Popeye the Sailor filmography (Fleischer Studios)


This is a list of the 109 cartoons of the Popeye the Sailor film series produced by Fleischer Studios for Paramount Pictures from 1933 to 1942.
During the course of production in 1941, Paramount assumed control of the Fleischer studio, removing founders Max and Dave Fleischer from control of the studio and renaming the organization Famous Studios by 1942. Popeye cartoons continued production under Famous Studios following 1942's Baby Wants a Bottleship.
All cartoons are one reel and in black and white, except for the three Popeye Color Specials, which are two reels and in Technicolor.
Dave Fleischer was the credited director on every cartoon produced by Fleischer Studios. Fleischer's actual duties were those of a film producer and creative supervisor, with the head animators doing much of the work assigned to animation directors in other studios. The head animator is the first animator listed. Credited animators are therefore listed for each short.

Short films

1933

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!width="170"|Original release date
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  • First screen appearances of Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto
  • A Betty Boop films and appearances#Betty Boop series|Betty Boop] cartoon
  • Some TV versions are edited so as to remove scenes depicting racial stereotypes of African Americans
  • Billy Costello was the first voice of Popeye.
  • First entry in the Popeye the Sailor series
  • First screen appearance of J. Wellington Wimpy
  • Rarely airs on television due to the Native Americans in [the United States|American Indian] stereotypes.
  • First cartoon with Mae Questel as the voice of Olive Oyl
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver
  • Only Popeye cartoon to bear the National Recovery Administration logo

    1934

  • Baby voiced by Mae Questel
  • Billy Costello voices Popeye
  • Final appearance of the Out of the Inkwell end title design.
  • Cameo appearance by Nana Oyl
  • Jules Leotard is voiced by Gus Wickie
  • Additional Voices are provided by Lou Fleischer and Charles Carver
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver
  • The first female studio animator, Lillian Friedman, animated several scenes in this film.
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver
  • First cartoon in which Popeye and Bluto compete for work
  • Bonnie Poe voices Olive Oyl
  • Mae Questel voices Children
  • Final appearance of the "Max Fleischer presents" byline
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Lou Fleischer
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Lou Fleischer voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver and Louis Fleischer
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Charles Carver & Lou Fleischer

    1935

  • First use of the "anchor" end title design.
  • Floyd Buckley voices Popeye
  • Billy Costello voices Popeye
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Additional Voices by Charles Carver
  • First Cartoon to end with Popeye singing the closing theme song
  • Last cartoon with William Pennell as Bluto
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices a Prisoner
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • First cartoon with Gus Wickie as Bluto
  • Additional Voices are provided by Lou Fleischer
  • First Popeye cartoon with stereoptical process.
  • Bonnie Poe voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Billy Costello's last performance as the voice of Popeye
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices by Jack Mercer
  • Additional Animation by Bill Sturm, Harold Walker, Nick Tafuri and Orestes Calpini
  • First cartoon with Jack Mercer as the voice of Popeye
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Song "I'm King of the Mardi Gras" written by Sammy Timberg & Bob Rothberg and performed by Jack Mercer & Gus Wickie
  • Stereoptical process
  • Partial Live-Action
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Compilation film, scenes from I Eats My Spinach, Wild Elephinks, Axe Me Another, and Popeye the Sailor
  • Cameo appearance by Castor Oyl
  • All Other Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Music by Sammy Timberg

    1936

  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Cameo appearance by George G. Geezil
  • Additional Animation by William Henning and Jack Kirby
  • Music by Sammy Timberg
  • This cartoon's theme music was used as the theme music for the local New Orleans kids show "Popeye & Pals", airing on WWL-TV 4 from 1957 to 1991
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bruiser
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Additional Animation by Edward Nolan and Orestes Calpini
  • Stereoptical process
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Lou Fleischer voices Wimpy
  • Additional Animation by William Henning
  • Stereoptical process
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Lou Fleischer voices Wimpy
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Lou Fleischer voices Wimpy
  • Additional Animation by Joe Oriolo
  • Stereoptical process
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Stereoptical process
  • First and only Fleischer cartoon in which Olive Oyl eats Popeye's spinach in order to overcome her adversary who is a female boxer
  • First screen appearance of Swee'Pea
  • Stereoptical process
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Earliest public domain Popeye cartoon.
  • Stereoptical process
  • Additional Animation by Orestes Calpini and Edward Nolan
  • A two-reel Popeye Color Special
  • Stereoptical process
  • Popeye's first color appearance
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Final cartoon where Popeye sings his full theme song whenever he first appears.
  • Only Popeye cartoon nominated for an Academy Award for [Best Animated Short Film|Academy Award for Short Subjects].
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Frank Matalone voices Recruiting Officer
  • Compilation film, scenes from Blow Me Down, Choose Your "Weppins", Shoein' Hosses, and King of the Mardi Gras
  • In the public domain in the United States

