POPEYE THE SAILOR FIRST APPEARANCE IN A STRIP

Visiting Popeye The Sailor's Village in Mellieħa

Today, The Grandma wants to remember the first appearance of Popeye the Sailor man in a comic strip on a day like today in 1929. The Grandma is a great fan of comics and she likes Popeye a lot. Last time she visited Malta, with all her friends, they visited the Popeye The Sailor's Village in Mellieħa and she remembers that day like a great experience full of funny moments.

Before remembering Popeye the Sailor, The Grandma has studied a new lesson of her Elementary Language Practice manual (Grammar 76).

More information: Spelling 3

Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar. The character first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929, and Popeye became the strip's title in later years. Popeye has also appeared in theatrical and television animated cartoons.

Segar's Thimble Theatre strip was in its 10th year when Popeye made his debut, but the one-eyed, left, sailor quickly became the main focus of the strip, and Thimble Theatre became one of King Features' most popular properties during the 1930s.

Popeye the Sailor

After Segar's death in 1938, Thimble Theatre was continued by several writers and artists, most notably Segar's assistant Bud Sagendorf. The strip continues to appear in first-run installments in its Sunday edition, written and drawn by Hy Eisman. The daily strips are reprints of old Sagendorf stories.

In 1933, Max Fleischer adapted the Thimble Theatre characters into a series of Popeye the Sailor theatrical cartoon shorts for Paramount Pictures. These cartoons proved to be among the most popular of the 1930s, and Fleischer -and later Paramount's own Famous Studios-continued production through 1957. These cartoon shorts are now owned by Turner Entertainment and distributed by its sister company Warner Bros.

Over the years, Popeye has also appeared in comic books, television cartoons, arcade and video games, hundreds of advertisements, peripheral products ranging from spinach to candy cigarettes, and the 1980 live-action film directed by Robert Altman and starring Robin Williams as Popeye.

More information: Comics Kingdom

Popeye's story and characterization vary depending on the medium. Originally, Popeye got luck from rubbing the head of the Whiffle Hen; by 1932, he was instead getting strength from eating spinach. Swee'Pea is Popeye's ward in the comic strips, but he is often depicted as belonging to Olive Oyl in cartoons.

There is no absolute sense of continuity in the stories, although certain plot and presentation elements remain mostly constant, including purposeful contradictions in Popeye's capabilities. Popeye seems bereft of manners and uneducated, yet he often comes up with solutions to problems that seem insurmountable to the police or the scientific community.

Bruto, Olive & Popeye

He has displayed Sherlock Holmes-like investigative prowess, scientific ingenuity, and successful diplomatic arguments. His pipe also proves to be highly versatile. 

Among other things, it has served as a cutting torch, jet engine, propeller, periscope, musical instrument, and a whistle with which he produces his trademark toot. He also eats spinach through his pipe, sometimes sucking in the can itself along with the contents. Since the 1970s, Popeye is seldom depicted using his pipe to smoke tobacco.

Popeye's exploits are also enhanced by a few recurring plot elements. One is the love triangle among Popeye, Olive, and Bluto, and Bluto's endless machinations to claim Olive at Popeye's expense. Another is his near-saintly perseverance in overcoming any obstacle to please Olive, who often renounces Popeye for Bluto.

More information: Today I Found Out

There have been a number of Popeye comic books, from Dell, King Comics, Gold Key Comics, Charlton Comics and others, originally written and illustrated by Bud Sagendorf. In the Dell comics, Popeye became something of a crimefighter, thwarting evil organizations and Bluto's criminal activities. The new villains included the numerous Misermite dwarfs, who were all identical.

Popeye appeared in the British TV Comic series, a News of the World publication, becoming the cover story in 1960 with stories written and drawn by Chick Henderson. Bluto was referred to as Brutus and was Popeye's only nemesis throughout the entire run.

