The comic strip character Popeye celebrates his 86th birthday today. Popeye debuted in the January 17, 1929 edition of E.C. Segar's Thimble Theatre. Originally Thimble Theatre focused on Olive Oyl and her boyfriend Harold Hamgravy (later just named Ham Gravy). The strip then evolved into a comedy-adventure strip featuring Ham and Olive's brother Castor.
Popeye was hired by Ham and Castor to sail them to Dice Island so that they could take advantage of a casino using a magical hen. On the trip back, Popeye was shot by Jack Snork but survived by rubbing the feathers of the hen. Popeye was never intended to be seen again but due to popular demand, Popeye was soon brought back and within a couple years completely squeezed out Ham and Castor.
Popeye would better be known for his many, many, many theatrical shorts produced by Fleischer Studios and Paramount that lasted between 1933 and 1957.
Who is Brutus side-eyeing? It also doesn't appear that Brutus threw the pancake up that high but what do I know about aerodynamics?