    1937

  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices by Donald Bain
  • Music by Sammy Timberg, Will Hudson, Mitchell Parish and Irving Mills
  • The DVD restoration of this cartoon incorrectly copies credits from The Paneless Window Washer, hence the incorrect certificate number, including Willard Bowsky and Orestes Calpini being wrongly credited for the animation.
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Stereoptical process
  • Some TV versions, as well as the colorized version, are edited so as to remove the scene where Popeye turns Bluto's sun picture into a black-faced minstrel.
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Popeye feeds Bluto spinach in order to get beaten up and put in the hospital with Olive
  • Bluto eats Popeye's spinach in order to best him at baseball
  • Jack Mercer voices Popeye
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Additional Voices are provided by Louis Fleischer
  • Additional Animation by William Henning
  • Popeye and Olive are known as Popita and Olivita in this cartoon
  • Jack Mercer voices Popeye
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Lou Fleischer voices Wimpy
  • Music by Sammy Timberg
  • First time that Swee'Pea eats spinach to save the day
  • Jack Mercer voices Popeye
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea
  • Stereoptical process
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Popeye feeds a Bird spinach
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Popeye doesn't eat spinach in this cartoon
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl, Swee'Pea
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber and Sam Buchwald
  • First vocal appearance of Jackson Beck in a Popeye cartoon
  • Mae Questel voices Swee'Pea, Young Olive Oyl
  • Stereoptical process
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Jack Mercer voices Popeye, Bluto's Bulldog
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl, Fluffy the Dog
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • The TV print distributed by Associated Artists Productions atypically had original titles.
  • A two-reel Popeye Color Special
  • Stereoptical process
  • Shows Popeye serving in the U.S. Coast Guard
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber & Sam Buchwald
  • Jack Mercer also voices Polly Parrot
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • On April 21, 1938, a censor banned the entire short in Nazi Germany for unknown reasons. Paramount officials in New York said that "there was nothing wrong in both the picture and the dialogue which could be interpreted as an affront to Germany".

    1938

  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber and Sam Buchwald
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl, Grandma Oyl
  • Gus Wickie voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices by Lou Fleischer
  • One of the rare times Popeye and Bluto are friends and don't fight in a cartoon
  • Stereoptical process
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Final cartoon with Gus Wickie as the voice of Bluto
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Charles Lawrence voices Wimpy
  • Additional Voices are provided by Margie Hines
  • Additional Animation by William Henning
  • Gus Wickie voices Big Chief Ugh-Amugh-Ugh
  • Final cartoon to feature the voice of Gus Wickie as a main character
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Mae Questel voices Olive Oyl
  • Bluto has a cameo as a photograph that briefly comes to life just to laugh at Popeye, using archive sound of Gus Wickie
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Additional Voices by Louis Fleischer
  • First screen appearance of Eugene the Jeep
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • First screen appearance of Poopdeck Pappy
  • All of the other voices are also provided by Jack Mercer
  • First film appearance of the Goons
  • Final Fleischer cartoon with Mae Questel as the voice of Olive Oyl. Margie Hines takes over the role for all remaining Fleischer Popeye cartoons.
  • Final Fleischer Popeye cartoon produced in New York City
  • Breaks the fourth wall
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Cop voiced by Frank Matalone
  • Final cartoon to feature the original "ship door" opening and closing titles
  • Final appearance of the "Adolph Zukor presents" byline
  • First Fleischer Popeye cartoon produced in Miami, Florida
  • A new version of the "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man" song opens the film

    1939

  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber and Sam Buchwald
  • Fleischer studio publicity director Hamp Howard voices Bluto
  • Compilation film, scenes from Let's Get Movin' and The Twisker Pitcher
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • First appearance of the "Paramount presents" byline
  • A two-reel Popeye Color Special
  • In the public domain in the United States
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Jack Mercer also voices Polly the Parrot
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • William Pennell voices Bluto
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Jack Mercer voices Bluto
  • Hamp Howard voices Bluto
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Jack Mercer voices Bluto
  • Based on the Bing Crosby song It's the Natural Thing to Do from the 1937 Paramount musical Double or Nothing
  • Features Swee'Pea
  • Sets by Shane Miller
  • Return of the "ship-door" opening segment in a new redesigned version
  • Final on-screen credit for E. C. Segar
  • Popeye does not eat spinach, as he finds his can empty.

