Voice Cast
Many voice artists worked on the Popeye shorts over the two decades of production, this list is based on the most comprehensive artists.
- Jack Mercer as Popeye the Sailor. The character of Popeye was originally voiced by William "Billy" Costello, also known as "Red Pepper Sam." Costello had a gruff, gravelly quality in voicing the character. It is generally thought that Costello became difficult to work with after becoming overly-confident from the success of the first few cartoons. Jack Mercer was working in the in-between department of Fleischer Studios doing imitations of Costello, and, after practicing at home for a week, replaced Costello as the voice of Popeye beginning with King of the Mardi Gras (1935). Historians believe the character truly began to catch on when Mercer became the voice artist, employing acting and emotion into the character. Mercer voiced the character for the rest of the run, although Harry Welch substituted as Popeye in several wartime cartoons, when Mercer left to serve in World War II.
- Mae Questel as Olive Oyl. Questel was the voice of Betty Boop when she was brought in early on to play Olive Oyl, and she based the character voice on ZaSu Pitts. Questel voiced Olive Oyl until 1938 when Fleischer operations shifted to Florida. Mercer's wife, Margie Hines, voiced the character until 1943. Paramount moved the studio back to New York the following year and Questel reassumed voice acting duties until the series' end in 1957.
- Gus Wickie and Jackson Beck as Bluto. William Pennell was the first to voice the Bluto character from 1933 to 1935's The Hyp-Nut-Tist. Gus Wickie is generally considered the most memorable voice actor by fans and historians. Wickie voiced Bluto until his death in 1938, his last work as the "Chief" in Big Chief Ugh-A-Mug-Ugh. Several other actors were employed to voice Bluto from then on (including Mercer and Questel). When Famous Studios took over production and moved back to New York City, Jackson Beck took over the role for the rest of the run.
Read more about this topic: Popeye The Sailor (animated Cartoons)
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