I’ve been a historian of Popeye the Sailor’s animated career since 1983 and often receive questions on this subject. One person recently asked me:
“Toon In with Me (the popular television series airing on MeTV which broadcasts animated cartoons) is having a Veteran’s Day-themed show. To promote it, they are using an image of Bugs Bunny chomping on a carrot in front of a fireworks display. Since they air Popeye cartoons wouldn’t he be more a logical choice? Other than aiding U.S. forces on screen, was Popeye used in other ways during World War II?”
Popeye was certainly seen serving our country in several animated cartoons. In theatres, they were considered propaganda-themed morale boosters produced by Fleischer and Famous Studios for Paramount Pictures. The films aired in syndication on several television stations for years. This author recalls them playing on The Uncle Gus Show during the 1960s through the 1970s. By the mid-1980s, several were put back on the shelf due to the stereotypical look given to Japanese and German soldiers (detailed in the descriptions below).
Popeye’s military related adventures included:
The Mighty Navy (Fleischer Studios, 1941): Popeye wears his white sailor’s uniform for the first time while working on a battleship. He proves to be an incompetent sailor until a huge enemy ship approaches. Popeye downs a can of spinach and with one punch blows up the craft. His picture is used as the official insignia of the Navy Bomber Squadron.
Kickin’ the Conga Round (Fleischer Studios, 1942) :Now Bluto wears a white sailor’s uniform and tries to stop Popeye’s date with Olivia Oyla. Later, the sailor men brawl, but are stopped by the shore patrol.
Blunder Below (Fleischer Studios, 1942): After disgracing himself in artillery training, Popeye ends up saving his ship from an enemy submarine. The final scene has Popeye receiving several medals for bravery and courage.
Fleets of Stren’th (Fleischer Studios, 1942): When Popeye is blown out of the water by the enemy, he eats his spinach and battles them by air!
Olive Oyl and Water Don’t Mix (Fleischer Studios, 1942): Aboard ship, Popeye and Bluto swear off women until Olive Oyl wants a tour. She ends up dazed and tattered while the two sailors land in the brig for all of the destruction they caused.
Many Tanks (Fleischer Studios, 1942): In the army, Bluto switches uniforms with Popeye and heads off to a date with Olive Oyl. Popeye, now dressed like an army soldier, creates chaos in a tank until he recovers his uniform.
Baby Wants a Bottleship (Fleischer Studios, 1942): Popeye has to mind Swee’pea who wanders on to a ship creating havoc! While the sailor is getting assaulted by machinery, he mutters, “It should happen to Hitler!”
You’re A Sap, Mr. Jap (Famous Studios, 1942): The first Popeye cartoon to come out from Famous Studios. Popeye is confronted by Japanese spies and gets the short end of the stick. However, out comes the spinach and the tide is turned in favor of the United States. A Japanese Naval Officer knows he has lost face. He commits suicide by consuming firecrackers and drinking gasoline.
Alona on the Sarong Seas (Famous Studios, 1942): Popeye and Bluto, aboard ship, see the Princess Alona. Both sailors pursue her with Popeye the victor. However, it all turns out to be a dream of the one-eyed sailor. While dreaming he is kissing the Princess it’s Bluto who ends up on the receiving end of the smooch!
A Hull of a Mess (Famous Studios, 1942): Bluto and Popeye compete to see who will get a ship building contract. Popeye finishes his craft first but Bluto tricks Popeye into blowing it up! With the aid of his spinach Popeye constructs several ships at record speed.
Scrap the Japs (Famous Studios, 1942): Once again Popeye takes to the air to battle a Japanese spy. He shouts at one “I’ve never seen a Jap that wasn’t yellow!” Popeye lands on the enemy ship and eats his spinach. He tosses the can in the ocean and the Japanese cry “Scrap Iron” and swim after it.
Spinach Fer Britain (Famous Studios, 1943): Popeye has to battle German soldiers while attempting to bring spinach cans to Britain. The Germans are portrayed as bumbling spies who keep shouting “Heil Hitler!”
Seein’ Red, White ‘N’ Blue (Famous Studios, 1943): While attempting to evade being drafted Bluto eventually ends up in a children’s orphanage. The children are actually Japanese soldiers who throttle not only Bluto, but Popeye as well. Popeye eats his spinach and feeds the remaining contents and the can to Bluto. Popeye’s patriotic fist hits The Emperor of Japan and Adolp Hitler! At the conclusion of the cartoon Bluto signs up for the Navy.
Too Weak to Work (Famous Studios, 1943): Sailors Popeye and Bluto are assigned to paint several boats. Bluto says he needs a complete rest and fakes sick. Popeye discovers his treachery and disguises himself as Bluto’s nurse. Bluto ends up filled with helium and floats out of the hospital! A lighting bolt strikes him! Before hitting the ground, Bluto is caught by Popeye. A gaunt looking Bluto has spinach pumped into him. With vigor he not only paints the boats but also Popeye!
A Jolly Good Furlough (Famous Studios, 1943): Popeye is at home on shore leave and his nephews show him how Home Defense works. The tykes manage to pummel Popeye in the process.
Raton for the Duration (Famous Studios, 1943): Popeye has a dream that a giant is hoarding items needed for the war effort including sugar and rubber.
The Hungry Goat (Famous Studios, 1943): This short film plays like a wacky Tex Avery-style cartoon. Because of a scrap metal drive, a goat has eyes on consuming the ship Popeye is mopping. The ship’s admiral goes to the movies which is playing The Hungry Goat. The admiral leaves the theatre when he sees the ship being eaten! The film ends with the goat, now sitting in the theatre, laughing at Popeye and the admiral. As his laughs become louder, the Paramount Pictures logo appears. It covers both Popeye and his superior officer thus ending the cartoon.
Her Honor the Mare (Famous Studios, 1943): The first Popeye short subject released in color has the sailor’s nephews hiding a horse as a house guest. The nephews hoist the horse upstairs disguised as a painter. In doing so they paint Hitler’s face on the animal’s rear end to fool Popeye.
Spinach Packin’ Popeye (Famous Studios, 1944): It’s the Navy (Popeye) vs the Army (Bluto) in a boxing match. Popeye loses and Olive plans on joining the Army. It all turns out to be a dream Popeye is having after donating a gallon of his blood.
In addition to all of the Popeye cartoons of this era, special comic strips by Joe Musial were published in 1941 where Popeye is seen encouraging men to join the Navy. In 1942, Popeye’s pet, Eugene the Jeep, became the symbol of the navigation squadron of the Air Force Advanced Flying School. In August of 1942, Popeye’s cartoonist, Bela Zaboly, was even autographing pictures of the sailor with the purchase of War Bonds.
In the daily comic strip, written by Tom Sims and drawn by Bela Zaboly, Popeye was battling Japanese soldiers during 1942. The American Mitchell bomber was pictured in newspapers in August of 1943 with Popeye seen on the craft. In 1944 newspaper readers saw Popeye drafted into the Navy in his daily comic strip. The sailor’s naval adventures were again scripted by Tom Sims with art by Bela Zaboly. Along with the one-eyed sailor his hamburger eating friend, J. Wellington Wimpy, was also inducted.
Should Me TV have chosen Popeye instead of Bugs Bunny? You decide, arf! arf!