was available uncut on the Boomerang app until it was eventually removed in September 2021.

Episodes

Below is an episode guide for The Popeye Show. [4] All episodes are listed in production order. There were a few occasions where episodes were skipped and therefore did not air in their proper order.

Series overview

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 13October 29, 2001 (2001-10-29)February 18, 2002 (2002-02-18)
2 13July 7, 2002 (2002-07-07)September 29, 2002 (2002-09-29)
3 13November 17, 2002 (2002-11-17)December 31, 2002 (2002-12-31)
4 6June 15, 2003 (2003-06-15)July 20, 2003 (2003-07-20)

Season 1 (2001–2002)

Episode #Shorts FeaturedOriginal Air Date
1
  • Can You Take It (1934)
  • Me Musical Nephews (1942)
  • Olive Oyl for President (1948)
October 29, 2001 [1]
2
  • Sock-a-Bye Baby (1934)
  • The Jeep (1938)
  • Fightin' Pals (1940)
November 12, 2001 [5]
3
  • The Spinach Overture (1935)
  • It's The Natural Thing to Do (1939)
  • Hill-billing and Cooing (1956)
November 26, 2001
4
  • Goonland (1938)
  • Wotta Nitemare (1939)
  • Pipeye, Pupeye, Poopeye an' Peepeye (1942)
December 3, 2001
5
  • Cops is Always Right (1938)
  • Hello, How Am I? (1939)
  • Robin Hood-Winked (1948)
December 3, 2001
6
  • Shiver Me Timbers (1934)
  • Alona on the Sarong Seas (1942)
  • Insect to Injury (1956)
December 10, 2001
7
  • The Man on the Flying Trapeze (1934)
  • I Yam Love Sick (1938)
  • She-Sick Sailors (1944)
December 10, 2001
8
  • A Dream Walking (1934)
  • Organ Grinder's Swing (1937)
  • Cops is Tops (1955)
December 17, 2001
9
  • The Hyp-Nut-Tist (1935)
  • Child Psykolojiky (1941)
  • Cartoons Ain't Human (1943)
December 17, 2001
10
  • I Eats My Spinach (1933)
  • Little Swee'Pea (1936)
  • Poopdeck Pappy (1940)
February 11, 2002 [6] [7] [8]
11
  • Vim, Vigor and Vitaliky (1936)
  • Happy Birthdaze (1943)
  • Abusement Park (1947)
February 18, 2002 [9] [7] [8]
12
  • Choose Your Weppins (1935)
  • Mutiny Ain't Nice (1938)
  • Kickin' the Conga Round (1942)
December 24, 2001 [10] [11]
13
  • Never Kick a Woman (1936)
  • Shakespearean Spinach (1940)
  • Popeye, the Ace of Space (1953)
December 24, 2001 [10] [11]

Season 2 (2002)

Episode #Shorts FeaturedOriginal Air Date
14
  • What - No Spinach? (1936)
  • Lost and Foundry (1937)
  • Popeye Presents Eugene the Jeep (1940)
July 7, 2002
15
  • Strong to the Finich (1934)
  • Nurse Mates (1940)
  • Quiet! Pleeze (1941)
July 14, 2002
16
  • Beware of Barnacle Bill (1935)
  • Wimmin is a Myskery (1940)
  • Olive's Boithday Presink (1941)
July 21, 2002
17
  • I Yam What I Yam (1933)
  • The Football Toucher Downer (1937)
  • I'll Never Crow Again (1941)
July 28, 2002
18
  • Hospitaliky (1937)
  • Me Feelins is Hurt (1940)
  • The Mighty Navy (1941)
August 5, 2002
19
  • Blow Me Down (1933)
  • The Twisker Pitcher (1937)
  • Nix on Hypnotricks (1941)
August 12, 2002
20
  • Hold the Wire (1936)
  • Ghosks is the Bunk (1939)
  • Olive Oyl and Water Don't Mix (1942)
August 19, 2002
21
  • Adventures of Popeye (1935)
  • Stealin' Ain't Honest (1940)
  • Many Tanks (1942)
August 26, 2002
22
  • Let's You and Him Fight (1934)
  • Onion Pacific (1940)
  • Baby Wants a Bottleship (1942)
September 1, 2002
23
  • Pleased to Meet Cha (1935)
  • Let's Celebrake (1938)
  • A Hull of a Mess (1942)
September 8, 2002
24
  • A Clean Shaven Man (1936)
  • Protek the Weakerist (1937)
  • Spinach fer Britain (1943)
September 15, 2002
25
  • Brotherly Love (1936)
  • Popeye Meets William Tell (1940)
  • Too Weak to Work (1943)
September 22, 2002
26
  • I Wanna be a Lifeguard (1936)
  • Puttin' on the Act (1940)
  • Wood-Peckin' (1943)
September 29, 2002