Popeye the Sailor

In November 1932, King Features signed an agreement with Fleischer Studios to have Popeye and the other Thimble Theatre characters begin appearing in a series of animated cartoons. The first cartoon in the series was released in 1933, and Popeye cartoons, released by Paramount Pictures, would remain a staple of Paramount's release schedule for nearly 25 years.

In 1960, King Features Syndicate commissioned a new series of cartoons entitled Popeye the Sailor, but this time for television syndication. The artwork was streamlined and simplified for the television budgets, and 220 cartoons were produced in only two years, with the first set of them premiering in the autumn of 1960, and the last of them debuting during the 1961–1962 television season.

Since King Features had exclusive rights to these Popeye cartoons, 85 of them were released on DVD as a 75th anniversary Popeye boxed set in 2004.

Director Robert Altman used the character in Popeye, a 1980 live-action musical feature film, starring Robin Williams as Popeye, his first starring movie role, Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl, and Paul L. Smith as Bluto, with songs by Harry Nilsson and Van Dyke Parks. The script was by Jules Feiffer, who adapted the 1971 Nostalgia Press book of 1936 strips for his screenplay, thus retaining many of the characters created by Segar.

A co-production of Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions, the movie was filmed almost entirely on Malta, in the village of Mellieħa on the northwest coast of the island. The set is now a tourist attraction called Popeye Village. The US box office earnings were double the film's budget, making it a success.

More information: The Telegraph

I'm strong to the finish, 'cause I eats me Spinach, 

I'm Popeye the sailor man! (toot, toot).

Popeye, the Sailor

IL-MANIKATA: GHAJN TUFFIEHA, GNEJNA & GOLDEN BAYS

Tina Picotes at Royal Naval Military Chapel

Joseph de Ca'th Lon wants to visit a church which has his name in Il-Manikata. 

Moreover, Tina Picotes, Claire Fontaine and The Grandma want to visit Għajn Tuffieħa, Ġnejna and the Golden Bay because they want to spend a day in the beach.

Il-Manikata is a small village in the limits of Mellieħa in the northwestern. It oversees the farming areas in the valley between Il-Ballut and Il-Manikata with a population of 539 inhabitants and forty families.

The main industry of Manikata is farming. The valleys around this village are rich in produce. All year round the fields are tended and the produce is enjoyed by many. Grapes, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, melons -bettiegħ-, water melons -dulliegħ-, apples, oranges, pomegranates -rummien-, strawberries and many other crops are commonly seen in the fields. Also there are many beekeepers in this area.

More information: Manikata Farmers

A lot of cart ruts are found around Manikata. These probably date to a period between the Bronze Age and the Roman Era. One particular line of cart ruts surfaces from under the trees in the Miżieb area, proceeds towards the parish church and goes towards the cliffs hanging above Mejjiesa Bay.

The Grandma walks across Għajn Tuffieħa Bay

In the area of Il-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa there are the remains of Roman baths that formed part of a rural villa. 

Nearer to Manikata there are several Roman tombs. Some of them have been obliterated when people cut across the cliff side to level the ground and make space for their fields. 

Other tombs are found in caves and have been modified by subsequent cave inhabitants to be used as storage space. Some tombs were used as air-raid shelters during WWII.

During the Middle Ages, the lands at Għajn Tuffieħa and Manikata were used for the cultivation of crops and fruit trees. Fields belonged to land owners from the capital city, Mdina, and its suburb, Rabat. 

More information: Malta Uncovered

The farmers usually inhabited the caves in the vicinity. The caves also housed sheep, goats and oxen. People also used to come here to collect fire wood. A night watch was kept over the sea cliffs of Għajn Tuffieħa by men from Mosta forming part of the civil corps called Dejma.

Enjoying the views in Għajn Tuffieħa Bay

On the 18th of May 1565 the Turkish fleet anchored in the bays around Manikata, namely Mejjiesa, Mixquqa, Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna. The following day it arrived at Marsaxlokk Bay to the South East where Turkish soldiers landed to begin their assault on Birgu, the general headquarters of the Order.

