Character
Bluto is a large, bearded, muscle-bound fellow who serves as Popeye's nemesis. He mostly uses his physical brawn to accomplish what he is trying to do, but does display some ability for tactical planning. His voice is a very loud, harsh and deep one, with a bear-like growl between sentences or between words in sentences, and which growling contains words that often can't be comprehended. Dave Fleischer wanted Bluto's voice to resemble that of the character Red Flack in 1930's "The Big Trail," played by Tyrone Power Sr.
Bluto, like Popeye, is attracted to Olive Oyl, and usually attempts to kidnap her. However, with the help of some spinach, Popeye usually ends up defeating him. Some cartoons portray Popeye and Bluto as friends and Navy buddies, although Bluto usually turns on Popeye when an object of interest (usually Olive) is put between them. A prime example of this is the cartoon We're On Our Way to Rio (1944).
There are considerable inconsistencies with regards to Bluto's strength. In some episodes he is weaker than Popeye, usually resorting to underhanded trickery to win. Other times Popeye stands no chance until he eats his spinach, while in other cartoons the two characters are evenly matched with Bluto eventually winning, as in the episode, "We Aim to Please". In some shorts Bluto is a match for Popeye even after he has eaten his spinach, as in the episode "Pleased to Meet Cha". Bluto is often portrayed as having a glass jaw. He has, on occasion, been knocked out by Olive Oyl and even by Popeye's infant ward Swee'Pea.
Bluto is generally portrayed as of low intelligence, typically acting without thinking and utilizing brute force, which often signals his defeat at the hands of Popeye. On rare occasions Bluto tries to sabotage Popeye before confronting him, such as when he tried to thwart a foreseeable fight by using a forklift to steal Popeye's store of spinach cans, disposing of them in a garbage dump.
In most cases, the name "Bluto" is used as a first name. In cartoons where Bluto portrays alternate characters, or "roles," the name can be used as a surname, as with lumberjack "Pierre Bluto" in the Popeye cartoon Axe Me Another (1934) and etiquette teacher "Professor Bluteau" in Learn Polikeness (1938).
In Italian-produced Popeye comic-books, Bluto is sometimes identified as the Sea Hag's son.
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Famous quotes containing the word character:
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—Angelina Grimké (1805–1879)
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