Season 3 (2002)

Episode #Shorts FeaturedOriginal Air Date
27
  • We Aim to Please (1934)
  • Learn Polikeness (1938)
  • Shape Ahoy (1945)
November 17, 2002
28
  • King of the Mardi Gras (1935)
  • Popeye Meets Rip Van Winkle (1941)
  • A Haul in One (1956)
November 24, 2002
29
  • Axe Me Another (1934)
  • Never Sock a Baby (1939)
  • Peep in the Deep (1946)
December 1, 2002
30
  • Morning, Noon and Night Club (1937)
  • Flies Ain't Human (1941)
  • Parlez Vous Woo (1956)
December 8, 2002
31
  • Seasin's Greetinks (1933)
  • Doing Impossikible Stunts (1940)
  • Wigwam Whoopee (1948)
December 15, 2002
32
  • Dizzy Divers (1935)
  • A Date to Skate (1938)
  • Assault and Flattery (1956)
December 22, 2002
33
  • The Two-Alarm Fire (1934)
  • Females is Fickle (1940)
  • A Wolf in Sheik's Clothing (1948)
December 29, 2002
34
  • The Dance Contest (1934)
  • Customers Wanted (1939)
  • Out to Punch (1956)
December 19, 2002 [12]
35
  • For Better or Worser (1935)
  • The House Builder Upper (1938)
  • Symphony in Spinach (1948)
December 20, 2002 [12]
36
  • The Spinach Roadster (1936)
  • Ration fer the Duration (1943)
  • A Job for a Gob (1955)
December 24, 2002 [12]
37
  • Shoein' Hosses (1934)
  • Plumbing is a Pipe (1938)
  • Alpine for You (1951)
December 26, 2002 [12]
38
  • I Likes Babies and Infinks (1937)
  • Pest Pilot (1941)
  • Mister and Mistletoe (1955)
December 27, 2002 [12]
39
  • Fowl Play (1937)
  • Fleets of Stren'th (1942)
  • A Balmy Swami (1949)
December 31, 2002 [12]

Season 4 (2003)

Episode #Shorts FeaturedOriginal Air Date
40
  • I Never Changes My Altitude (1937)
  • Wimmin Hadn't Oughta Drive (1940)
  • The Marry-Go-Round (1943)
June 15, 2003
41
  • Wild Elephinks (1933)
  • The Hungry Goat (1943)
  • Tops in the Big Top (1945)
June 22, 2003
42
  • The Paneless Window Washer (1937)
  • Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh (1938)
  • Moving Aweigh (1944)
June 29, 2003
43
  • Bridge Ahoy (1936)
  • Leave Well Enough Alone (1939)
  • Pitchin' Woo at the Zoo (1944)
July 6, 2003
44
  • I-Ski Love-Ski You-Ski (1936)
  • Bulldozing the Bull (1938)
  • Spinach Packin' Popeye (1944)
July 13, 2003
45
  • You Gotta Be a Football Hero (1935)
  • Olive's Sweepstake Ticket (1941)
  • The Anvil Chorus Girl (1944)
July 20, 2003

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden age of American animation</span> Period of animation where theatrical sound cartoons were common and popular

The golden age of American animation was a period in the history of U.S. animation that began with the popularization of sound synchronized cartoons in 1928 and gradually ended in the 1960s when theatrical animated shorts started to lose popularity to the newer medium of television. Animated media from after the golden age, especially on television, were produced on cheaper budgets and with more limited techniques between the 1960s and 1980s.

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

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">Fleischer Studios</span> American animation studio

Fleischer Studios was an American animation studio founded in 1929 by brothers Max and Dave Fleischer, who ran the pioneering company from its inception until its acquisition by Paramount Pictures, the parent company and the distributor of its films. In its prime, Fleischer Studios was a premier producer of animated cartoons for theaters, with Walt Disney Productions being its chief competitor in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Max Fleischer</span> American animator and inventor (1883–1972)

Max Fleischer was a Polish-American animator, inventor, film director and producer, and studio founder and owner. Born in Kraków, Poland, Fleischer immigrated to the United States where he became a pioneer in the development of the animated cartoon and served as the head of Fleischer Studios, which he co-founded with his younger brother Dave. He brought such comic characters as Koko the Clown, Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman to the movie screen, and was responsible for several technological innovations, including the rotoscope, the "follow the bouncing ball" technique pioneered in the Ko-Ko Song Car-Tunes films, and the "stereoptical process". Film director Richard Fleischer was his son.