In 1637, Grand Master Lascaris came to Għajn Tuffieħa to lay the foundation stone of Għajn Tuffieħa Tower. Grand Master Lascaris also built other watch towers at Ġnejna, Qawra and Binġemma. He also built Saint Agatha's Tower, the red tower dominating Mellieħa Bay.

Towards the end of the Order’s reign, coastal entrenchments were built over Mixquqa Bay (Golden Bay). These were meant to prevent enemy troops from landing on the sandy beach below.

More information: Malta Info Guide

From 1902 onwards, a number of farmers in Manikata and Għajn Tuffieħa lost a vast amount of agricultural land which was taken over by the Admiralty for the construction of a Royal Marines Training Centre. 

Joseph contemplates Għajn Tuffieħa

The Għajn Tuffieħa Camp consisted of shooting ranges and residential quarters for soldiers, their families and camp officials. 

During WWI (1914-1917) the camp was covered in tents and used as a military hospital to cure wounded soldiers that were brought here from the war front.

In 1935 Benito Mussolini, the Fascist ruler of Italy, invaded Abbisinia, modern Ethiopia, in Africa. The British suspected that Mussolini would attempt to invade Malta. So, they built a number of coastal defences called beach posts. These were built of concrete and camouflaged with rubble walls. Two such beach posts were built in Manikata in 1935, one near Għajn Tuffieħa Tower and one near the Razzett tal-Qasam. 

More information: Malta in 360

When the WWII eventually broke out, more beach posts were built along the coast. These were provided with a search light in order to spot enemy aircraft. Over Għajn Tuffieħa Gardens, an anti-aircraft battery was also built. Due to the presence of the Admiralty camp, Manikata was often a target during air-raids. The residents used to take shelter in rock-cut air-raid shelters, in caves or in Roman tombs.

Claire Fontaine contemplates Ġnejna Bay

Nowadays, Manikata is home to about 1000 inhabitants. New houses, apartments and villas have been built recently. People from different parts of the Maltese islands have come to live here in search of serenity and beautiful surroundings. 

Many local villagers are full-time or part-time farmers. Their fields are found in the surrounding areas known as il-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa, il-Wilġa ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa, il-Miżieb, and ix-Xagħra l-Ħamra. Every last Sunday in August the parish celebrates the feast of St. Joseph. On the eve of the parish feast, the local community celebrates Lejla Sajfija għaż-Żiffa, a Summer Breeze Night, where the villagers put their best talents and products on show, including songs, drama, paintings, hand crafts, vegetables, fruits, honey, wine, olive oil...

More information: Shutter Stock

In the north-east of the Manikata church there is a medium barren land called Tal-Qargħa. This land contains a number of archaeological remains mainly cart-ruts, old quarry and walls built of large stones. In the land there is a girna and in the west of the structure there is a wall some 8 metres long and in it there are five large stones. Parallel to this wall there is another wall, which has six large stones. 

The Grandma & Claire at Għajn Tuffieħa Tower

On top of the hill there is another wall and it there are three large stones, the largest one is 0.75m length and 0.6m breath. Apart from this wall there are another two built from large stones. 

It seems that during the Bronze Age period in this area there was a prehistoric village and it was defended by several walls against their enemies. The idea of building a village on a hill and surround it by a defensive wall is a typical characteristic of the Bronze Age Period, Borġ in-Nadur. This site has evidence of hut foundations and has the longest defensive wall of the Bronze Age Period. Borġ in-Nadur wall is the best preserved prehistoric fortification in Malta.

A pillbox can be found built in Manikata at the rear of Għajn Tuffieħa Camp. Pillboxes were the last type of fortification to be built in Mellieħa and Malta. These types of military structures were constructed in nearly every part of the Island. It seems that the largest number of pillboxes was built in Mellieħa and fortunately the largest number of them survived to this day. The first building programme of pillboxes occurred in 1935.

