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KFS, Sagendorf, and Other Olives

Olive Oyl, like many of us, has changed over the years.  And, as different people can have different opinions of us, so many creators offered us their take on Ms. Oyl's looks and character.

Page last updated on 10-18-2008. 
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THE KFS OLIVE	The Sagendorf Olive	Other Olive Oyls
The Top Twelve "Olive Oyl is Beautiful" Moments	Honorable Mention "Olive Oyl is Beautiful" Moments	The Things KFS Males Said About And To Olive Oyl
Olive's KFS Suitors	"Courting Weirdness" In The KFS Cartoons - Popeye's Girl?	"Courting Weirdness" In The KFS Cartoons - Not On The Mouth!
"Courting Weirdness" In The KFS Cartoons - Women!  Who needs 'em?

THE KFS OLIVE

If the Famous Studio's Olive Oyl is the "Miss Universe" of animated Popeye cartoons, then the KFS Olive Oyl from the 1960's films is the "First Runner-Up."  If you feel that you want to be reminded of why you had a crush on Ms. Oyl as you were growing up, and no Famous Studios' cartoons are available, there are many KFS toons that will do just fine.

In those cartoons, though Olive is often back to wearing her dowdy dress from the comic strips, and almost never has a figure or a bust line or pretty legs (but see the pictures at left from Butler Up, the very surreal Sea No Evil, for some exceptions), she does maintain her Famous Studios' hairstyle and is mostly drawn with a cute face - soft features, small nose, big eyes, long lashes, and, sometimes, full red lips.    More importantly, in many cartoons she retains her pleasing, Famous Studios' full-of-life personality.

The Guys Go Crazy

This Olive can use her pretty eyes and attractive personality to flirt and the guys still go crazy over her, even though their actions and reactions are much toned-down from the libidinous Famous Studios' males.  They do double-takes when they first see her (at times having their eyes briefly bulge or pop out), stare at her enraptured, and give her wolf whistles.

Butler Up

Here's a partial list of her suitors and guys that noticed her: 

Her college professor	A space alien*	A movie director/ producer	A garage owner/ mechanic
A sultan*	A champion French skier	Lucky Pierre	A doctor
A Frankenstein- like monster*	Cavemen	A supermarket owner	Tour guides
A museum curator	Two clans of feuding hillbillies	A dance contest MC (Master of Ceremonies)*	A bullfighter
Mr. Diablo	A stage magician	A football hero/BMOC	Wimpy* (!!!)
Hotel workers	A pirate	Jolly Roger	Oscar from the comic strips*
A desert tribe* (True, it turns out they wanted to sacrifice her, but still...)	King Rockhead*	The Goon King*	Tour guides
An unknown admirer*

Even though most of these characters were portrayed by Brutus or Popeye (the ones that weren't are marked with a *), the effect on us was still the same.  We were convinced that Olive was desirable. (See a list of "The Things KFS Males Said About And To Olive Oyl" below.  Also a gallery of Olive's suitors.)

It didn't hurt to learn that Olive Oyl was voted the prettiest girl in her college class, either.  Or to discover that she was interested in being cool and hip, professed a love for rock-and-roll, and had a "thing" for Elvis Presley.  (As a concession to the times, Frank Sinatra was out.  Sorry Frank!)

Olive, The "Can-Do" Woman

As in the Famous Studios' toons, Olive Oyl was a competent, can-do woman.  Here's a partial listing of her professions and/or hobbies:

newspaper editor	movie star	show boat captain/ producer	zoo keeper
artist	model	ruler of exotic eastern nation	taking night school classes
working out	ballerina	adventurer	time traveler
shopping until she (or Popeye) drops	interested in education	read and studied the dictionary when she was home alone

The KFS toons, chronologically following as they did the Famous Studios' cartoons, and in many TV markets being shown alongside of the Paramount Popeyes, ensured Olive Oyl's place in our hearts, reinforcing the ideas and feelings about Ms. Oyl that the earlier cartoons called forth in us.

The Sagendorf Olive

Bud Sagendorf's Olive Oyl deserves special mention on this page because she seems to show the influence of the Famous Studios' cartoons.  Sagendorf, an assistant of Segar, who drew the daily Popeye comic strip from 1959 until the 80s and did the comic books from about 1947 to 1969 (he worked with the Sailor during the years when the Famous Studios toons were popular, first in theaters and then on TV, and during the initial years of the KFS toon broadcasts), has said that, although Olive Oyl lacks the looks of femme fatales such as Raquel Welch and Marilyn Monroe, inside she's 101 per cent pure woman.  And he's right about the attitudes of all the various incarnations of Ms. Oyl.  However, in his comic strip universe, he sometimes treated Olive as though she was Ms. Monroe.