    1940

  • First Popeye cartoon with story credit, given here to George Manuell
  • First cartoon with Pinto Colvig as the voice of Bluto
  • Pinto Colvig voices Jellyfish
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber and Sam Buchwald
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Tedd Pierce voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices by William Pennell
  • Additional Animation by Graham Place, Harold Walker, Hal Walker, Jack Ozark, Abner Kneitel and Abner Matthews
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Pinto Colvig voices Bluto
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Pinto Colvig voices Bluto
  • Louis Fleischer voices Wimpy
  • Title is a reference to both the Union Pacific Railroad and the 1939 Paramount feature.
  • Final appearance of J. Wellington Wimpy in a Fleischer short
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • First appearance by Pipeye, Pupeye, Poopeye and Peepeye
  • All Other Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Pinto Colvig voices Bluto
  • Rare occasion where Popeye does not eat spinach
  • First cartoon in which Popeye and Bluto become friends
  • Jack Mercer voices Popeye
  • Last cartoon with Pinto Colvig as the voice of Bluto
  • Bluto's last appearance until 1942.
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Jack Mercer also voices Movie Director
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl and Swee'Pea
  • Additional Voices by Pinto Colvig
  • Compilation film, includes scenes from I Never Changes My Altitude, I Wanna Be a Life Guard, Bridge Ahoy!, and Lost and Foundry
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All Other Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Film Directed by Dave Fleischer and James "Shamus" Culhane
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • All Other Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Pinto Colvig voices the High Governor
  • Additional Animation by Nick Tafuri and Bob Wickersham
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All Other Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Pinto Colvig voices Delivery Man
  • Final film appearance of Eugene the Jeep
  • Final Popeye cartoon to feature the voice of Pinto Colvig

    1941

  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber and Sam Buchwald
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Except for the Baby crying, all voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • The final cartoon that animator Willard Bowsky worked on
  • Footage re-used from 1934's Sock-a-Bye, Baby
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • The famous spinach sequence isn't featured in this cartoon
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • First cartoon in which Popeye battles a non-human enemy
  • Jack Mercer voices Popeye
  • Margie Hines voices the Flies
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer and Sam Buchwald
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • Cameo appearance by George W. Geezil
  • Although Olive's name is in the title and she's mentioned, she does not appear in this cartoon.
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer & Margie Hines
  • Re-worked by Tedd Pierce as "Duck Soup to Nuts"
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All Other Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Margie Hines voices Swee'Pea
  • Final appearance of the "ship-door" opening segment
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer and Margie Hines
  • Last Fleischer cartoon to feature Poopdeck Pappy
  • First appearance of the opening segment with Popeye's head and pipe
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All Other Voices by Jack Mercer
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Features the song "It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day" from Gulliver's Travels
  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer and Ted Pierce
  • First World War II-themed cartoon
  • First appearance of Popeye in white U.S. Navy uniform
  • 100th Popeye cartoon
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald & Isadore Sparber
  • Jack Mercer also voices Professor I. Stare and the Taxi Driver
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl and Bird
  • A Reworking of the sleepwalking routine in the cartoon "A Dream Walking"

    1942

  • Film Produced by Adolph Zukor, Max Fleischer, Isadore Sparber and Sam Buchwald
  • Olive Oyl is known as Olivia Oyla in this cartoon
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Additional Voices by Ted Pierce
  • First appearance of Bluto in his naval outfit, along with a more pear-shaped design. Baritone singer Lee Royce voices Bluto
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Additional Voices by Michael Fitzmaurice
  • Some TV versions are edited for racial stereotyping of Japanese people
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Additional Voices by Ted Pierce
  • First story writing credit for Jack Mercer
  • Popeye goes to war in this cartoon.
  • First canonical appearance of Pipeye, Pupeye, Poopeye and Peepeye
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • All of the Voices are provided by Jack Mercer
  • Final Fleischer cartoon with Popeye in his original comic strip uniform of Black Shirt and Captain's Cap
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Ted Pierce and Jack Mercer voices Bluto
  • Additional Voices by Ted Pierce
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer, Sam Buchwald and Isadore Sparber
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl
  • Ted Pierce and Dave Barry voices Bluto.
  • Last Fleischer cartoon to feature Bluto, as well his pear-shaped design.
  • Film Produced by Max Fleischer and Isadore Sparber
  • Margie Hines voices Olive Oyl & Swee'Pea
  • Final Popeye cartoon by Fleischer Studios

    ''Let's Sing with Popeye''

Popeye also appeared in a 1934 short titled Let's Sing with Popeye which had recycled footage from the first Popeye cartoon and had no plot other than to allow the audience to sing along with Popeye via a bouncing ball. This film was made for theaters that participated in Paramount's weekly Popeye Fan Club meetings. The short is available as a special feature on Popeye the Sailor: 1933–1938, Volume 1.