More information: The Travel Tester

Għajn Tuffieħa Tower was built in 1637, on the top of the cliffs at the western edge of Għajn Tuffieħa Bay. During the Middle Ages il-Mahras maintained a watch-post in Għajn Tuffieħa, probably in the same site where the tower was built. This is one of the seven towers built by Grand Master Lascaris, during the times of the Knights of Malta. This tower has a longish shape and the ground floor room is larger than the second floor one. It was armed with ½-pdr cannon and was manned by four men, a captain and three men.

Joseph at The Old Chapel of St. Joseph

Unfortunately, the cliffs around this Tower are eroding very badly. Seriouscracks are visible on the surface of the cliffs near the Tower and huge holes can be seen on the wall of the cliffs. This tower may eventually collapse when the terrain on which it's built gives in.

The Old Chapel of St. Joseph was built in 1920, when there were only twelve families living in Manikata. A number of people from this tiny village helped to build this chapel. Locals recall how the soft, honey-coloured stone was brought from Qasam Barrani quarry, while stronger stone, for the arches was brought from quarries in the north of Mosta. But with the growth of Manikata to over five hundred people the chapel of St. Joseph, which seated only 100, became too small for the religious needs of the locals.

More information: Malta Uncovered

Għajn Tuffieħa forms part of the Manikata village in Malta which is part of Mellieħa. Literally translates into Apple’s Spring. It is located just east of Golden Bay, one of three bays: Gnejna Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa & Golden Bay carved out of the cliffs. It is situated at the bottom of Wied tal-Pwales. The sea is deep blue and aquamarine water interspersed with emerald and white stretches of sand.

Joseph at The Old Chapel of St. Joseph

Close to Għajn Tuffieħa, three bays are located with popular beaches among tourists. The beaches are separated by natural rock formations and therefore each has its own characteristics. 

Golden Bay, in Maltese Il-Mixquqa, is one of the few sand beaches on the north-west. It was previously known as Military Bay. The white beach slopes gently allowing swimmers to easily walk into the sea. The sand at the edge of the water at this bay is peppered with small pebbles and reaching the water can be tricky. The water here can be quite rough at times. As you swim away from the beach, the currents can be quite strong. This is one of the best places for sunsets on the Maltese islands. The water shimmers as the sun hits the horizon.

More information: Times of Malta

Għajn Tuffieħa Bay is a red beach a short distance south of Golden Bay. It is quieter than Golden Bay and often visited by the Maltese themselves, as well as tourist visitors. In order to reach this beach one needs to descend a hill on a staircase of 200 steps. 

Claire Fontaine & The Grandma at Ġnejna Bay

On top of the cliffs west of Għajn Tuffieħa bay, there is an old defense tower built in 1637. It is one of the seven towers built by Grand Master Giovanni Paolo Lascaris, of the Knights Hospitaller.

To the south of Għajn Tuffieħa Bay is the first part of Ġnejna Bay. This beach can only be reached by first going through Għajn Tuffieħa Bay, then climbing up a hill and finally making a descend along some rather steep paths between the rocks. 

The beach and especially the small stone promontory of this part of Ġnejna Bay is used as a clothing optional beach as well as a long-time gay-friendly area. This part of the bay is hidden from the main part of Ġnejna Bay. 

More information: Times of Malta

Further south, the main part of Ġnejna Bay is easily reached by road via Mgarr. It offers a mixture of rocks, sand and pebbles. Boathouses are carved into the rocks on the south side of Ġnejna Bay. Watersports are prominent recreation in Ġnejna Bay, but its earlier history as a fisherman's bay has not entirely vanished.

To escape and sit quietly on the beach, 

that's my idea of paradise. 

