The character of Popeye was inspired by a real-life sailor named Frank “Rocky” Fiegel. Fiegel was a rough-and-tumble man whom E.C. knew from his hometown and who worked in a local saloon.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Segar based the character of Popeye on Fiegel because he wanted his comic strip to be realistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all honesty, Popeye wasn’t supposed to be the main character, but he quickly became popular with readers.\u00a0A “people pleaser” and a daydreamer at heart, E.C. pursued his lifelong dream of being a famous cartoonist and took a leap of faith.\u00a0It’s likely he didn’t realize just how popular the sailor would become, yet he took the chance anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Segar’s comic strip was originally about a cast of characters, including Olive Oyl, Ham Gravy, and Castor Oyl. The\u00a0Thimble Theatre<\/em>\u00a0was featured in the\u00a0New York Journal<\/em>\u00a0on December 19, 1919. It wasn’t an instant hit.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like many publications, it took years to build a steady following. E.C. took inspiration from people in his hometown and brought them to life in his comic strip. But it was Popeye who stole the show and captured people’s hearts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frank Fiegel was born in 1868 and migrated from Poland, with his family, to America\u00a0when he was young. When E.C. met Fiegel, he was a retired sailor contracted by the Wiebusch’s Tavern in Chester, Illinois. His job was to clean the place and act as a bouncer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, he was always getting into fights. The punches he took resulted in a deformed eye, leading to people calling him “Popeye.” He’d won so many fights that he became a local legend.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n And because he constantly smoked his pipe, he would speak out of one side of his mouth. So, Popeye’s appearance didn’t come from E.C.’s imagination either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fiegel often smoked like a chimney and wore striped sailor’s t-shirts and his trademark cap daily. He also had a strong chin and thick, muscular arms.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n When he was with children, he held the pipe with the corner of his mouth and told them about foolish things he did when younger – often boasting of his physical strength and loudly claiming that spinach was what made him invincible.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Like all the other children, E.C. grew up listening to Frank’s stories, turning them into elaborate adventures in his mind. E.C. said that Fiegel was known for fighting, but he was also known for playing with children and telling stories.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, Fiegel’s gentler traits are what inspired E.C. to create his character in\u00a0Thimble Theatre.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Popeye first appeared in the comics on January 17, 1929, and spoke his famous first line, “‘Ja think I’m a cowboy!?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n On August 27, Olive Oyl mistakenly kisses Popeye on the cheek, instantly winning over the sailor’s heart and beginning their on-page love affair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The character was an instant success and has appeared in comics, cartoons, movies, and TV shows ever since. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, Popeye and his adventures have undergone some changes, starting in 1933 when Bluto entered the picture as Popeye’s nemesis and Olive’s love interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On July 14, 1933, a Betty Boop <\/em>cartoon titled Popeye the Sailor<\/em> was produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n William Costello initially voiced Popeye, but later, Jack Mercer took over. During his animated appearance, he also earned his own theme song. The show also coined one of Popeye’s most famous lines<\/a>, “I’m strong to da finish ’cause I eats my spinach.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n Later that month, on July 24, Popeye finds Swee’Pea the “infink” on his doorstep and decides to adopt him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout the rest of 1933 and 1942, Popeye got a cartoon series produced by Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures. He became one of the most popular cartoons from the 1930s to the 1960s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He even had short 15-minute episodes on the radio. Then, in 1942, Popeye received his first color adaptation from Famous Studios. From then on, Popeye would influence young generations worldwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The character would achieve TV syndications and magazines and be featured in art. In 1980, a live-action film was released with Robin Williams as Popeye and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.historydefined.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Z7IAU7A5BNEAPBNKLJH2Y3A7UY.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nFrank “Rocky” Fiegel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Brief History of Popeye<\/h2>\n\n\n\n