NEW YORK (AP) -- Put away the cake. Pass the spinach. Popeye celebrates his
75th birthday this year, animated evidence that a steady diet of leafy green
vegetables and pipe smoking can guarantee you Hulk Hogan forearms as a
septuagenarian.

To honor the veteran sailor man, the Museum of Television and Radio unveiled
a retrospective Saturday featuring rarities and collectibles from the
cartoon hero's career.

"There are very few characters that are that old and still in the public
consciousness," said Barry Monush, curator of the exhibit. "It's quite
impressive to stick around that long and stay recognizable."

Recognizable? Who could forget that face, with its jutting jaw and
permanently squinting right eye? Or those arms, with the signature anchor
tattoos?

The exhibit at the midtown Manhattan museum features five flat-screen
televisions running a loop of classic cartoons, with Popeye proudly
proclaiming, "I yam what I yam." He's joined, as always, by the usual cast
of sidekicks: love interest Olive Oyl, nemesis Bluto, the ever-indigent
Wimpy and baby Swee' Pea.

Popeye was launched in 1929, debuting in a minor role in the comic strip
"Thimble Theater." The sailor was an immediate hit with readers, and artist
E.C. Segar converted him into the star of the strip within two years.

Several of the "Thimble Theater" strips, including one from the Dec. 12,
1931, New York Evening Journal, are on display.

But it was the Max Fleischer short films, 109 in all, that ingrained the
spinach-chomping sailor into the national consciousness. The first one
debuted in 1933, and Popeye became such an instant icon that spinach
consumption in the United States jumped 33 percent during the 1930s.

In the 1950s, the Fleischer cartoons arrived on television and created a
whole new generation of Popeye fans. New Popeye cartoons debuted in the
1970s, although that incarnation was more politically correct: He didn't
smoke a pipe, and was far less likely to pound Bluto into a pulp.

He was, however, still strong to the finish. And he still ate his spinach -
although no one is really quite sure why.

"I've never read anywhere why spinach was chosen," said curator Monush.
"Maybe it was something that Segar liked. Or hated. Maybe it was just a big
joke."

Segar died in 1938, but that did nothing to slow down the Popeye phenomenon:
kids in Denmark knew the character as Skipper Skraek, while Italian children
were treated to cartoons with Bracchio Di Ferro (Iron Arm).

The retrospective also features a variety of Popeye memorabilia, from comic
books to an original 1933 production cell to the "Official Popeye Pipe,"
still in its original package with the promise "It toots!"

"Well, Blow Me Down!: 75 Years of Popeye" runs through Jan. 30 at the
museum. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens and $5 for
children under 14. And no - you cannot pay Tuesday for a tour today

Bob,

We have a bit of Popeye here on ASA.
Our own beloved "Haggy" is a shoot off of the "Sea Hag" from his script.

Ole Thom

Ole Thom,

Thanks, but I'm aware of it. Bobsprit is a direct takeoff of Wimpy.

Bob Crantz

"Thom Stewart" wrote in message
...
Bob,

We have a bit of Popeye here on ASA.
Our own beloved "Haggy" is a shoot off of the "Sea Hag" from his script.

Ole Thom

"Thom Stewart" wrote:
Bob,

We have a bit of Popeye here on ASA.
Our own beloved "Haggy" is a shoot off of the "Sea Hag" from his script.

Ole Thom

And I have a Jeep!

Seahag

Haggy,

You know haggy I had forgotten that the Jeep got its name from those
little characters from the Popeye Script.

Good on you ,Babe

One of my oldest memories is getting up on Sunday morning an waiting for
the paperboy to bring the "Sunday Comics" and getting into Bed with Mon
and Dad to have them read to me by my Dad. He could make them come alive
for me!

Popeye was a favorite.

Ole Thom

"Thom Stewart" wrote:
Haggy,

You know haggy I had forgotten that the Jeep got its name from those
little characters from the Popeye Script.

Good on you ,Babe

One of my oldest memories is getting up on Sunday morning an waiting for
the paperboy to bring the "Sunday Comics" and getting into Bed with Mon
and Dad to have them read to me by my Dad. He could make them come alive
for me!

Popeye was a favorite.

Yeah, my favorite too! Right up there with the Betty Boop ones!

Seahag

Belated but still wishing you not only a happy 75th but a great 76th sailing
season!

M.

"Thom Stewart" wrote in message
...
Haggy,

You know haggy I had forgotten that the Jeep got its name from those
little characters from the Popeye Script.

Good on you ,Babe

One of my oldest memories is getting up on Sunday morning an waiting for
the paperboy to bring the "Sunday Comics" and getting into Bed with Mon
and Dad to have them read to me by my Dad. He could make them come alive
for me!

Popeye was a favorite.

Ole Thom

Yeah Haggy,

Betty Boop, I can remember when she started.
Popeye, Dick Tracy, Kats and Jammers (Capt & Kids later) Jiggs, Andy
Gump, Ella Cinders( with Bathless Mc G) Felix the Cat, Toonerville
Trolley, I think Orphan Annie but not sure go back before my memory
kicks in around 1930

Great memories for me but not my Dad and Mom. Dad's business went
belly-up and we lost the House. Had to move back into the Stewart farm
house with gramma and two single uncles until 1934 when dad built us
another house.

That was three years before I had my first sailboat, but that is another
story

Ole Thom

"Thom Stewart" wrote:
Yeah Haggy,

Betty Boop, I can remember when she started.
Popeye, Dick Tracy, Kats and Jammers (Capt & Kids later) Jiggs, Andy
Gump, Ella Cinders( with Bathless Mc G) Felix the Cat, Toonerville
Trolley, I think Orphan Annie but not sure go back before my memory
kicks in around 1930

Great memories for me but not my Dad and Mom. Dad's business went
belly-up and we lost the House. Had to move back into the Stewart farm
house with gramma and two single uncles until 1934 when dad built us
another house.

That was three years before I had my first sailboat, but that is another
story

I liked Mandrake the Magician and Brenda Starr....she was way kewl!

Seahag

Haggy,

Lothar, Mandrakes buddy and servant. That was when you could have a
Black Servant

Good Memories

OT