Emilia Wickstead

VISITING POPEYE THE SAILOR'S VILLAGE IN MELLIEHA

Popeye & Olive welcome the visitors

Today, Claire Fontaine, who is a great fan of cinema and comics, has proposed to visit Popeye Village in Mellieħa, the set which was used to film Popeye and which is now a fun park. The four friends have spent a funny day in the village.

Popeye Village, also known as Sweethaven Village and Danish Village, is a purpose-built film set village, now converted into a small attraction fun park, consisting of a collection of rustic and ramshackle wooden buildings. It is located at Anchor Bay, 3 kilometres from the village core of Mellieħa. 

More information: Popeye Village

It was built as a film set for the production of the 1980 live-action musical feature film Popeye, produced by Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions starring Robin Williams. Today it is open to the public as an open-air museum and family entertainment complex.

It was designed by Danish architect Hans Munk Hansen. It is made of modernist and post-war buildings and pathways. There have been significant changes since then to turn it into a sea-side resort, such as a recreational waterpark and a Christmas village.

Visiting Popeye's Village in Mellieħa, Malta

The construction of the film set began in June 1979. A construction crew of 165 working over seven months was needed to build the village, which consists of nineteen wooden buildings. 

Hundreds of logs and several thousand wooden planks were imported from the Netherlands, while wood shingles used in the construction of the roof tops were imported from Canada. Eight tons of nails and 2.5 cubic metres of paint were also used in construction.

In addition, a 60–75 metre breakwater was built around Anchor Bay's mouth to protect the set from high seas during the shooting.

More information: Vanity Fair

The set was completed in seven months, and filming commenced on January 23, 1980 and wrapped later that year on June 19. The film, based on the comic strips by E. C. Segar, is set around the fictional village of Sweethaven, where the sailor Popeye arrives in an attempt to find his long-lost father.

The Grandma & Joseph in Popeye's Village

Although the film had mixed reviews, Popeye Village remains a popular tourist attraction.

Popeye Village is open to the public seven days a week and, apart from the film set itself, has a number of family attractions for the visitor to experience. 

There are shows, rides and museums, as well as play houses where children can climb and explore the village. Children may also get to meet the main characters from the show such as Popeye, Olive Oyl, Bluto and Wimpy.

Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar. The character first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip, Thimble Theatre, on January 17, 1929, and Popeye became the strip's title in later years; Popeye has also appeared in theatrical and television animated cartoons.

More information: Popeye

Tina & Claire sailing across Popeye's Village

Segar's Thimble Theatre strip was in its 10th year when Popeye made his debut, but the one-eyed sailor quickly became the main focus of the strip, and Thimble Theatre became one of King Features' most popular properties during the 1930s. 

After Segar's death in 1938, Thimble Theatre was continued by several writers and artists, most notably Segar's assistant Bud Sagendorf. The strip continues to appear in first-run installments in its Sunday edition, written and drawn by Hy Eisman. The daily strips are reprints of old Sagendorf stories.

In 1933, Max Fleischer adapted the Thimble Theatre characters into a series of Popeye the Sailor theatrical cartoon shorts for Paramount Pictures. These cartoons proved to be among the most popular of the 1930s, and Fleischer, and later Paramount's own Famous Studios, continued production through 1957. 

More information: Animation World Magazine

These cartoon shorts are now owned by Turner Entertainment, a subsidiary of Time Warner, and distributed by its sister company Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Over the years, Popeye has also appeared in comic books, television cartoons, arcade and video games, hundreds of advertisements, and peripheral products, ranging from spinach to candy cigarettes, and the 1980 live-action film directed by Robert Altman, starring comedian Robin Williams as Popeye.

In 2002, TV Guide ranked Popeye #20 on its 50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time list.

More information: The Telegraph

I'm Popeye the sailor man. I'm Popeye the sailor man. 

I'm off on a trip. On me sturdy old ship. I'm Popeye the sailor man.

Popeye, The Sailor