Popeye the Sailorpedia
Advertisement

Bluto's father is a rough, tough turn-of-the-century mauler known from his one-time appearance in the 1953 Famous Studios Popeye cartoon Baby Wants a Battle.

In contrast to the genteel look of Poopdeck Pappy, who in this instance wears the proper fashion of the era (quite uncharcteristically) and is clean-shaven in his younger days, big daddy Bluto has a more ethnic and working-class look with his burly physique, handlebar moustache and rakish bowler hat. His interactions with Popeye's father--a sudden and thoroughly unprovoked recourse to violence--parallels that which he encourages his son to do to Popeye.

He is shown teaching the boy to communicate with his fists ('OK, Bluto, give 'im a boxing lesson!') and encouraging the junior ruffian to intimidate 'little weakling' Popeye in the playground. At first amicably sharing a park bench with Popeye's dad as the two fathers observe their children's activities, the brutish senior Bluto snares the mannerly Pappy on a lamppost in order to stop him from saving his baby (who is careening down a hill in his carriage), then begins to administer a vicious beating as infant Bluto looks on enthralled.

It is up to little Popeye to consume the spinach juice in his baby bottle and to rescue his helpless father from certain annihilation at the hands of the brute, and to teach the 'big bully and his little bruiser' that violent behavior can beget violent retribution.

Gallery[]

See also[]

Site navigation[]

Wheel
Characters
Wheel
Alice the GoonThe ApeAunt JonesAuntie BellumAxle and CamB. Loony BullonyBarney Google and Snuffy SmithBattling McGnatBeetle BaileyBernardBerniceBertha BlastBetty BoopBig CheeseBig Chief Ugh-Amugh-UghBig-Eared PygmiesBill BarnacleBill SquidBilly BoopBilly the KidBirdseedBlizzardBlutessaBlutoBluto and Blutessa's relativesBluto's fatherBluto's girlfriendBoloBoo-BirdsBoolaBrutusBullo OxheartBully BoyBurloCannibal tribesCaptain MenoCaptain StrongCastor OylCattleThe ChampCole OylColonel CrumbCylinda OylDavy JonesDee DeeDarlene DragonDeezil OylDinky DogDragging LadyDufusDundersEugene the JeepFrancisGeneral BunzoGeorge W. GeezilGeorgie the GiantGhostsGiantsGoonsGopher PeopleGrannyGrumpersGutter PeteHam GravyHardtackHi and LoisHortensiaI. C. BiggyI. Caniford LottsI. M. ShortyJ. Wellington WimpyJeepsJetoeJohn SappoJules Leotard caricatureKid KabbageKid KlutchKing BlozoKing Joe GraniteKing MiserKrentzLindenLizzieLummoxMaeMartiansMarvin MenoMary AnnMary DeveryMeldewMervin M. MouserMisermitesMister WorksMoon GoonsMoon Rock MenMorbid GrimsbyMr. ChizzelflintMr. No-NoMr. TillboxMrs. OxheartMyrtle SappoNana OylNorman the Moon PlantNothingsO. G. WotasnozzleOidsOlive OylOscarOtis O. OtisOtto OylPatcheyePercyPercy Pink SkinPetuniaThe Phantom CrusherPierrePipeye, Peepeye, Poopeye and PupeyePollyPoopdeck PappyPopeyePopeye JuniorPopeye's great-great-grandfatherPopeye's motherPossum PearlProfessor CringlyPuggy and RadRocsRokhRough HouseSamuel Snagg and Baby DollThe Sea HagSea monstersShermShortySir PomeroySkomSpacemanSupermanSutra OylSwee'PeaSweet OylSylvan OylTankToarUncle Elmo and John HardyUraniansVulturesWhaler JoeWhiffle BirdsWillie WormwoodWonder OliveWoodyZoopy
Advertisement