He often had guys flirt with her.   When Sagendorf took Popeye and Olive out west, a crowd of love-struck cowboys surrounded her.  When the Thimble Theater cast went after "The Boodle Book," a ghost was attracted to her and tried to get her to switch sides so he could date her.  And the ghost of Popeye's ancestor, Patcheye The Pirate, admired her looks and invited her to join his new crew.  After Sea Hag had made Popeye Tom Thumb-sized in another story, Olive decided she needed a new boyfriend and seemed completely confidant that she could easily find one.  And sure enough, less than a day passed and she was already walking arm-in-arm with a delighted suitor.  A hotdog vendor once came on to her big time right in front of Popeye.  A film director wanted to put her beauty up on the silver screen where it belonged for all the world to see.  (Granted, he was an eccentric, but still...)  And when she and Wimpy once though that Popeye was gone, the moocher himself even made a play for her!  King Features Syndicate, which is reprinting Sagendorf's daily strips, called Olive Oyl "the least likely of sex symbols," but notice that they did call her a sex symbol, and indeed she seems to be one for the men of Sagendorf's universe.

In the Popeye comic books, Sagendorf sometimes used "romance plots" like "The Girl Guard" (which Richard Ranke alerted me to - Thanks, Richard!) where Popeye needs Swee'Pea to keep all the men away from Olive while he's away (incidentally, she winds up happily with Brutus at the end of the story!).  Sagendorf's successors sometimes followed suit.  An example is one story from Popeye #118, drawn by George Wildman, where Brutus and Olive spend time flirting at the ice rink and on the ski slopes of a winter resort.  There's no Popeye in the story at all!!  And if not for all the slapstick shenanigans that happen, Olive and Brutus would have remained a couple in the last panel.

While Sagendorf always drew Olive Oyl like Segar did, he sometimes treated her as if she was the Famous Studios' Olive Oyl, probably as a concession to the popularity of the animated cartoons and realizing that people who had watched them (and the KFS toons) would think that being irresistible to men was part of Olive's character.

Other times, though, he harkened back to other interpretations of Ms. Oyl, making fun of her looks (as when King Blozo was looking for a bride) and making it seem as though nobody but Popeye and Brutus would ever want her.

Other Olive Oyls

Here are some quick thoughts on the non-Famous Studios'
incarnations or depictions of Ms. Oyl:

The Segar Olive Oyl	The Segar Olive Oyl is the original template without which there wouldn't ever have been any Olive Oyls.  It is a classic comic study in human excess as she is constantly swept overboard by her ever-changing emotions and the events/circumstances of the day.  This Olive Oyl could be just as single-minded, tough, determined, and violent as Popeye.  It's just that what she's single-minded and determined about can change from minute-to-minute.  Underneath her temper and fickleness though, she has a heart of gold.  Although drawn very funny-looking, she could doll herself up and look somewhat more attractive.  Once, in make-up and a slinky dress, she had King Blozo, Oscar, and Popeye all panting after "the mystery lady."  She also once inflamed the inhabitants of Popeye's all-male island nation by doing a dance on the shore of a neighboring island.  (This could also have been because they were so love-starved.)  And she always had her share of suitors.  Once, she was dating three guys at once, so one held her right hand, one her left, and one her foot!  She even packed cowboys into a saloon to see her dance.  So, even though Segar did have strips that made fun of his Olive's looks, he had others in which she was some type of guy magnet.  Maybe what Famous Studios did with the character wasn't so far off from the spirit of Segar after all!
The Fleischer Olive Oyl	A gawky, gangly, dizzy dame.  The Fleischer Olive shared the looks and personality of the Segar Olive Oyl, although always seemed more helpless and hopeless than his did.  She's hilarious!
The Bud Sagendorf Olive Oyl	Her character traits were even more exaggerated than those of Segar's Olive Oyl.  Click Here for more info.
The KFS Olive Oyl	Could be as delightfully ditzy and self-centered as the Fleischer Olive Oyl (ex. Egypt Us), but could also be as flirty, and sometimes as attractive, as the Famous Studios' version (ex. Butler Up).  Also could be strong and determined when facing off against the Sea Hag.  Click Here for more info.
The Shelly Duvall Live-Action Olive Oyl	Certainly looked like Segar's creation and acted like a Fleischer cartoon character, but was stuck with a weak, boring script and so she is entirely forgettable.
The Bobby London Olive Oyl	Olive Oyl, now definitely a contemporary woman, retains her Segar independence and stubbornness.  She is addicted to the Home Shopping Network and is jealous of her blonde bombshell cousin, Sutra Oyl.  Ms. Oyl had large roles to play in several controversial satiric story lines which got the creative Mr. London in trouble.
The Hanna-Barbera Olive Oyl	Uneasy mix of Fleischer's well-meaning, but naive, bumbler/panic button pusher and a strong, independent, modern woman.  The character doesn't work for me.  And what a horrible, annoying voice - not funny like the Fleischer's Olive, or endearing or cute like the Famous Studios'/KFS Olive.  Plus, Hanna-Barbera Studios placed her in situations that violated her character.  Olive Oyl in the army!?!?!  Walking around all day in a sweat suit!?!?!

