RIP 'Popeye' Tom Hatten

Tom Hatten Dies: Former ‘Popeye and Friends’ & ‘Family Film Festival’ Host Was 92

Wow. I didn’t know he was still alive. I spend many a weekend watching Family Film Festival. I’m pretty sure that’s where I first saw ‘Space Cruiser Yamato’. Now that I think of it, Family Film Festival was like an early version of Turner Classic Movies – one of our favourite channels today. Thanks for the movies, Tom.

Family Film Festival showed Mad Monster Party every year. I remember Tom Hatten commenting on King Kong’s black nail polish.

Awww man. Another icon from my childhood is gone. I got to know Popeye, Pippi Longstocking and the Little Rascals because of him. RIP my weekend friend.

Thanks for posting this.

Wow.

I actually have a Tom Hatten story. I was watching Popeye cartoons one Saturday morning as my family got ready to go to Marineland, a Sea World knockoff that used to operate in Palos Verdes near Los Angeles. Suddenly, Tom Hatten says he’s going to be at Marineland too and later that same day. He said to give him the code word, “Joshua”, if we saw him there, and he’d give us a prize. It was incredible. I mean what are the odds, right? I spent the whole day with my eyes peeled, but no luck. He even came onto stage during one of the animal shows and I dashed out of the stadium as he left, trying to find him. I never did though. I’m sure the prize was just some Popeye stickers, but still, four decades later, I still feel the bitter sting of regret of the ten year-old boy I used to be.

RIP, Mr. Hatten!

– Greg, futilely shouting, “Joshua,” to the wind.