On an Oyl that Isn’t Oil

Mae
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Olive Oyl is most commonly known as Popeye’s girlfriend

Appeared in nearly 25,000 comic strips, 750 cartoons, and countless comic books

Created by Elzie Crisler Segar in 1919 for Thimble Theater, and Olive was a main character for 10 years before Popeye’s 1929 appearance (yes, Popeye chased an older woman)

Before Popeye’s appearance in Thimble Theater, Harold Hamgravy was her man

Comic strip family: Cole (father), Nana (mother), Castor (brother), Diesel and Violet (nieces)

Appeared in Fleischer Studio’s first Technicolor short, Somewhere in Dreamland (1936), but without Popeye

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Most commonly voiced by character actress Mae Questel

Description: Very tall and very skinny with hair in a tight bun with a red bow, commonly wears short-sleeved solid-colored blouse and a black skirt with a line on the bottom that matches the blouse, and enormous feet, which aren’t big when she wears heels

Popeye’s comment about her measurements is, She is a perfect 57… 19-19-19.

She is, in a word – fickle

In Spain and Sweden she is known as Oliva, but as Olga in Finland

Common storyline: Bluto kidnaps her, and Popeye rescues her

In Robin-Hood Winked, her sex appeal exempted her from taxes

Quotes by Olive Oyl

• Oh, Popeye!
• Help! Popeye, save me!
• Goochy goo.
• Oh, woe is me! Oh, help! Saveth me! Saveth me!
• Keep away from me, you, you, you wolf in ship’s clothing!
• You, you sea monster! What have you done to my Popeye?
• Now, now, you let me outta here, you, you stone-age baboon!
• You wolf in cheap clothing!
• Oh, Popeye, you are the most, the absolute highest, the farthest out, the utmost, the kookiest. And besides that, you’re hip. Crazy and cool, real cool!

… and Olive Oyl paved the way for female politicians

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… and enjoy the one from the black and white days