LISTS

The Top 12 "Beautiful Olive Oyl Moments/Films" From The KFS Collection*

(*My collection, that is.  The list may be modified 
as I acquire, or see, more of the toons.)

12. College Of Hard Knocks - Olive has a cute face and puts flirty expressions on it at points throughout the film.

11.The Medicine Man- An enthusiastic Olive Oyl's face is pretty at the beginning of the cartoon and at other times.

	10. Matinee Idol Popeye - Olive has a made-up face as Cleopatra and looks good in the Queen Of The Nile's costume, too.

9. Motor Knocks - Olive's face is pretty throughout most of the cartoons, especially when she's hearing that Brutus wants to be a songwriter.

8.Hits And Missiles- Ms. Oyl has a cute face in many scenes, and some curves in a couple of frames, too.

7. (Tie) Oil's Well That Ends Well and My Fair Olive - Both of these films reuse the beautiful Olive Oyl kissing Popeye models from Famous Studios' Fright To The Finish.  In addition, Olive has a pretty face in Oil's Well when she's saying, "Rich, rich, rich!" in the car, and is cute when Brutus is tickling her in My Fair Olive.

	6. Popeye's Double Trouble - Both Olive Oyl and the Sea Hag (when she's transformed herself into Olive's twin) have cute faces at points in this cartoon.
When Olive wins the contest and is receiving the loving cup from the MC, she has a pretty face and is really flirting with her eyes and expressions.

5. Coffee House - Olive makes a great beatnik!  She's cute as a button in her beret and baggy sweater, wearing big, mod (for the time period), glasses, and sporting a very different, frizzy hair style.
	She can really flirt with those eyes behind those glasses...
...and uses a sexy voice at times.

4. Caveman Capers - An Olive with some curves dances around near the beginning of the cartoon in her fur outfit,
	but it's after she gets bopped on the head that she's at her cutest.  Unfortunately, the irritating ditty she sings and the fact that she yells, "Help, Popeye!" for no reason lessens her appeal.
But this list is primarily concerned with appearances, so the cartoon and images are here.

3. Goon With The Wind -
A flirty, stylized Olive Oyl enjoys the attention that's hers when she's made Queen Of Goon Island, until she finds out she has to marry the King.  Then her pretty face is happy because she slips Popeye his spinach.

2. Sea No Evil - Olive's face is totally gorgeous in some scenes, and hardly ever less than cute at any point in the film. 

Besides that, she actually shows off an hourglass figure... 

...and other assets in her attractive one-piece bathing suit. 

Obviously, the creators were having a great time with the idea of a cartoon glamour girl in a bathing suit, but it does make one wonder why they didn't ALWAYS draw Olive Oyl like this?

1. Butler Up - I've known this cartoon to elicit a "Wow!" response from both males and females when they see certain scenes where Olive has ditched the dowdy dress and put on a slinky black number, placed a flower in her hair, slipped on a gold bracelet, and is striking a coy, seductive pose (showing off curves!),
	...or flirting with her expressive eyes.  Olive's face is stunning in some shots and she has a sexy laugh.  Why does she get all dolled up?  Not for Popeye!  It turns out her old college boyfriend is in town!!!  So what's poor Popeye - chopped liver?
But a curvy Olive finds out that the boyfriend is a hungry wolf.
A distressed, but cute, Olive attempts to tame the animal.

