This sailor man is one of the most recognized cartoons in the world, right up there with Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny. Popeye has been around since the 1920s and found his way in comic strips, comic books, theatrical shorts, one feature film and many TV cartoons.

Popeye seems to have quite a number of physical flaws: a squinty eye, a speech impediment, a corn cob pipe permanently affixed to his cheek and freakishly swollen forearms. He is also honest and kind and possesses great physical strength that is enhanced when Popeye eats spinach. The sailor's main goal in life is to woo and win the heart of Olive Oyl who likes to play hard to get. To Popeye's frustration, Olive's other suitor, Bluto, is usually under foot, complicating things and pummeling Popeye to within an inch of his life.

The first Popeye the Sailor episodes produced just for television aired in 1960 and re-introduced many characters from the comic strips, like the Sea Hag, Roughhouse the cook, Swee' Pea, Alice the Goon and Prof. O.G. Wottasnozzle,

In 1978 Popeye surfaced again in CBS's The All New Popeye Hour but in deference to changing times and mores, the violence was toned down. The show included a public service announcement at the end of each episode, in the guise of Popeye teaching various lessons to his young nephews. This version was eventually repackaged with new segments like Prehistoric Popeye and Private Olive Oyl. The next incarnation of the mumbling sailor came in 1986 with the short-lived Popeye and Son.