#public domanin day

[sohannabarberaesque]

Popeye in relation to Hanna-Barbera, more or less

As many of you probably know by now, copyright in the original version of Popeye the Sailor, as introduced by cartoonist Elsie Segar in his "Thimble Theater" strip in January 1929, goes into public domain with the arrival of 2025 in the United States.

Now mind you, this was the version before Popeye started gaining his superhuman powers via spinach (although in an early radio treatment of the character, Wheatena, a hot wheat porridge, was Popeye's source of strength) ... before Olive Oyl and Popeye were romantically linked (know, when Popeye debuted, Olive Oyl was dating Ham Gravy) ... and before the likes of Bluto, J. Wellington Wimpy, Swee' Pea, Eugene the Jeep and Popeye's nephews of Peep Eye, Pip Eye, Poop Eye and Pup Eye were even part of Popeye's supporting cast; those particular elements, for the time being, remain under King Features' copyright (King Features being part of the Hearst Corporation).

Those such being deployed in Hanna-Barbera's treatment of the franchise, The All-New Popeye Hour, as aired on CBS in their 1977-78 Saturday-morning programme and would continue off and on for a few more seasons, culminating with The Popeye and Olive Oyl Show in the 1981-82 season, also on CBS but reduced to a half hour. (The former including the Dinky Dog shorts as a segment, such sold overseas in its own right.) However, in line with prevailing standards, and quite in contrast to earlier syndicated film and TV treatments, both repackaged and first-run product airing as part of hosted children's shows locally from about the mid-1950's on, the violence was considerably toned down lest children watching Pick Up Bad Ideas and an occasional "goody-goody" public-service message being thrown into the context.

Now you know.