Popeye the Sailor Man

[Ben]

Arrrrghhh, guys! You're ruining any chance of finding out about a lost Popeye feature!!!


Ahh, I guess you're right. I knew nothing of this and couldn't find anything on it either. It was a shock when I came across this book and it listed it...what a weird thing to do.

Guess we'll all be shocked when it turns up as an extra on the next set, right?

[droosan]

FWIW, I just trawled through my copy of Popeye: An illustrated History of E.C. Segar's Character in Print, Radio, Television and Film Appearances, 1929-1993 (a McFarland book by Fred M. Grandinetti) .. and I could find no reference to a second Popeye 'Sindbad' cartoon -- let alone a feature -- released in 1946. I checked every reference to 'Dave Fleischer' and to 'Sindbad' which was available in the index.

A portion of Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor was used in the 1944 Famous Studios short, Spinach Packin' Popeye (a 'clip show' short, featuring 'flashback' scenes from several earlier Popeye cartoons).

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A quick perusal of The Fleischer Story by Leslie Cabarga yields this information on Dave's post-Fleischer Studio career:

Dave Fleischer moved to Hollywood in 1942 to head Columbia Pictures' cartoon unit, replacing Frank Tashlin. There he worked on Fox and Crow cartoons, and (unsuccessfully) attempted to launch a L'il Abner series.

In 1944, he went to Universal Pictures to work as a story-man/consultant for live-action features. He remained with Universal for the next 15 years, contributing gag ideas and timing notes for such diverse projects as The Birds and Thoroughly Modern Millie. In 1967, Dave retired from full-time film work, but remained active with a number of personal projects until his death in 1979.

[aaron b.]

For Immediate Release \ Aaron H. Bynum, Animation Insider News \ Chicago, Illinois USA \ press contacts: abynum.ai[at]gmail.com

AnimationInsider.net Interviews Fred M. Grandinetti
This press document is a notification that recognizes AnimationInsider.net as interviewing Fred M. Grandinetti--'Popeye: The Sailor' historian and writer and researcher of comics animation--whose knowledge and commentary on the DVD Set release of 'Popeye: The Sailor: 1933-1938' is invaluable.

August 2007 --- Internet news and information group AnimationInsider.net is pleased to announce a recently published interview with Fred M. Grandinetti, an individual whose love for classic cartoons and dedication to quality journalism thereof has been critical in lobbying for the domestic release of older animation on home video. For anxious fans of the medium, Grandinetti possesses years of experience in researching the indelible impression animation leaves on our culture. This interview is the newest article added to the AnimationInsider.net's subsection "The Animated Voice," which houses editorials and interviews regarding the animation and comics industries.

Following several years of lobbying from industry veterans and fans alike, 'Popeye: The Sailor' has finally made its way to the homes of animation aficionados with a quality release. One of the key proponents in raising awareness for the release of classic theatrical and television animation, Fred M. Grandinetti's voice rings loud and clear above many others. Co-founder of the International Popeye Fan Club and author of the seminal book publication, 'Popeye: An Illustrated Cultural History' (McFarland & Company, 2nd ed. 2004), his personal and professional devotion to animation's favorite sailor is well documented.

Fred M. Grandinetti comments that without the assistance of confident veteran viewers of animation, the new 'Popeye: The Sailor' DVD release simply "wouldn't have happened." He continued: "I have found in Popeye's case, once he is introduced to children who have never heard of him, he has an instant new fan. I don't see why this can't work for other cartoon characters. The key is to find vehicles to introduce them to new audiences."

In the Animation Insider interview, Grandinetti replies to questions animation fans may have regarding what goes through the minds of copyright holders of classic cartoons when the fan interest in title releases increases in addition to commenting on how and why 'Popeye: The Sailor' is the prevailing definition of classic animation. With the fans playing a defining part in granting 'Popeye' a memorable, meaningful and successful initial DVD Set release, Grandinetti espies industry respect for older cartoons affording more opportunities to be on the rise.

As 'Popeye' historian Fred M. Grandinetti continues to note in his interview with Animation Insider, with the release of 'Popeye: The Sailor: 1933-1938' from Warner Home Video the animation community is ecstatic over the exposure this classic cartoon is finally receiving. Through a discussion of the digital restoration of the classic title and fans' endeavor for a contemporary release, Grandinetti affirms that 'Popeye: The Sailor' is an integral piece of the early history of animation United States, providing cartoon enthusiasts with a variety of creative and technical accomplishments through which to perceive the evolution of an increasingly artistic medium.

About Animation Insider: Animation Insider (www.animationinsider.net) launched January 7, 2003, in an effort to provide animation fans with an up-to-date, reliable information news source. Built through a network of fans themselves, Animation Insider provides readers with only the most diverse news from both Eastern and Western animation industries. The network of websites and web forums/bulletin boards prides itself to be an animation news portal that is deeply integrated with the online community. Animation Insider features a young, diverse staff of reporters, reviewers and forum moderators, and continues to be a strong, confident and independent endeavor.

AnimationInsider.net Interviews Fred M. Grandinetti
URL: http://www.animationinsider.net/article ... cleID=1462

[Ben]

Since we've been talking Popeye here and Rand has posted a Grandinetti piece himself at Animated Views, I've merged aaron b's post, above, into our Popeye DVD thread.

