Why were Popeye cartoons centered around food ?

He ate spinach, Whimpie ate hamburgers, we had an Olive Oil and we had a Sweet Pea.
Why were Popeye cartoons centered around food ?
Well, Olive’s entire family were Oyl’s; this includes her brother Castor, her parents Cole and Nana, and her uncle, Lubry Kent!



I think it is just cute names that the writer (Elsie Segar) made up for them. Wimpy was the only one who was portrayed as a glutton and a con artist, always mooching for food, so he never did a lick of work in his life.



Sweet peas have a very pretty little flower that smells nice, so it was probably chosen as an ironic name for a homely baby that had to be changed all the time.



10 MAR 07, 2034 hrs, GMT.
Reply:the whole thing was an early attempt to subliminally get children to eat better. The Spinach was good for you and would make you strong, while a diet of hamburgers would make you fat and dopey. The name sweet pea was another subliminal attempt at this by implying that peas are sweet like candy and kids should try them.
Reply:Remember the song from the Robin Williams movie

"Everything is Food"



The songs were cheesy- but a DEAD ON representation of the original EC Seagar characters



Don't forget the original comic, Thimble Theatre, originally was the adventures of Olive Oyl's brother Castor and his friend Ham Gravy



You can't make this stuff up!
Reply:It was in the hopes that kids in America would focus more on eating vegetables and healthy foods instead of candies. Weird but true
Reply:so children will eat better