<i>Superman</i> (1940s animated film series) Series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films released by Paramount Pictures

The Fleischer Superman cartoons are a series of seventeen animated superhero short films released in Technicolor by Paramount Pictures and based upon the comic book character Superman, making them his first animated appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Famous Studios</span> Defunct American animation studio

Famous Studios was the first animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount seized control of the aforementioned studio amid the departure of its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1942. The studio's productions included three series started by the Fleischers—Popeye the Sailor, Superman, and Screen Songs—as well as Little Audrey, Little Lulu, Casper the Friendly Ghost, Honey Halfwitch, Herman and Katnip, Baby Huey, and the anthology Noveltoons series.

<i>Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Babas Forty Thieves</i> 1937 American film

Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba's Forty Thieves is a two-reel animated cartoon short subject in the Popeye Color Specials series, produced in Technicolor and released to theatres on November 26, 1937 by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by Max Fleischer for Fleischer Studios, Inc. and directed by Dave Fleischer. Willard Bowsky was head animator, with musical supervision by Sammy Timberg. The voice of Popeye is performed by Jack Mercer, with additional voices by Mae Questel as Olive Oyl, Lou Fleischer as J. Wellington Wimpy and Gus Wickie as Abu Hassan.

<i>Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp</i> 1939 American film

Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp is a two-reel animated cartoon short subject in the Popeye Color Specials series, produced in Technicolor and released to theaters on April 7, 1939, by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by Max Fleischer, and directed by Dave Fleischer for Fleischer Studios, Inc., with David Tendlar serving as head animator, and music being supervised by Sammy Timberg. The voice of Popeye is performed by Jack Mercer, with additional voices by Margie Hines as Olive Oyl and Carl Meyer as the evil Wazzir.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.M. & M. TV Corporation</span> Defunct American television syndicator

U.M. & M. TV Corporation was an American media company best known as the original purchaser of the pre-October 1950 short films and cartoons produced by Paramount Pictures, excluding Popeye and Superman. The initials stand for United Film Service, MTA TV of New Orleans, and Minot T.V.

Seymour Kneitel was an American animator, best known for his work with Fleischer Studios and its successor, Famous Studios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isadore Sparber</span> American film director

Isadore Sparber was an American storyboard artist, writer, director and producer of animated films. He is best known for his work with Fleischer Studios and its successor, Famous Studios. When credited, his work appeared under varying versions of his name, including "Izzy Sparber," "I. Sparber," "Irving Sparber," and "Isidore Sparber" or "Isadore Sparber."

Cartoon Alley is an American animated children's animated anthology series which aired on Turner Classic Movies on Saturday mornings from 2004 to 2007. It featured classic animated shorts.

<i>Superman</i> (1941 film) 1941 film

Superman (1941), also known as The Mad Scientist, is the first installment in a series of seventeen animated Technicolor short films based upon the DC Comics character Superman. It was produced by Fleischer Studios and released to theaters by Paramount Pictures on September 26, 1941. Superman ranked number 33 in a list of the fifty greatest cartoons of all time sourced from a 1994 poll of 1000 animation professionals, and was nominated for the 1942 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Subject.

This is a list of the 122 cartoons of the Popeye the Sailor film series produced by Famous Studios for Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1957, with 14 in black-and-white and 108 in color. These cartoons were produced after Paramount took ownership of Fleischer Studios, which originated the Popeye series in 1933.

<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.

<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>Toon In with Me</i> American live-action/animated anthology comedy television series

Toon In with Me is an American live-action/animated anthology television series created by Neal Sabin for MeTV and MeTV Plus. A special preview episode aired on January 1, 2021, with the main series officially debuting on January 4, 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Archived Cartoon Network Schedule - Sunday, October 28, 2001". October 21, 2001. Archived from the original on October 21, 2001. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  2. Grandinetti, Fred (2004). Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History. McFarland & Co. pp. 201–202. ISBN   9780786416059.
  3. "The Lost Popeye Titles". Cartoonresearch.com. May 24, 1941. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  4. "Popeye Show, the Episode Guide @ Toonarific Cartoons".
  5. Sventon, Argus. "I'M POPEYE!, The Restoration of the Paramount Popeye cartoons". oocities.org. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  6. "The Popeye Show - 2/11/02". Anime Superhero Forum. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  7. 1 2 "New Popeye Shows in February". Anime Superhero Forum. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  8. 1 2 "Popeye 10 & 11". Anime Superhero Forum. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  9. "The Popeye Show - 2/18/2002". Anime Superhero Forum. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "The Popeye Show 12/24/01". Anime Superhero Forum. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  11. 1 2 "The Popeye Show (Incorrectly Listed as Shows #10 & #11) Toon Zone - Shows - Cartoon Network Schedule". animesuperhero.com. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Oooh, Christmas surprises from CN!!". Anime Superhero Forum.