# Did blue genies originate with Disney's Aladdin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 29, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804 "2020-09-29T10:34:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/1 "2020-09-29T10:34:50Z")
Nowadays it seems most depictions of genies are blue. (Go to your favourite image search engine, type in “genie”, and you’ll find the overwhelming majority of the results are blue. Even those genies not featuring blue skin tend to have blue clothes.) Now, we all know that the genie in Disney’s Aladdin was blue. And I’m sure he wasn’t the first blue genie in history. But in deciding to make its genie blue, was Disney following (and contributing to the entrenchment of) an artistic convention that had already been established? For example, were the genies of Islamic and pre-Islamic mythology said to be blue? Did they start to be depicted as such by Western writers who compiled and translated Arabian folk tales in the 18th century onwards? Or was the pre-Disney distribution of genie colours altogether different, making Disney almost solely responsible for the modern-day preference for blue? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/2 "2020-09-29T10:51:22Z")
I seem to vaguely recall an early (1930s) Popeye cartoon, that had a Blue genie. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/3 "2020-09-29T12:33:31Z")
On _I Dream of Jeanie_, (once it shifted to _in colour_,) she appeared as a cloud of pink smoke, and her antagonist, the Blue Jin, appeared as blue smoke. (Yes, played by Michael Ansara, her husband at the time, who also guested on the show at other times.) [Michael Ansara | I Dream of Jeannie Wiki | Fandom](https://i-dream-of-jeannie.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Ansara) I don’t believe the Arabian Nights describes their color, only that they’re impossibly huge in size for vessels that contain them, and can be invisible when they want to, but are otherwise, have a mortal-like structure – i.e. watch where you spit your date pits, people: [Tale of the Trader and the Jinn | Arabian Nights Wiki | Fandom](https://arabiannights.fandom.com/wiki/Tale_of_the_Trader_and_the_Jinn) I could look up specifically how the Koran defines the Jinn, but I’d have to use an English translation, and that’d probably offend someone. They’re supposedly formed of smokeless fire, but have human-like structure. I think odd-colors would make them stand out too much. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/4 "2020-09-29T12:37:50Z")
They are often portrayed as an unusual colour. I’ve seen red, green, and gold genies in various things. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/5 "2020-09-29T12:57:43Z")
Mythological and folkloric descriptions of invisible jinn aside, there are plenty of fanciful illustrations of colourful jinn : > **[File:Kitab al-Bulhan --- devils talking.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kitab_al-Bulhan_---_devils_talking.jpg)** [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Iranischer_Meister_001.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Iranischer_Meister_001.jpg) > **[File:Kitab al-Bulhan --- demons.jpg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kitab_al-Bulhan_---_demons.jpg)** Cf. Vishnu looking blue: [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Bhagavan\_Vishnu.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Bhagavan_Vishnu.jpg) So, not Disney. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/6 "2020-09-29T13:08:45Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Mythological and folkloric descriptions of invisible jinn aside, there are plenty of fanciful illustrations of colourful jinn > [@GuanoLad](#): > > They are often portrayed as an unusual colour. I’ve seen red, green, and gold genies in various things. Oh, no doubt. As I said, I’m sure genies have been depicted as blue (and other fanciful colours) in the past. The question is whether blue was the most _common_ of these colours before Disney, or if Disney is in fact the origin of the modern convention. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/7 "2020-09-29T13:13:16Z")
No doubt Disney has undue influence. Just see how many mermaids have red hair. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/8 "2020-09-29T13:24:11Z")
As for modern depictions - really, what color can they be? Black, white, pink, yellow and orange are too close to normal human skin tones. Red is the color of devils; green is the color of nature spirits (and aliens). Blue and purple are the only colors left, and blue looks better. Plus, (D)Jinn are usually depicted as spirits of the air, which is blue. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/9 "2020-09-29T13:42:04Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > As for modern depictions - really, what color can they be? Seems your argument works just as well for modern depictions as for historic ones. So are you saying that blue would have been the norm in times past as well? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/10 "2020-09-29T14:29:00Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Seems your argument works just as well for modern depictions as for historic ones. So are you saying that blue would have been the norm in times past as well? No really. The red=devils is a European thing - and the Muslim cultures from which the Jinn originated didn’t really distinguish between devils and jinn, anyway. The green thing is pretty new, and as for the other colors, they were probably less worried about race-coding in the past then they might be now. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/11 "2020-09-29T14:31:29Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > On _I Dream of Jeanie_, (once it shifted to _in colour_,) she appeared as a cloud of pink smoke, and her antagonist, the Blue Jin, appeared as blue smoke. (Yes, played by Michael Ansara, her husband at the time, who also guested on the show at other times.) [Michael Ansara | I Dream of Jeannie Wiki | Fandom](https://i-dream-of-jeannie.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Ansara)… Also well-known to _Star Trek_ fans: > **[Kang](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Kang)** > > Kang was among the most influential leaders and feared diplomats in the Klingon Empire during the late 23rd and early 24th centuries. He was known in Federation history for his long friendships with Kor, Koloth, and Curzon Dax, and as an adversary of... > **[Jeyal](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Jeyal)** > > Jeyal was the Tavnian husband of Betazoid ambassador Lwaxana Troi. In 2372, Lwaxana became pregnant with Jeyal's son, and Jeyal insisted that his son be raised only by men, as per Tavnian tradition. Lwaxana then left Jeyal and escaped to space... ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/12 "2020-09-29T14:37:35Z")
Blue genies originated with Levi Strauss. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/13 "2020-09-29T14:39:35Z")
@running_coach: Ten points to Gryffindor! ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/14 "2020-09-29T15:01:06Z")
In the 1978 version of _The Thief of Baghdad_, the genie has green skin. In the 1940 version of _The Thief of Baghdad_, the genie has normal (slightly darker than a honky) skin. In 1948’s “A-Lad-In His Lamp”, Bugs Bunny’s genie (with the light brown hair) has Caucasian skin. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/15 "2020-09-29T15:53:27Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > In the 1940 version of _The Thief of Baghdad_, the genie has normal (slightly darker than a honky) skin. No, he was blue-green, though the color came and went [https://images.app.goo.gl/JaKWsmRr8xuCSD2B7](https://images.app.goo.gl/JaKWsmRr8xuCSD2B7) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/16 "2020-09-29T16:22:53Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I seem to vaguely recall an early (1930s) Popeye cartoon, that had a Blue genie. The Popeye film _Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp_ (1939) featured a [blue genie.](https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path%5B2%2F1%2F9%2F2%2F5%2F21925055%5D&call=url%5Bfile%3Aproduct.chain%5D). The genie, who is silly rather than scary like the one in _Thief of Baghdad_, would seem to have been an influence on the Disney version. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/17 "2020-09-29T16:53:23Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Blue genies originated with Levi Strauss Golf clap ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/18 "2020-09-29T18:57:28Z")
I expect Spike Jone’s [I Dream Of Brownie With The Light Blue Jeans](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u07gqBqHc4) and Stephen Foster’s [Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-SbWVE2umU) fit into the evolution of blue genies somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/19 "2020-09-29T20:21:20Z")
Since this is about artistic depictions and popular culture, it seems a better fit for Cafe Society. Moving. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804/20 "2020-09-30T19:14:41Z")
One more data point: _The Wizard of Baghdad_, 1960, starring Dick Shawn. Shawn’s character appears normal. His boss is normal, but filmed under a red spotlight. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-blue-genies-originate-with-disneys-aladdin/921804.md?page=2)