Popeye the Sailor's 70th Anniversary on Television

(Perhaps no one knows as much about Popeye as Fred M. Grandinetti. He was a founding member of the Official Popeye Fan Club. He has also written several books on the character, including Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History; Popeye, the Collectible: Dolls, Coloring Books, Games, Toys, Comic Books, Animation; Popeye: An Illustrated History of E.C. Segar's Character in Print, Radio, Television, and Film Appearances 1929-1993; He Am What He Am!: Jack Mercer, the Voice of Popeye; and Popeye the Sailor: The 1960s TV Cartoon. This month marks the 70th anniversary of the release of the Popeye the Sailor animated theatrical shorts to television. Fred M. Grandinetti has graciously written a guest post for the occasion.~Terence)

Popeye the Sailor's 70th Anniversary on Television 
By Fred M. Grandinetti

 

There were children's shows with an adult host on the small screen during the golden age of television. However, the format was cemented with the help of a one-eyed sailor.
 
Seventy years ago, the Popeye theatrical cartoons, produced by Fleischer and Famous Studios for Paramount Pictures, made their television debut.
 
Originally, Popeye was the star of E.C. Segar's Thimble Theatre comic strip. He came to life in a 1933 Betty Boop cartoon. Popeye the Sailor became the longest running animated short subject series in motion picture history with a total of 234 episodes.
 
In September of 1956 they were syndicated to numerous television markets by Associated Artists Productions. Local stations across the country generated high ratings! Popeye was often teamed with an adult host whether it was Sailor Bob, Capt. "C" Whiskers, Cooksey the Clown, Commander Jet, Uncle Gus, Capt. Jolly, Mayor Art Finley, Sally Starr or Tom Hatten. Several of these hosts interacted with a live audience of children. The sets often had decorative pictures of Popeye and his crew.
 

While Popeye had been appearing on merchandise since the early 1930's the marketplace exploded following his television debut.  Anything you can imagine was produced due to his overwhelming popularity! Today these items are highly collectible. In 1963 many programs participated in a Physical Fitness Campaign sponsored by the sailor's owner, King Features Syndicate. It was a national youth movement to promote children's health through exercise.
 

Unfortunately, by the 1980's groups like Acton for Children's Television forced the adult hosts off the air.  The group didn't like hosts encouraging children to buy a sponsor's product.  Of course, they failed to realize the same individuals would remind the young audience to obey their parents, do well in school, listen to the bus driver and other important lessons.
 
Despite the loss of adult hosts independent stations continued to air the Popeye theatricals.  By this time the prints looked like they had been swept up off the floor, but children didn't care.  In the year 2000 The Cartoon Network decided to create an anthology series around the films. The plan was to restore the black and white cartoons as they were seen in theaters.  The television distributor's logo would be removed and replaced by the studio which originally distributed them to movie screens; Paramount Pictures.
 

The needed footage was located but The Cartoon Network would not finance the restoration of the films. I was asked to provide the money needed and The Popeye Show made its debut. Unfortunately, The Cartoon Network had a phobia in regard to airing black and white cartoons during prime time.  The series was originally scheduled Monday mornings at 1:30am. I began a public relation's campaign requesting an earlier time period. The fans came through and the show was moved to Sunday nights at 9:30pm and later 7:30pm. It remained on the air for three years highlighting many of the sailor's best adventures. Eventually the Popeye cartoons from 1933 to 1949 were released on DVD from Warner Brothers.
 
The theatrical Popeye films continue to air on Me TV and You Tube. 

Happy anniversary to Popeye and all of the adult hosts who introduced audiences to his animated adventures!