# Popeye Question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 17, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978 "2004-01-17T19:55:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978/1 "2004-01-17T19:55:52Z")
I heard on the news this morning that it was the cartoon sailor’s 75th “birthday”, and that his creation “saved” the ailing spinach industry.
So I have a couple of questions.
1. Was Popeye _created_ for that purpose or was it just a beneficial by-porduct and
2. What then about the name _Olive Oyl_? Did her name help boost the sales of the oil?
Thanks
Q
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### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2004, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978/2 "2004-01-17T20:26:24Z")
1. Popeye was originally a walk on character in a comic strip called Thimble Theater, so I doubt Segar created the character for the express purpose of advertising spinache. Also I should note that although spinache was mentioned as the source of Popeye’s strength in the comic strip, it wasn’t nearly as important as it was in the cartoon series.
2. Highly unlikely.
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### Author:  [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978/3 "2004-01-17T20:52:19Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#):
>
> I heard on the news this morning that it was the cartoon sailor’s 75th “birthday”, and that his creation “saved” the ailing spinach industry.
>
> So I have a couple of questions.
>
> 1. Was Popeye _created_ for that purpose or was it just a beneficial by-porduct and
>
> 2. What then about the name _Olive Oyl_? Did her name help boost the sales of the oil?
>
> Thanks
>
> Q
Don’t know the answer to question #2, perhaps you can ask Olive’s brother Castor.
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### Author:  [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978/4 "2004-01-17T22:31:48Z")
I’ve only got a WAG as far as the Olive Oyl question is concerned, **Quasi**. If what [this page says is correct](http://www.i-eatsite.com/en/04nw/nw_cont_trivia2.html) then the name was a _detriment_ in places like Europe rather than an asset to sales of the oil.
> [@](#):
>
> Popeye’s partner is called Olive Oyl, but the name is unpopular in Europe, which reveres the holy tree. In Spain, her name has been changed and she is called Rosario.
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### Author:  [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)
#### Post date: [January 17, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978/5 "2004-01-17T22:57:00Z")
This site has some info: [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/11/13627](http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/11/13627)
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [January 18, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeye-question/224978/6 "2004-01-18T06:17:35Z")
> [@](#):
>
> King Features asked Segar to create a comic strip based on the title Thimble Theater so he created the Oyl family, consisting of Cole Oyl (the father), Nana Oyl (the mother), Castor Oyl (the son), Olive Oyl (the daughter) and Ham Gravy (Olive’s boyfriend).
[http://www.chesterill.com/homeofpopeye.htm](http://www.chesterill.com/homeofpopeye.htm)