Honorable Mention -
A Photo Gallery Of Other KFS "Attractive Olive Oyl" Moments

The Things KFS Males Said About 
And To 
Olive Oyl

Said about Olive Oyl:

"Boy, what a doll!"	(Said lasciviously) "Here comes, Olive Oyl, my star pupil!"
"Voila! Such a gorgeous girl!  Such a doll!  I must meet this dream girl!"	"This beautiful doll..."
"Mmm, now that's what I calls a gorgeous doll!"	"That's a dear and I'd like to be her honeybear."
"I got a date with a doll!"	(Said by Space Alien)  "Oooo, that beautiful, lovely... oooo, oooo, wooo oooo!"
"The winner will receive as his reward a date with the fairest of feminine femininity, Olive Oyl!"	"Wow!  She's different!"
"A striking beauty."	"Hey, what a cute doll!"
"She's my doll!"

Said to flatter Olive Oyl:

"You look gorgeous, just the same as when you were voted the prettiest girl in class."	"Sweets for the sweet, My Sweet."
"You're lookin' prettier than ever, Olive."	"Like, I dig you the most, Baby!  Hippy!  Crazy!  Nutty!  Frantic!  From Outer Space!  Gone!  Cosmic!  Baby Doll!"
"With you as my inspiration, Babe, I can be another Gilbert and Sullivan."	"You be my hubcap, I'll be your wheel."
"You are like the beautiful flower."	"No kiddin', Baby, you has gone to my head!"
"My favorite pupil, Olive Oyl!  I couldn't start classes without your charming presence."	"You're just my type."
"You're my personal fair lady."	"Olive, Pet Pupil, for you I have a special class in l'amour, l'amour!"
"My, but we do look lovely today, don't we?"	"Such a fragile little blossom to come between two thorns."
"I would be delighted to know your name, Gorgeous."	"Your beauty speaks to me with the voice of sweet eternity."
(Olive invites "Don Juan" to sit down beside her and he responds) "It would give me great pleasure!"

Terms Of Endearment:

Baby	Babe	Sweetie Pie
Dreamy Eyes	My Sweet	Cutie-Pie
Chick	Beautiful	My Waif
My Sweet Lady	Doll	Gorgeous
Delicate Flower	My Little	Pigeon
Cutie	Baby Doll	Sweet
My Slick Chick	Olive Baby

Olive's KFS Suitors

Brutus - The KFS version of Bluto appeared as himself and in many roles in the made-for-TV cartoons (ex. a doctor, Jolly Roger the pirate).

The Alien - Assigned to abduct earthlings for study, this E.T. zeroed in on Olive Oyl after having a "wolf reaction" to her.

"Don Juan" - Though actually Brutus altered by a Sea Hag potion, "Don Juan" deserves his own listing because he is so unusual.
	He was drawn realistically handsome and Jackson Beck gave him a smooth, "latin lover" voice and accent.
The cartoon he appears in Kiddie Capers, is also unique in its plot.  Drawing on the comic strip portrayals of long ago, this cartoon plays up the often neglected fact that Olive Oyl is supposed to be younger than Popeye.
	Here she's essentially breaking up with Popeye, feeling that there's no future in their relationship.  She desires to find a younger man to marry.  Brutus overhears this.  Enter "Don Juan."
The cartoon ends with Popeye, having drunk too much of the potion himself, as a toddler and Olive, finally recognizing that he's her true love at any age, drinking some herself to join him in their "second childhood."

The Frankenstein Monster - Turning up at an eccentric scientist's abode on a dark and stormy night, Olive catches the eye of a creature who wants to get romantic with her and to get rid of Popeye.  Olive has no interest in him at all - that is, until Popeye remakes the creature, after demolishing him in a spinach-powered battle, into the image of Elvis Presley.
	Olive then throws herself at, in her words, "Elvis, my dreamboat."
Popeye, inexplicably, gets a kick out of this, and even turns up the voltage (literally) so that Olive can give "Elvis" an electrifying kiss!
	The cartoon ends with Olive kissing this other guy and a chuckling Popeye saying, "That's my Olive!"  So Olive's with another guy and Popeye is unconcerned!?!?!
Actually, though, this is kind of Segar-ish in that The Master once had Popeye inform Olive that he knows she's fickle but, "I loves ya."