Popeye and Son
Popeye and Son is an animated comedy series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and King Features Entertainment for CBS' Saturday morning children's programming. It ran in the fall of 1987, airing thirteen episodes. It is a spin-off from the Popeye the Sailor theatrical shorts from Fleischer Studios/Famous Studios, the second and final series produced by Hanna-Barbera after The All-New Popeye Hour.
In this series, Popeye and longtime girlfriend, Olive Oyl, have gotten hitched and settled down in the seaside town of Sweet Haven (borrowed from the 1989 live-action Popeye film), where they raise their only son, Popeye Junior. Unfortunately, they also have to still contend with Popeye's old rival, Bluto, who's also got a wife and son named Lizzie and Tank, respectively. Not only does Bluto continue to prove the physically strongest, but also the better businessman.
Past characters such as Wimpy and Eugene the Jeep also return. Wimpy has gone from eating burgers to selling them in his own restaurant. While he is still single, he acts as a role model for his nephew, Francis, and the mysterious Eugene still hangs around the Popeyes, despite having a family of his own.
The series generally focus on Junior, his friends, and the continuing family rivalry between the Popeyes and the Blutos. In times of need, Junior will also consume spinach to give him superhuman strength, although unlike his father, he has a strong disliking for it.
This series retcons both Popeye and Bluto's names as their family names, essentially making the former's full name Popeye Popeye (and by default, Junior's full name as Popeye Popeye, Jr.), as well as Bluto's full name possibly being Bluto Bluto, although this isn't directly registered on-screen.
Noticeably absent are Swee'Pea, who's seemingly substituted with Junior (perhaps because the idea of an unofficially adopted son was harder to sell than a biological one), and Popeye's nephews.
Production
Development
Music
The music was composed by Hoyt Curtin.
Episodes
| Title | Number | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| "Attack of the Sea Hag" / "Happy Anniversary" | 1x01 | September 19, 1987 |
| "The Sea Monster" / "Poopdeck Pappy and the Family Tree" | 1x02 | September 26, 1987 |
| "Bluto's Wave Pool" / "Here Today, Goon Tomorrow" | 1x03 | October 3, 1987 |
| "Don't Give Up the Picnic" / "The Lost Treasure of Pirate's Cove" | 1x04 | October 10, 1987 |
| "Junior's Genie" / "Mighty Olive at the Bat" | 1x05 | October 17, 1987 |
| "Junior Gets a Job" / "Surf Movie" | 1x06 | October 24, 1987 |
| "Junior's Birthday Roundup" / "Redbeard" | 1x07 | November 13, 1987 |
| "The Girl from Down Under" / "Olive's Dinosaur Dilemma" | 1x08 | November 7, 1987 |
| "Dr. Junior and Mr. Hyde" / "Popeye's Surfin' Adventure" | 1x09 | November 14, 1987 |
| "Split Decision" / "The Case of the Burger Burglar" | 1x10 | November 21, 1987 |
| "Orchid You Not" / "Ain't Mythbehavin'" | 1x11 | November 28, 1987 |
| "There Goes the Neighborhood" / "Prince of a Fellow" | 1x12 | December 5, 1987 |
| "Olive's Day Off" / "Damsel in Distress" | 1x13 | December 12, 1987 |
Cast
- Maurice La Marche as Popeye
- Josh Rodine as Popeye Junior
- Marilyn Schreffler as Olive Popeye, Lizzie Bluto, Sea Hag, Puggy
- Allan Melvin as Bluto, J. Wellington Wimpy
- Don Messick as Eugene the Jeep
- David Markus as Tank Bluto
Credits
These identical credits appeared at the end of every episode.
- Executive Producers: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, and Bruce L. Paisner
- Executive in Charge of Production: Jayne Barbera
- Producer: Charles Grosvenor
- Story Editors: Jeff Segal and Kelly Ward
- Associate Story Editor: John Loy
- Creative Design: Iwao Takamoto
- Supervising Director: Ray Patterson
- Directors: John Kimball, Paul Sommer
- Animation Directors: Don Patterson, James T. Walker, Rick Leon, Joanna Romersa
- Story Direction: Chris Otsuki, Kurt Anderson
- Recording Director: Gordon Hunt
- Animation Casting Director: Andrea Romano
- Talent Coordinator: Kris Zimmerman
- Voices: Nancy Cartwright, George DiCenzo, Maurice La Marche, Allan Melvin, Josh Rodine, Marilyn Schreffler
- Music Composed and Conducted by: Hoyt Curtin
- Music Supervision: Joanne Miller
- Main Title Design: Charles Grosvenor
- Graphics: Iraj Paran, Tom Wogatzke
- Design Supervisor: Jack White
- Production Design: Judith Holmes Clarke
- Character Design Supervisor: Bob Onorato
- Character Design: Mark Christiansen, Alfred Gimeno, Kirk Hanson, Ray Johnson, Tony Sgroi, Julie Zakowsky, Donna Zeller
- Key Layout: Andrew Gentle, Charles Grosvenor, Carol Holman Grosvenor, Jim Hickey, Chris Otsuki
- Key Background Supervisor: Al Gmuer
- Key Backgrounds: Jim Hickey, Patti Palmer, Bill Proctor, Gloria Wood, Cristy Maltese
- Color Design: Alison Leopold
- Color Key: Karen Greslie
- Script Supervisor: Barbara Simon Dierks
- Sound Direction: Alvy Dorman, Stan Wetzel
- Editorial Supervisor: Larry C. Cowan
- Dubbing Supervisor: Pat Foley
- Music & Effects Editors: Paul Vitello and Associates
- Track Readers: Yvonne Palmer, James Hearn, Kay Douglas, Kerry Iverson, Lee-Tsu Aries, Kelly Foley, Paul Douglas
- Show Editor: Gil Iverson
- Post Production Supervisor: Joed Eaton
- Creative Consultants: James R. McGee and Austin Hearst
- Produced in Association with: Wang Film Production Co., Ltd., Cuckoo's Nest Studios
- Supervising Directors: Shivan Ramsaran and Dev Ramsaran
- Layout Directors: Simon O'Leary and Bruce Pedersen
- Overseas Production Executives: Bob Marples and Lynn Hoag
