Olive Oyl

Described as tall, gangly, big-footed with black hair tied in a bun was my introduction to Olive Oyl, the long-time love interest of Popeye the sailor man. To think that a monochrome cartoon squashed onto a tiny T.V. screen could cause such excitement after a day at school seems amazing now but this was from the USA and we lapped it up.

Olive had reigned supreme for ten years as the only member of the original Thimble Theatre cast, created by cartoonist Elzie Segar in 1919, to survive, before it became a star laden vehicle for Popeye himself in 1929. Olive’s original boyfriend was Harold Hamgravy who was a dead loss being constantly attracted to wealthy women and craving an easy life. Hamgravy hired Popeye to man his ship and set out for treasure hunts. Popeye was a hit with audiences and eventually replaced Harold as Olive’s beau.

We loved the way Popeye spoke: “ I yam what I yam and that’s all what I yam.” out of a gravelly mouth and calling his adopted baby an “infink”. He was always looking for a fight and does so constantly with his rival Bluto, a hulking, brute of a man. Then there was the ever ready can of spinach to hand which enabled Popeye to win. This was a mystery as we had never heard or seen this vegetable and the green sludge disappearing down a throat did nothing to attract us. It’s amazing how limited our diets were and our knowledge of foodstuffs in the 50’s and 60’s, spinach as easy to buy now as any vegetable.

Olive’s relations had entertaining names which we may not have appreciated as children. Her brother was Castor Oyl and his estranged wife was Cylinda Oyl, Nana Oyl was Olive’s mum, father was Cole. The baby Sweet Pea was delivered to Popeye’s doorstep in a box and was a particular favourite with us kids.

In a long running series of animated films produced by the Fleischer brothers in the 1930s, 40’s and 50’s Olive’s squeaky voice was created by Betty Boop voice actress Mae Questel. In the 1980’s live action film Olive was portrayed by Shelley Duval and Popeye by the brilliant Robin Williams.

Lyric from the Cartoon:

I’m Popeye the sailor man 

I yam what I yam so I am 

I’m strong to the ’finich’ 

Cos I eat me spinach 

I’m Popeye the sailor man. 

Thanks for reading, Cynthia.

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Trying To Get Animated

I grew up in the fifties and sixties when animated films - or cartoons - were all the rage. I must have been the only child who didn't like them. Give me a choice between Lassie and Mickey Mouse and the dog won, paws down, every time. I've always preferred reality over fantasy, although, with hindsight, I have to admit there probably wasn't much real life in the story of a super dog who bounded about rescuing humans against all odds, fighting off the despicable enemy and still remaining cute and lovable.

I lived for Saturday Morning Pictures. My brothers and I would be packed off, each with with sixpence clutched in a sweaty palm, to the local cinema, where, without parents, we were let loose to eat sweets, throw the wrappers at our enemies, run up and down the aisles, laugh uproariously - and occasionally watch the film, all the while keeping an eye out for the uniformed staff who marched about, shouting and shining torches into the eyes of anyone misbehaving - about 90% of the audience most weeks. 

My brothers were big fans of the animated films and would settle down and stare up at the screen with rapt attention once the accompanying music began. I, however, would disappear to the toilet or go off into a dream of my own until Lassie reappeared to solve all our problems.

If you want to know about animation ask a ten year old. He will almost certainly be able to demonstrate how to create a YouTube video using stop motion techniques - or some such thing. This is one my grandson made last year when I was doing some children's photography workshops with a fellow photographer.

http://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153311641112732&id=733797731&_rdr

I can appreciate the huge amount of time and skill it takes to create even a short animated film, but try as I might, I just can't sit through one.

Discussing this week's blog with my husband I discovered he was a secret Popeye fan, instantly listing all the characters, and even running through whole episodes, which still made him double up with laughter.

As for Lassie, she leaves him cold....

A little ditty in praise of animation
There's a certain satisfaction
In the art of animation
When a figure that was static springs alive
The simple little drawing
That once was found quite boring
Is something else when one frame becomes five

A slight change in the form
So that movement 'comes the norm
Is magic in the eyes of young and old
Just a tiny little shift
Is an animator's gift
And the story really does start to unfold

From flip books without sound
To Huckleberry Hound
And Popeye, Nemo, Frozen and the rest
If those characters are moving
Then the animator's proving
That cartoons are right up there with the best.

Thanks for reading, Jill Reidy

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