[Daniel]

So far I've watched the first two discs, and the bonus features that accompany them. Fantastic! Truly, a treasure trove of shorts.

[Ben]

What with being away on work, writing up reviews and other things (including laying a wooden floor for my Mum's entrance and kitchen!) I have STILL yet to even put one disc in!

After years of waiting and having the pack open for a week, I'm very envious of you guys...but it sounds like a HECK of a set!

[Daniel]

Who could blame you Ben, with that kind schedule!

Hope you get a chance to see it soon, though.

[Josh]

Our interview with Jerry Beck regarding Popeye the Sailor: 1933-1938, Volume 1:
http://animated-views.com/2007/jerry-be ... n-and-now/

[Daniel]

After the huge success this past July with Warner's 4-DVD release of Popeye the Sailor - Volume 1: 1933-1938, fans have often asked us when we'll see more! Well, Warner Home Video isn't saying, but as you know...we've got spies everywhere! A couple of our retail friends gave us the heads-up that they are hearing about a Mid-June, 2008 release timeframe for Popeye the Sailor - Volume 2: 1938-1943 . Now, that is obviously VERY early info, and subject to change. But it makes sense that this would end up on a similar annual schedule as Warner's Looney Tunes releases have seen. We would therefore also expect the price to remain consistant, too, at $64.92 SRP. It's not official, though, so stay tuned and we'll tell you more as developments occur.

Ahhh, I can hardly wait! I have one more disc to finish, and than I'll finally be done with volume 1.

[droosan]

After the huge success this past July with Warner's 4-DVD release of Popeye the Sailor - Volume 1: 1933-1938, fans have often asked us when we'll see more! Well, Warner Home Video isn't saying, but as you know...we've got spies everywhere! A couple of our retail friends gave us the heads-up that they are hearing about a Mid-June, 2008 release timeframe for Popeye the Sailor - Volume 2: 1938-1943 . Now, that is obviously VERY early info, and subject to change. But it makes sense that this would end up on a similar annual schedule as Warner's Looney Tunes releases have seen. We would therefore also expect the price to remain consistant, too, at $64.92 SRP. It's not official, though, so stay tuned and we'll tell you more as developments occur.

Ahhh, I can hardly wait! I have one more disc to finish, and than I'll finally be done with volume 1.

I hadn't realized a volume 2 was even 'in question' ..

Though, it wouldn't have been the first time I'd collected something labelled 'volume 1', that never had a follow-up volume.

Still, as quickly as this disc sold (it's already pretty hard-to-find on local store shelves), I'd think the Popeye DVD series' future is secure .. at least for the theatrical cartoons. The various TV incarnations are going to be a much tougher 'sell', IMO.

[Daniel]

Tisk, tisk droo!

Yah, I agree about the different TV incarnations. I've seen a couple, and didn't care much for them.

[EricJ]

Ahhh, I can hardly wait! I have one more disc to finish, and than I'll finally be done with volume 1.

I hadn't realized a volume 2 was even 'in question' ..
Though, it wouldn't have been the first time I'd collected something labelled 'volume 1', that never had a follow-up volume.

Not the first for me, especially from Warner (ahemhuckleberryhoundcough), but it's become such a collectors' thunderbolt, nice to know the message got through--
Apparently, most of the shorts need the same by-hand, no-DVNR treatment that the Bugs Bunny shorts are getting, so it'll be the same year between volumes--A Looney Tunes box every October, and a Popeye every July.

...And as they only just started with the Jack Mercer-voiced toons, and all my favorites ("I Yam Lovesick", "Cops Is Always Right") don't show up till Set 2, July can't come fast enough.

Still, as quickly as this disc sold (it's already pretty hard-to-find on local store shelves), I'd think the Popeye DVD series' future is secure .. at least for the theatrical cartoons. The various TV incarnations are going to be a much tougher 'sell', IMO.

I don't know anyone who's looking forward to buying the 50's Famous, which's why I'm glad it's chronological and we don't have to worry about Vol. 3--Get us past the 40's wartime Dan Gordons, and you pitch the series off a cliff for all we care.

[Daniel]

Poor Huckle, I hope some day they finish him off.

[Ben]

I think that a Vol 2 was coming was pretty clear in our recent chat with Jerry Beck, and it sounds as if we might be getting more Universal Woody too, reading between the lines there.

As I wrote somewhere before, as I understand it from WB, this is the tentative arrangement:

The plan, as far as I am aware, is to go the whole hog on these "official" Popeye releases.

So a second volume would finish Fleischer (they went on until 1942) and get into Famous, which could potentially fill up a third and fourth too. The KFS cartoons would make up a fifth, therefore discounting the Koch release, while possibly including any of the interim cartoons before Hanna-Barbera started. Naturally, since WB also own the HB library, the sets would continue way into those incarnations, "The All New Popeye Show", "Popeye And Son", etc...

In theory, allowing for extras space, this could run seven, eight or more sets.

The number I have heard mentioned is "6", so I don't know if they plan to combine titles or even view the HB TV Popeye shows as separate collections under their HB lines, released as and when they reach that era. Popeye is good for another two/three sets from what I've picked up.

[Daniel]

Early Info About Vol.'s 2, 3 and 4 - "Aladdin & His Wonderful Lamp" so cool! Hopefully nothing happens and we do get those banned toons for Volume 2.